Description
National Skills Coalition (NSC) is advocating for an America that grows its economy by investing in its people, so that every worker and every industry has the skills to compete and prosper.
NSC seeks a Field Organizer to maintain and grow the coalition’s national network of stakeholders (business, labor, colleges, CBOs, WIBs, advocates). The Field Organizer will initiate outreach and manage advocacy efforts in targeted states and districts for the purposes of federal advocacy, as well as provide organizing support for both federal and state campaigns (legislative, Governor-directed, etc.) in collaboration with policy and communications staff. The Field Organizer will support the creation of new state coalitions as well as exchanges between and technical assistance to existing ones, in collaboration with state policy staff. The Field organizer will be skilled in meeting planning and management, so as to successfully support the staffing of national and regional meetings, conferences, and fly-ins, in coordination with policy and communication staff. Finally, our Field Organizer will be passionate about issues related to the alleviation of poverty, economic opportunity, and the need to expand options for a diversity of Americans to develop a skilled career that can support a family.
General Responsibilities (percentages are approximate):
- Field Engagement (40%) Support the maintenance, growth, and mobilization of an active multi-stakeholder national network of allies across states to assist the Field Department in advance NSC’s agenda, including the maintenance, growth, and mobilization of NSC’s employer network, Business Leaders United (BLU). Support the utilization of NSC’s National Advisory Panels and BLU Advisory Groups. Help to promote NSC and its agenda to potential allies and the larger public through presentations, press engagement, and other activities. Oversee and keep current the tracking metrics that help measure and track the growth and impact of NSC’s national network.
- State Policy (35%): Support the creation of new state coalitions in targeted states, and help develop specific state advocacy campaigns, including outreach and organizing support, in collaboration with state policy and communications staff. Support peer-to-peer exchanges between state coalitions, in collaboration with state policy staff.
- Federal Policy (25%): Support continuous improvement of field responses to calls to action. Facilitate direct communication between the field and federal policymakers, in coordination with federal policy staff. Provide outreach support to specific federal advocacy campaigns, in collaboration with federal policy and communications staff. Provide outreach and comprehensive staffing support to national advocacy events.
Candidate Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree.
- 4-7 years organizing experience, with a focus on affecting policy change; experience in the workforce development field highly desirable but not required.
- Demonstrated communication skills, both oral and written.
- Demonstrated event planning and management skills.
- Ability to engage partners from multiple stakeholder groups, including employers and labor.
- High degree of organization, attention to detail and ability to manage deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong interpersonal, collaborative skills. A desire to be part of a small but dynamic team of individuals with a passion for our issues.
- Collegiality and sense of humor highly valued.
- Ability to travel as necessary.
Compensation: Competitive salary. Excellent benefits package, including employer-paid health and dental, retirement plan, life and disability insurance and generous vacation policy.
National Skills Coalition is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
To Apply: Please email cover letter with salary history and resume to settleson@gmail.com with the subject line: NSC Field Organizer. No phone calls please. Only qualified candidates will be contacted.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Early applications are encouraged for strongest consideration.
More about NSC: National Skills Coalition is a broad-based coalition of small businesses, labor affiliates, community organizations, community colleges, workforce boards and grassroots advocates who have joined together to change how America invests in its people, so that every worker and every industry has the skills to compete and prosper. We want to restore the profile of the middle-skilled careers that once built America’s middle class, and which continue to represent the majority of good jobs in the U.S. economy. Today’s policymakers have forgotten these jobs when setting our nation’s human capital priorities. But we believe that a greater diversity of Americans will have access to a better life, and that a greater diversity of local businesses will enjoy a smoother pathway to growth, if we make these middle-skilled careers a more central part of our nation’s workforce, education, and economic investments. To pursue those policy reforms, our 20-person staff works with a diverse “network of networks” that numbers nearly 20,000 contacts throughout the country. We organize policy campaigns, analyze policies through a variety of publications, provide technical assistance to policymakers, communicate to the press, and advocate with our grassroots members and allies for state and federal policy reforms. We have a 15-year track record of success—having been twice named the most impactful national organization in the workforce development field—informing policies that have changed the lives of millions of individuals and thousands of businesses.