Communications Organizer

Oakland Rising

Communications Organizer

Overview

Oakland Rising (OR), a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Empowered Politics Education Fund, is a collaboration of social justice organizations that have a long-term, shared vision for winning a community-based political infrastructure and governing majority in Oakland that centers racial, economic, and environmental justice. Over the past eight years, OR's political operation has grown into one of the largest, longest-lasting, and most sophisticated programs in the area. It has built a voter base in Oakland's working-class, immigrant, and communities of color neighborhoods that makes up more than 25% of the city's electorate. OR has helped to craft and win policies for racial, economic, and environmental justice while promoting a vision for transformational governance in Oakland and beyond.

In order to advance the work of OR, we are looking for someone who will bring to the Communications Organizer role a personal connection to the communities in which we organize as well as a commitment to the advancement of racial, economic, and environmental justice. . The successful candidate will confidently support the cultivation and building of the relationships necessary to sustain and grow the OR projects and understand the importance of aligning and building the power of movement organizations.

Who We Are

OR works to build the power of working-class families, immigrants, and people of color in Oakland to advance racial, economic, and environmental justice. OR plays three key roles to achieve our mission:

• Builds and exercises progressive electoral power through integrated strategies, including base-building and policy advocacy.
• Aligns and coordinates citywide and regional progressive forces through our collaborative model to build power & profile for the social justice movement.
• Recruits, trains, advances and supports progressive leaders who lead in a collaborative, accountable and values-based way that centers social justice.

Oakland Rising's partner organizations include: Asian Pacific Islanders for Environmental Justice (APEN), Causa Justa/Just Cause (CJJC), Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA), Parent Voices Oakland (PVO), and St. Mary's Center. UA).

The Opportunity

The Communications Organizer will work closely with the Communications Coordinator and the Program Team to raise and strengthen OR's work and utilize a communications and on-the-ground strategy to provide political education and calls to action while building relationships with working-class, poor, and formerly-incarcerated Black, Indigenous, and people of color in flatland communities in Oakland and Alameda County. The Communications Organizer will support with Communications and Program team projects and collaborate with other OR teams, such as Operations, and Fundraising Teams. The Communications Organizer reports directly to the Communications Coordinator.

Communications Strategy Implementation and Support

• Create and edit content: Responsible for creating and editing content for a variety of channels, including social media and other marketing materials.
• Find and build relationships with online leads and turn them into "offline" or on-the-ground leaders.
• Run digital ads: Support in planning and executing digital advertising campaigns on Facebook, Instagram and Google Ads.
• Utilize digital tools and platforms to mobilize and organize supporters around specific causes and campaigns. Ability to drive online advocacy using Action Network or other applications to amp up support.
• Track and analyze metrics to measure the success of campaigns and adjust strategies as needed.
• Support with graphic design projects, creating design elements in Canva, Adobe, or similar applications, and support design projects for which consultants are hired.
• Support on contributing to content for all communications assets including social media, e-blasts, websites, toolkits, press releases, advisories, statements, voter guides, letters to the editor, op-eds, and other communications materials as needed.
• Collect stories from staff, volunteers, collaborative members, and others impacted by our work to bring the power of narrative to our campaigns
• Support the coordination, maintenance, and updating of the organizations' CRM database.
• Support external communications: Support Communications team with implementing external communication strategies that promote the organization's brand, reputation, and key messages.
• Collaborate with other departments within the organization to ensure consistency of messaging and brand voice.

Organizational Participation

• Participate in quarterly and annual evaluations and workplanning for the Communications Team
• Participate in the Communications Team to support overall communications strategy and follow through on communications workplan, goals and objectives
• Be able to efficiently and effectively carry out workplan, communicate daily with Communications Team and Program Team, be proactive in team meetings and coalition spaces, and bring fresh ideas and feedback to the table to improve organizing strategy
• Participate in development of and support the implementation of the communications strategy and shared workplan
• Support grants and reports by providing timely and accurate information and analysis of organizational communications and relational organizing work
• Duties as assigned for organizational wide events as needed.

Strategic Partnerships

• Represent OR as a communications point of contact at OR events, partner events, broader community events and other spaces as needed.
• Support collaboration with staff, partner organizations, and volunteers to develop media messages, stories, and media plans for campaigns.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both verbal and written.
• Knowledge and commitment to social justice values and principles. Dedication to racial, economic, and environmental justice.
• Strong belief in building power in most impacted communities (people of color, indigenous, Black, immigrant, working-class, formerly-incarcerated) and that organizing is a core strategy to make change
• Ability to work alone (virtual) or be present at the office and/or events as needed. Can keep projects moving, manage and make progress on multiple projects simultaneously, pay attention to detail, make sure things don't slip through the cracks, and meet quick deadlines.
• Understand that ultimately, organizing is about building connections and relationships. Belief that technology should be in service of organizing, not the other way round.
• Ability to switch between detail-intensive data processing and relationship-based interaction with ease.
• Ability to handle diverse challenges with a calm demeanor and positive outlook and be oriented towards excellence in service.
• Computer skills: Google Suite, Canva, Adobe Suite, WordPress, Action Network, Mobilize America, and other media and digital or relational organizing tools; and the ability to use Zoom
• Photography and/or videography skills a plus
• Bilingual English-Spanish or English-Cantonese (ability to read and write) is a plus
• Familiarity with Oakland flatlands, Alameda County and based in the East Bay
• An orientation towards learning and development; willing to learn from mistakes, receive feedback, and give feedback to others
• Positive attitude, team player, and interest in leadership development
• Reliable transportation

Work Environment / Physical Demands

This position may require sitting at a desk for an extended period of time. It will also require being on site for organizational events and activities. There may be a hybrid work schedule between work from home and work out of the office. The candidate should be able to work on a computer including sitting at a desk for extended periods of time with or without reasonable accommodation; manual dexterity to operate a keyboard; able to see or read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids; able to speak clearly and in audible tones on the phone and in-person and be understood by others; able to hear and understand speech, including on the phone; able to understand and follow oral and written instructions; able to occasionally lift objects weighing up to 10 pounds

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Employment Terms

This position is 20 hours per week. This position has an estimated hourly rate of $25-28 This position is non-exempt. We offer a competitive health benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, a generous paid time off schedule, and other perks.

How to Apply

Submit resume, cover letter, and references through this job portal. We also ask that you submit a sample social media post and a sample graphic along with a brief description of the campaign/organizing that the post/graphic is connected to. Applications will be reviewed as received.

*Oakland Rising contracts with Resilient Strategies LLC for backend and operational support including hiring and employment. Resilient Strategies is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Folks who are queer, trans, non-binary, Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, parents, are/have been system-impacted, are immigrants, and anyone who has experienced systemic oppression and/or gender-based violence are encouraged to apply. Pursuant of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.

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