Title: Ohio Deep Engagement Organizer 

Start Date: As soon as possible

Terms: 40 hrs/week, 1 year with plans leading to permanent – funding dependent

Salary: $40,000, commensurate with experience

Benefits: Vacation time, sick days, personal days as accrued; nine paid holidays. Health benefits, if chosen, begin at 90 days.

Location: Columbus, Ohio

Job description:

Ohio Citizen Action organizes and mobilizes people to advocate for public interests. In person, by phone, and online, we engage people in actions that protect public health, improve environmental quality, and benefit consumers. Our campaigns connect Ohioans and build a movement to protect democracy and create a sustainable future.

We are excited to add a community-focused, enthusiastic Deep Engagement Organizer to our team! The Ohio Deep Engagement Organizer will develop and run a deep canvassing and relational program to create and assist county-level volunteer teams in vocally supporting continued solar growth in their home county. Deep engagement canvassing, or deep canvassing, is a transformational practice for having vulnerable, emotional, and nonjudgmental conversations that decrease polarization and move people to become more in favor of an issue.

The Organizer will lead an ongoing deep canvassing program in Central Ohio (including counties in and around the Central Ohio area). This program will involve having deep organizing conversations; collecting and tracking data; regularly evaluating and tracking learnings; recruiting, retaining and organizing volunteers to develop capacity and leadership; developing and running training programs; communicating learnings to partner organizations to use in adjacent campaign tactics; and organizing escalating action taking by residents.

The ideal candidate already resides in the Central Ohio, and will be able to leverage relationships, history and knowledge within the county for the project.

At minimum, travel will be required to participate in, train and lead deep canvass programs, as optimal canvassing turf and organizing locations within the county are identified.

Responsibilities:

  • Receive training in best practices and coaching from partners
  • Lead and develop deep engagement canvassing programs and campaigns with staff and volunteers on the phones and at doors, with support from partners
  • Recruit, organize, coordinate, and train volunteers in educating and engaging members of the public to speak out on the benefits of local solar projects using engagement organizing principles
  • Outreach, organize and deliver presentations to community groups and partner organizations
  • Research and write communications and reports
  • Tell the story of progress by tracking the metrics of the program within the organization’s database and regularly updating the organization, funders and allies about the lessons, successes and challenges of the program
  • Participate in applicable coalition meetings and activities
  • Support website development, content updating and other communications, including collecting stories of support and success for use within local and broader work
  • Participate in leadership development and diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings
  • Meet regularly with the supervisor and supporting staff
  • Participate in mandatory organizational development activities
  • Follow workplace health and safety protocols
  • Other duties as assigned

Desired Skills and Experience:

  • At least one year experience in organizing such as: community organizing, campaigning, canvassing, electoral work, managing volunteers and/or leading trainings and developing training content is required
  • Experience with social work, crisis support, or trauma-informed care preferred
  • Experience with Microsoft office (Excel), Zoom, computer usage and comfort level with social media platforms required
  • Experience with CallHub, BaseCamp, Slack and other rapid response message apps, as well as data analyzing and mapping software preferred
  • Fluent in English, and fluency in an additional language preferred
  • Demonstrated commitment and passion to environmental justice and its intersections
  • Ability to work with diverse people and organizations
  • Proven strong interpersonal, conflict resolution and communication skills
  • Able to accurately record results of conversations in a data tracking database and contribute to debriefs that support team in learning from canvass interactions
  • Comfortable talking with people with diverse viewpoints and actively listening without judgment to what they have to say
  • Willing to share vulnerable experiences from your life
  • Enthusiastic about learning, risk-taking and willing to make mistakes in the process
  • Ability to be emotionally resilient during work hours for this position
  • Able to work evenings and weekends as necessary – this is a key requirement of
  • successful community organizing and will be required once the program launches
  • Access to reliable transportation and valid driver’s license
  • Legally able to work in the United States

To apply:

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis with the intention to hire as soon as possible.

  • Send a cover letter and resume to [email protected] with the subject line reading “Deep Engagement Organizer"

We thank all who apply and only those considered for the position will be contacted for interviews.