About the Texas Organizing Project (TOP): Founded in 2009, TOP has become a leading statewide organizing group in Texas, advancing racial and economic justice through community and electoral organizing. Our programs are anchored in the three largest metro regions of the state, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. We have a base of over 277,000 members and supporters who are reflective of Texas’s growing population – people of color, low moderate income families. Through on the ground organizing, grass-roots leader trainings, direct action, policy advocacy and electoral engagement we have made gains in policy solutions and public investments in criminal justice, neighborhood infrastructure, family sustaining jobs, affordable housing, community schools, health access and immigrant rights. TOP and its partner PACs have also run the largest independent grassroots electoral field operation in the state, running program in four of the largest counties.
Since 2010, our efforts have attempted over 1.7 million unique voters. In 2018, our program that included door knocking, digital, phone and text programs, turned out over 465,000 largely voters of color of which over 270,000 were unlikely midterm voters. Our electoral work, which has been as high as $5 million during major elections, has helped elect progressive champions at the municipal, school board, county, state and federal levels. Our organizing and leader development work has resulted in progressive policy that has changed the lives of families in our communities in the now-changing South.
At TOP, we fight with two fists – organizing power and political power. We seek an experienced and energetic professional with community and political organizing experience who will strengthen our political fist at TOP. Together with TOP’s Political Field Director, TOP’s Political Director will build out and strengthen our political prowess and capacity to deliver change for our communities. Specifically, the Political Director will:
● Lead TOP’s statewide political and policy program to advance organizing priorities for our membership
● Build and manage state and national political relationships
● Manage legislative and local policy strategies including working in partnership with TOP leaders and campaign directors to develop and execute comprehensive political organizing strategies that deliver governance and systems change
● Build a narrative around TOP’s vision for Texas and helps mobilize our base, including rapid response to key political moments
● Fundraise to support electoral field operations
● Support the Political Field Director in the execution of electoral operations often managing electoral programs during GOTV
● Co-manage (where it makes sense) relationships with elected officials and candidates in partnership with a cross-section of TOP staff and leaders.
Job Description: TOP’s culture is a highly collaborative environment that engages staff and members as full partners. The Director manages long-term strategic thinking about how TOP staff and leaders can use political engagement to build sustainable power in historically marginalized communities. A strong candidate will have significant experience managing staff, developing political organizing and policy strategies that win and deliver change for marginalized communities, raising political money, and managing relationships and key partnerships.
Primary Responsibilities:
● Work collaboratively with TOP members and campaigns to develop comprehensive policy and political strategies and direction
● Work with campaigns and TOP leaders to directly advocate for TOP’s political priorities to elected and appointed officials, candidates and their staff
● Engage in and guide rapid response to key political moments across the organization including managing this work with communications staff
● Maintain, build and manage key relationships with national, state and local partners in the progressive movement – including representing TOP and our priorities in statewide progressive coordinated efforts
● Along with the Political Field Director, represent TOP in national political organizing spaces advocating TOP’s theory of change for Texas and how that translates into strategic policy and electoral program.
● Maintain, build and manage relationships with elected officials, candidates and their staff
● Supervise 1-2 campaign staff to support TOP’s political and policy strategies
● Work with our electoral team to consult and advise on political strategy related to our issue organizing
● Manage components of major electoral GOTV efforts in partnership with the State Field Director
● Engage with funders and donors to raise resources for the political department and electoral operations
● Engage in some public facing responsibilities to the public and press
● Participate in power building activities in issue organizing and Get Out the Vote (GOTV), including but not limited to canvassing door-to-door, phone banking, and text banking, as needed
Qualifications and competencies:
● Five to ten years experience working in organizing and electoral spaces
● Personnel management experience
● Experience managing budgets
● Experience setting strategic direction and guiding teams
● Experience across both issue and electoral campaigning
● At least one cycle of Congressional, Presidential, or competitive state/local electoral experience with a campaign or with an electoral campaigning organization and/or experience working in movement organizations
● Project management experience – Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and work under tight deadlines
● Exemplary proficiency in interpersonal communication, listening, and conflict resolution; diplomatic in resolving issues
● Can exercise a high level of autonomous decision making and problem solving
● Successful engagement in coalition work
● Experience working across multiple fields (communications, organizing, mobilization, coalitions, direct advocacy) to creatively and collaboratively achieve political outcomes
● An understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism, anti-oppression, and bias and their impact on low-income and communities of color.
Pluses:
● Legislative experience
● Knowledge of election law and/or ability to develop this expertise
Characteristics of the position:
● Regular travel
● Willingness to go the extra mile to get the job done
● Some evening and weekend hours will be required – with ramp up during election time
● Position reports to the Co-Executive Directors
SALARY: $92,000 – $109,250, based on experience.
TOP is an equal opportunity employer. Women of color and directly impacted individuals are strongly
encouraged to apply. This position supervises positions that are within a bargaining unit that is represented by a union.
TO APPLY: Please email a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to recruit@organizetexas.org.
***Competitive salary, depending on experience. Generous benefits package includes: comprehensive medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid holidays including a weeklong period of rejuvenation at the end of each calendar year, vacation, parental leave, sick leave, and travel reimbursement.