Community Organizer

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC) is hiring! We are seeking an Organizer who will work with KFTC’s grassroots leaders and staff to strengthen our membership and local chapters in and around KFTC’s Madison County Chapter and Wilderness Trace Chapter. This person will implement outreach strategies to engage thousands of people around key issues, voting, and opportunities to take action. This position will be based in our Berea office.

Who We Are

KFTC is a grassroots organization of 12,000 members across Kentucky. We have 14 local chapters and at-large members in many counties. KFTC believes in the power of community organizing – people working together to achieve common goals. Organizing empowers us to help shape decisions affecting our lives and the larger community. It is a long-term approach that focuses on building and exercising power, especially among people affected by injustice, to improve the quality of life for all. KFTC members and staff use a range of important strategies to achieve our organizing goals, including leadership development, strategic communications, integrated voter engagement, non-violent direct action, chapter building, grassroots fundraising, and alliance building. Chapters are the building blocks of KFTC’s power, and the primary place where members join and get involved in improving their communities.

What You’ll Do

Your job will be to support KFTC members and staff in a wide range of outreach strategies, including door- knocking, tabling, presentations and workshops, one-to-one conversations, public meetings and cultural events, phone banking, and door-knocking and canvassing. You will help register, inform, and engage thousands of potential new KFTC members and voters in Kentucky, and provide opportunities for people to learn about and take action on key issues and KFTC’s broader vision for social change. And you will also work with KFTC members and allies to hold elected leaders accountable and shape the public conversation about our vision for social change.

Your work with KFTC will include:

Developing a broad, diverse base of skilled, active and politically conscious leaders.
Contributing to effective, successful local and statewide campaigns.
Using voter engagement strategies to build grassroots power, advance issue campaigns, and change Kentucky’s political landscape.
Supporting strategic communications about KFTC’s goals, issues, and activities.
Conducting and inspiring effective, consistent grassroots fundraising.
Contributing constructively and positively to the KFTC organizing and staff teams.
Efficiently fulfilling administrative tasks.
Traveling locally and within the state and accommodate a work schedule that includes some evenings and weekends.
Contributing to a positive, diverse, and high performing staff culture and team.

You will report to a KFTC Organizing Director or Deputy Organizing Director.

Who You Are

Prior experience as a community organizer is not a requirement, but highly recommended. Because you will need to be able to relate to Kentuckians from all walks of life and move them to action, you will presumably bring experience developing others as leaders, strong communication and listening skills and a commitment to the vision and values of KFTC. You will also be organized, strategic, able to cope with changing and uncertain circumstances, collaborative, and compassionate. You will have a commitment to shared leadership and work well in teams with both leaders and other staff colleagues.

In addition, you should excel in three areas:

Critical thinking skills: You will need to quickly analyze situations to see beyond the surface of challenges and effectively guide and support members in moving through those obstacles to make progress.
Self-Direction and Commitment: You will be in situations where community leaders are looking to you for guidance and strategy. You must be able to know what steps are needed to make progress, meet commitments, and able to take those steps on your own. You must be highly organized, focused, and have a strong work ethic.
Interpersonal ability and a strong lens on issues of equity: You must be able to build trust and goodwill with people in the community and demonstrate respect for the leaders you work with. You’re the kind of person who thrives on developing others. And because our members and communities come from a wide range of backgrounds, you can thoughtfully navigate issues related to diversity, equity, power, and inclusion and bring a deep commitment to advancing these values.

What Else You Should Know

This Organizer position will support KFTC’s chapters in Madison County and Wilderness Trace, which covers Boyle County and the surrounding area, and will cover the surrounding region. It requires moderate travel (3 to 8 day trips a month), working on weekends, and working 4 to 6 week nights a month.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strongly encourage people of color and women to apply for open positions.

KFTC’s starting annual salary is $34,696. The organization offers full family health coverage, including vision and dental insurance. Annual time-off includes 3 weeks annual paid vacation, ten paid holidays, nine paid sick days, and three paid personal days.

KFTC also has a compensation time policy and offers one-month of paid maternity/paternity/family leave. All staff members are eligible for a month of paid sabbatical leave after five years. KFTC contributes to a pension plan after three years of employment.

What Now?

If this seems like you, email your resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references to [email protected].