Community Organizer [at large]

About the Black Organizing Project (BOP)

The Black Organizing Project is a Black member-led community organization working for racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing and community-building in Oakland, California and across the Bay Area.  In addition to caring for our community, BOP has adopted a more sustainable philosophy for our staff.  BOP takes pride in caring for its staff by providing competitive salaries, 4-day work weeks, 3 paid company-wide seasonal rest periods each year, as well as other perks that promote a healthy work-life balance. 

Our vision is to build a strong bottom up organization of Black people that will:

• Craft alternative models and institutions that will advance our vision of racial and economic justice
• Rebuild the spirit and foundation of our community
• Exercise political and economic power
• Act to win real systematic change
• Transform the lives of Black people
• Embody the spirit that has sustained the Black community

About Our Ideal Candidate

You love connecting people to the issues facing our communities, you are exceptionally organized and are deeply committed to building a powerful, member-led Black organizing institution. You are passionate about recruiting member leaders to engage them in deepening their political analysis and in inciting them to engage in our campaigns.  You are resourceful and flexible and can be a bridge between internal teams in order to increase the effectiveness of our organizing efforts.  You are dedicated to excellence in communication and can support the team in ensuring the same.  You skillfully manage remote and on-site office work and are ready to step up into building and supporting our membership base as we continue to build the next phase of BOP’s critical work for justice.  BOP members, Oakland residents and OUSD parents are strongly encouraged to apply.

Organizer Overview

This position is responsible for recruiting and helping to build our membership base of people who are ready to actively engage in increasing power in the Black community.  They will advance the work of BOP by identifying/ inspiring community members to get involved in BOP as leaders in their community. 

BOP’s organizers work extensively in the field conducting outreach. They identify, assess and build relationships with potential members, while seeking development opportunities for those members.  

BOP provides an exciting opportunity for self-motivated and creative individuals who want to have an impact on changing the conditions of Black folks through community organizing in Oakland and the East Bay. The position requires a flexible schedule with occasional nights and weekends. The Community Organizer reports to the Lead Organizer.

Outreach:

• Spends 60 percent of the time in the field conducting outreach 
• Follows up with contacts outreached to and recruits members into the organization
• Maintains systems for tracking outreach, target areas and follow up

Membership/Leadership Development: 

• Recruits & assesses potential new members
• Supports a membership committee as needed 
• Supports leadership development opportunities for members 
• Works in collaboration with the organizing team to ensure alignment with organizational goals and strategies
• Works to ensure that there are safe, welcoming and supportive multi-generational spaces for Black folks to collectively build Black sanctuary in our communities

Documentation and Reporting:

• Documents qualitative and quantitative data related to programs
• Provides weekly reports to the Organizing team 
• Other duties as assigned 

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 1 year of experience in community, labor or other relevant grassroots organizing 
• Demonstrates success in growing and developing an organized base of members, constituents or community members
• Team player attitude and ability to build strong interpersonal skills with youth 
• Excellent verbal, written, and time management skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerbase, Google Docs and Powerpoint are a plus
• Flexibility to work flexible hours, weekends and evenings as necessary
• Ability to energize, inspire, and move young people  to action
• Excellent organizational skills and problem solving
• Ability to prioritize and balance multiple task and projects
• Willingness to travel as necessary
• Being From Oakland or graduating from an Oakland school is a PLUS
• Valid driver’s license, insurance and reliable transportation required

Conditions

This is a full-time, hourly, at-will position with a 90-day probationary period.  Background check and fingerprinting are required upon job offer.

Salary:  $30- $35/ hr (depending on experience), plus a 32 hour FTE work week, incredible co-workers, inspiring work and more. 

BOP offers a generous benefits package to all regular full-time employees that includes:

• 100% organization paid medical, dental, vision coverage for the employee and family
• 401K organization matching
• Accrue 14 vacation days in the first year with incremental increases thereafter, 7 sick days annually, 14 paid holidays, 2 unrestricted floating holidays
• 3 paid seasonal closures; 1-week long break in spring, 1-week long break in summer and 1 in winter between Christmas and New Year’s Day 
• Fully paid 4-week sabbatical program after 5 years with the organization
• Professional development funds