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.
Job Description: TOP’s culture is a highly collaborative environment that engages staff and members as full partners. TOP’s County Political Organizers are responsible for building out local electoral and political organizing strategies with TOP leaders and organizers that advance issue-based campaigns. This includes managing member endorsement processes, building out and managing member Get Out the Vote efforts, implementing local paid and volunteer GOTV programs that deliver change for TOP’s community base, and building and maintaining relationships with local elected officials and ally organizations in coordination with the issue based campaign leaders/organizer teams. Core responsibilities include:
Bottom line member electoral engagement program:
● Managing our member campaign endorsement program – providing technical assistance to members to help make the most informed decisions (win scenarios, candidate viability, election intel, candidate financials, election timelines, office responsibilities, etc) and working with organizing staff and members to support them in developing endorsement criteria and setting member participation goals
● Co-creating with leaders a member GOTV program and then managing and implementing the program
● Creating development opportunities for members to grow their analysis of how political opportunities are part of their winning through the issue campaigns and electoral organizing skills, (how to run the decision making processes/endorsement process, develop hard organizing skills, how to run successful events, how to design GOTV programs, and how own ally, candidates and elected officials)
Manage Paid GOTV Efforts:
● Support the State Political Field Director in designing local electoral campaign and win plans
● Hire and manage staff for paid GOTV programs – canvassers, texters, phonbankers
● Run and bottom-line paid GOTV programs
● Manage vendor relationships for paid GOTV programs
● Track metrics to ensure programs deliver on voter turnout goals – reporting to TOP’s Political Field Director.
Researching relevant offices and elections that impact our issue campaigns
Maintaining a local political presence in the county – representing the organization in local meetings with electeds and partners, as appropriate and as much as possible in partnership with leaders of the appropriate issue campaign.
Identifying ongoing opportunities to put our members in front of elected decision makers to advance our issue organizing campaigns.
Working with staff and members to integrate political strategy into their campaign efforts.
Qualifications and Competencies:
– Strong commitment to social, racial and economic justice
– Minimum one year experience working in organizing or electoral spaces
– Strong interpersonal, organizational, and presentation skills
– Ability to work well with all religious, cultural, ethnic and social groups
– Ability to identify, recruit and develop community leaders
– Experience running or managing small scale electoral programs a plus
– Willingness to work irregular hours including evenings and weekends
– Willingness to learn and grow within the TOP culture
– Computer competency – Zoom, VAN (or other electoral database), Google Docs, Internet required;
– One to two years organizing experience preferred
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 TOP Field Director
TOP is an equal opportunity employer. Women of color and directly impacted individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.
TO APPLY: Please email a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to recruit@organizetexas.org.
This position is within a bargaining unit that is represented by a union.
***Salary: $45,000. Benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, sick leave, and travel reimbursement.