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Position:  Civil Rights of Immigrants National Field Coordinator

Applications Due:  October 1, 2009

 

The Gamaliel Foundation is a network of 60 metropolitan faith based community organizations in 20 states, four provinces in South Africa and three metropolitan areas in Great Britain.  This network represents a total of 1,600 congregations and 250,000 grassroots leaders.

Gamaliel’s mission is threefold:

·        to assist local community leaders to create, maintain and expand independent, grassroots, and powerful faith-based community organizations so that ordinary people can impact the political, social, economic, and environmental decisions that affect their lives;

·        to provide these organizations with leadership training programs, consultation, research and analysis on social justice issues and;

·        to be a network for mutual learning and collective actions.

Gamaliel’s  two overarching goals are to:

·        Build and mobilize a constituency for progressive change in the United States.

·        Support organizers, clergy, grassroots leaders and working families as they advocate for policies that will improve their lives.

The Gamaliel Foundation emerged during the civil rights movement as a project to fight racial discrimination in lending and real estate. The organization (originally called the Contract Buyers League) was reconstituted as the Gamaliel Foundation in 1987, with a mission to build and support grassroots organizing groups.  In 1996, Gamaliel began to apply an analysis of regionalism to inform our work at the grassroots level. In 2002, Gamaliel selected the civil rights of immigrants as its first nationwide campaign and began to act as a national organization.

For over ten years, Gamaliel has been working with our affiliates to promote a vision of healthier communities. We call this vision Metropolitan (or Metro) Equity. To advocate for this vision, Gamaliel builds metropolitan organizations of 30-100 institutional members whose leaders are committed to the larger goals of the organization.  These grassroots leaders belong to churches, synagogues and mosques, some as clergy, some as lay members. They invest their time to educate and mobilize others in their congregations, organizing meetings which unite 500 to 5,000 people for social change.

Gamaliel measures our impact in terms of communities empowered, policies proposed, support mobilized for progressive reforms. Our affiliates organize and mobilize working families to advocate for their own benefit; they celebrate legislative and policy victories like expanded opportunity housing, jobs bills and healthcare reforms. Gamaliel supports affiliates through leadership training, staff development, organizational consulting and planning.  Affiliates are acting collectively through Gamaliel’s Faith and Democracy Campaign.

Visit our website at http://www.gamaliel.org for detailed information about The Gamaliel Foundation.

Title: Civil Rights of Immigrants National Field Coordinator

REPORTS TO:  Juan F. Soto, CRI Director

The Gamaliel Foundation is hiring a full-time Civil Rights of Immigrants Field Coordinator to oversee the field component of a national campaign for comprehensive immigration reform. The Field Coordinator will report to the CRI Director and will coordinate and execute a multi-state legislative field strategy with Gamaliel Affiliates. The Coordinator will manage contacts with regional and local affiliate organizations, and provide direction and leadership to organizations participating in the Campaign.  The Field Coordinators’ responsibilities will involve designing and executing state and district-level strategies for grassroots advocacy and communications work specific to those communities and for executing nationally coordinated activities in the Field.

This is a role for a goal-driven, detail-oriented individual who can build and execute a plan that can assist local affiliate organizations to build relationships with critical constituencies and allies and drive a broad coalition of organizations toward enactment of federal immigration legislation. This is a high level position for an experienced organizer or campaigner with a proven track record of working with grassroots networks and diverse sectors such as faith, labor, and community based organizations. Knowledge of, or exposure to, immigration or immigrant rights issues is preferred.  

Candidates should be available to attend Gamaliel National Weeklong Training for 7 days in November. (The location of this event TBD.).  This is a temporary full-time position.

DUTIES:

·        Command in-depth knowledge and carry out of overall immigration campaign plan and field objectives,

·        Working with the Faith Based Communities including affiliated Gamaliel Clergy Caucus’s, in developing a common vision for comprehensive immigration reform, attend GNCC (Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus) quarterly meetings and GNCC Training

·        Training grassroots clergy and lay leaders,

·        Coordinating national days of action and ,

·        Meeting advocacy outreach goals on postcards, local actions, calls to policy-makers, etc,

·        Implement the national campaign plan and customize strategies for particular affiliates.

·        Ensure accountability to national goals, taking into consideration local opportunities and challenges.

·        Consult and work with affiliate organizations to build diverse grassroots participation and support for the campaign.

·        Create opportunities to hold field policy briefings; lobby days; and related activities; document progress; and provide follow-up as appropriate.

·        Carry out other duties and organizational activities as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

·        Based out of a Gamaliel approved affiliate office.

·        Commitment to the CRI legislative principles of the campaign.

·        Bilingual capabilities (Spanish strongly preferred).

·        Three years or more electoral and/or issue and campaign management experience is required.

·        Substantive knowledge of grassroots organizations and pro-immigrant constituencies, and some exposure to immigration policy.

·        Excellent, well-developed writing skills and the ability to synthesize information from different sources and present it in a variety of written formats and styles for various audiences.

·        Ability to represent the campaign and communicate effectively in various settings (internally and with affiliate partners, legislative staff, etc.) on selected issues.

·        Demonstrated skill in planning, preparing, and delivering written and oral remarks.

·        Strong organizational and administrative skills and attention to detail.

·        Strong sense of self-motivation; able to function effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

·        Knowledge of computers essential, including strong competency in word processing skills using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).  Internet and email use required.

·        Willingness to carry out a wide range of activities, including both professional and logistical tasks.

·        Ability to work in a high-pressure environment, maintain long hours consistently, and travel.

·        Works well with others in building a unified, dynamic, cohesive campaign and movement spirit.

·        Candidates should have 3-5 years community organizing/electoral experience.  College degree and graduate work preferred,

·        Excellent organizational/administrative skills is a must,

·        Available for travel on a frequent basis,

·        A car for frequent travel,

·        Ability to work with a team and build coalitions through internet, in person or by phone,

·        Strong communication and writing skills required, and

·        Some experience in working with an interdenominational, interracial faith-based community.

COMPENSATION: Compensation will be commensurate with experience. The Gamaliel Foundation offers a very competitive salary and health benefits. The Gamaliel Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and women, people of color and ethnic minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

TIME FRAME: Full-time.  Position is funded for one calendar year.  Candidate will work with CRI Director to sustain position after year 1.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, short writing sample and 3 references to Juan F. Soto, jfsoto@gamaliel.org ; more information at the www.gamaliel.org website.

No phone calls please.