JOB ANNOUNCEMENT - Lead Organizer

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06 Oct 2011

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Domestic Workers United

Job title: Lead Organizer

Term: Full-time with at least a 1-year commitment

Salary: $47,000-$50,000 plus benefits

Application deadline: Open until filled

Background:

Founded in 2000, Domestic Workers United (DWU) is an organization of Caribbean, Latina and African nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers in New York, organizing for power, respect, fair labor standards and to help build a movement for social change.

Over the last 10 years, DWU has laid a strong foundation for the transformation of the domestic work industry by building a grassroots membership base of 4500 workers, establishing the first Nanny Training Course, and by winning over half a million dollars in unpaid wages for exploited domestic workers. DWU also produced the first comprehensive industry-wide report entitled "Home is Where the Work Is: Inside New York's Domestic Work Industry," along with leading the formation of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, assembling a model multi-sector coalition through grassroots-led campaigns, and passing groundbreaking and historic legislation at both the city and state levels in support of rights and recognition for domestic workers. In 2010, DWU and its allies brought their power to bear when the nation's first Domestic Workers Bill of Rights was finally signed into law in New York. New York domestic workers are now guaranteed basic rights and protections, including paid days off, overtime, and protection from discrimination.

DWU seeks a full-time Lead Organizer who will coordinate leadership development, coordinate campaigns, and guide overall political strategy—in collaboration with DWU staff and member committees.

The Lead Organizer’s responsibilities will include:

Leadership and Skills Development:

• Supervise and provide skills training for DWU’s organizing staff

• Coordinate political education and community organizer skills training for DWU’s member committees

Campaign Coordination:

• Coordinate and support DWU’s organizing team to run the Know Your Rights campaign that focuses on Bill of Rights implementation and educates and trains domestic workers to exercise their new rights on the job

• Coordinate and support DWU’s Ambassadors and Base-Building Committee as they develop worker-run local groups in different parts of the city

Strategy:

• Guide strategy for DWU’s Justice for Exploited Workers campaigns, and link these individual-case campaigns to broader policy agendas

• Guide strategy for DWU’s Domestic Justice Dialogue Project, laying the groundwork for collective bargaining in the domestic work industry

• Help lead DWU’s participation in local and national coalition work, and support the growth of a strong domestic workers’ movement.

Requirements:

• Minimum of five years experience as a lead organizer, preferably in a union and/or workers’ center context

• Demonstrated experience providing leadership for policy campaigns at the state or national level

• Strong supervision skills and a minimum of three years’ experience supervising others

• Strong training and mentorship skills, and a commitment to skill-sharing and coaching in the context of grassroots organizations

• Strong teamwork abilities for close collaboration with other staff and member committees

• Superb research, analytical, writing, oral communication, and interpersonal skills

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

• Willingness to travel

• Dedication and ability to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends

• Proficiency in Windows applications and other information technologies

• Demonstrated commitment to grassroots organizing and building power of poor and working people

• Familiarity with the landscape of domestic worker organizing, and organizing by other excluded workers

• Fluency in Spanish is preferred

To apply:

DWU encourages applications from women and people of color.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to dwu.search@gmail.com.

This position is open until filled.

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