Racial and Economic Justice Organizer - Progressive Maryland

Racial and Economic Justice Organizer Job Description 

Location: Prince George’s County, Maryland 

Summary: Progressive Maryland was founded to empower communities to act for social and economic justice by developing leaders and cultivating allies in order to build a grassroots movement with the power to advance economic, racial, and environmental equity. We are made up of over 125,000 individual members and supporters and dozens of affiliated religious, community and labor organizations statewide. 

Community Organizer: The Racial and Economic Justice Organizer will work to sustain and expand PMD's economic justice organizing work by organizing low-wage workers, including tipped workers, around issues such as eliminating the subminimum wage and indexing minimum wage to inflation. The Organizer will also identify issues facing low income workers and help to promote programs such as our job readiness training and policies that can raise their incomes. The Organizer builds an ongoing base of grassroots leaders, volunteers, and community partners who identify with and support the mission of Progressive Maryland. The Organizer participates in solidarity in statewide issue campaigns with PMD members from other chapters across the state. The Organizer also builds relationships with allied organizations. Under the supervision of our Campaigns Director, the Organizer works in concert with staff organizers in other jurisdictions to execute grassroots organizing plans that further PMD’s programmatic goals. 

Responsibilities 

• Build grassroots power to advance economic justice through canvassing, phone and text banking, and 1-on-1 leadership development meetings with low-wage workers
• Recruit, develop, and train people impacted by economic injustice to take positions of leadership with issue campaigns
• Recruit, manage, and train PMD members to build community relationships, canvass, and door-knock before, during, and after election season 
• Use phones, social media, and community outreach techniques to recruit and identify prospective members 
• Cultivate grassroots donors by creating positive leadership relationships with members
• Meet base building and outreach goals, which are tracked and reported in an accurate and timely fashion each week  
• With the support of the Campaigns Director, develop and implement organizing plans
• Represent PMD at community events and meetings across Prince George’s County
• Introduce workers to programs that can support them in increasing their wages and in handling issues in their workplace.
• Gather input from workers on issue policies we should pursue. 
• Organize worker groups within communities to coordinate workers towards shared goals.  
• Work to elect endorsed pro-labor candidates into office.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications 

● Experience leading on a social justice issue and/or progressive electoral campaign 

● Direct experience in grassroots community organizing, canvassing, and phone banking

● Basic computer literacy and a willingness to quickly learn and use new digital platforms 

● Ability to meet deadlines under pressure while handling multiple projects 

● Ability to work independently, as a member of a team, and a team lead 

● Ability to train and manage member volunteers

● The ability to think, reflect, communicate, challenge the conventional wisdom, make judgments in complicated situations, and show flexibility.

● A clear sense of the challenges our communities face, impatience in the face of those wrongs, and a drive to address them

Pluses (but not required) 

● Familiarity with Maryland political systems on the city, county, and state level 

● Residence in Prince George’s County

● Experience with Votebuilder/VAN and other campaign platforms 

● Familiarity with Prince George’s County politics and issues of concern to residents there

Travel: All positions require reliable access to a vehicle and a valid driver’s license, laptop, phone, and willingness to travel throughout Prince George’s County (regularly) and elsewhere in Maryland (as needed). 

Salary, Benefits, and Position Details: Salary is commensurate with experience between $50,000-$65,000. Benefits include 100% employer-paid health, vision, and dental insurance, a 403(b) retirement plan with an employer match, 2 weeks paid vacation, 6 personal days, 15 sick days, and holidays. Progressive Maryland is a proudly unionized workplace. This position is in the bargaining unit, which is represented by UFCW Local 1994. 

To Apply: Please send a 1-page or less story of self that tells us why you want to be or became an organizer, resume, and three professional references to max@progressivemaryland.org with “Racial and Economic Justice Organizer” in the email subject line. Only complete applications submitted by email will be considered. Complete applications will be considered on a rolling basis until a hire is made. 

Progressive Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, People of Color, LGBTQ people, Returning Citizens, and Immigrants are strongly encouraged to apply. 

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