Job Opportunities
Deputy Executive Director
USAction builds powerful state affiliates and unites them in coalitions to advance our progressive values and vision. Over the past five years, with our 23 independent state affiliates, we have helped create successful national coalitions to register hundreds of thousands of voters, stop the privatization of Social Security, wind down the war in Iraq and pass national health care reform. We are now looking for a Deputy Executive Director to work with our founding Executive Director to increase our effectiveness, depth and power.
Job description
The Deputy Executive Director will work closely with the Executive Director on all aspects of organizational strategy, operations and management, including directly supervising the program and communications departments. We seek a skilled strategist and proven leader, both internally and externally. The Deputy Executive Director will report to the Executive Director.
Principal responsibilities
Strategy and external relationships:
- Work closely with the Executive Director, Board and senior staff to develop, articulate and implement overall organizational strategy.
- Manage a mutually agreed-upon portfolio of external allied relationships and donor relationships, and represent the organization to various external audiences. Such activities could include managing coalition relationships, being a liaison with Congress and the Administration, and being an organizational spokesperson.
- Serve as acting Executive Director in the ED’s absence.
- Along with the ED, work closely with the boards and board committees.
Management and internal leadership:
- Oversee, develop and manage programmatic side of organization, ensuring that we execute a cohesive, innovative and powerful strategy.
- Directly supervise three senior managers – the Program Director, who oversees both program and field staff; Communications Director; and Strategy and Policy Director.
- Over time, responsibilities may grow to include supervision of Online Director, who oversees our online department, formerly the independent organization TrueMajority.org; Finance Director, who oversees both finance staff and office manager; and Development Director.
- Ensure that strategies get executed well: check-in with staff regularly, review plans, and help adjust tactics as conditions change.
- Oversee coordination of work with external counsel to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Lead the development and implementation of planning, communication, and coordination systems across the organization.
- Lead annual goal setting and budgeting processes inside the organization
- Implement other systems that facilitate timely and strategic decision-making and communication, and define what issues the Executive Director needs to address. Act in a decision-making capacity in close collaboration with the Executive Director.
- Chair Management Committee.
- With the ED, make sure our team is second-to-none.
- Work jointly with the Executive Director on hiring and firing decisions for all positions on the Management Committee as well as decisions on other key positions as needed.
- Ensure that a plan for staff learning opportunities is created and implemented.
Qualifications
USAction seeks a creative, passionate leader who is fully committed to our vision, goals and practice. The candidate must have deep experience building organizations with a vision of social change that is rooted in grass-roots power and political and economic transformation for the majority of Americans, from the bottom up. Important qualifications will include many of the following:
- Minimum 10 years experience as a grassroots, coalition or political manager and organizer, preferably in more than one state and nationally.
- The ability to articulate a motivating vision of progressive social change rooted in concrete practice.
- Entrepreneurial spirit and drive, including experience raising funds for advocacy or political organizations and managing during periods of important change.
- A track record of successful collaborations, campaigns and partnerships. A proven track record of commitment to building the progressive movement along with specific organizations.
- Public presence and strong oral and written communications skills.
- Solid skills and successful experience in staff management, administration, financial management, budgeting and planning.
- High energy, flexibility and resilience
Salary: Competitive, based on experience
Benefits: Includes full health and dental insurance, excellent leave policy, and pension plan.
Send resume with cover letter, salary history, three references and a writing sample to: hr@usaction.org. Please include “Deputy Executive Director” in the subject line of your email. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled, but we would encourage you to submit your resume by June 30.
No phone calls, please.
National Field Director
USAction and its sister organization, USAction Education Fund, seek a full-time National Field Director, based in Washington, DC. USAction and USAction Education Fund build power by uniting people locally and nationally, on-the-ground and online, to win a more just and progressive America. We create the nation's leading progressive coalitions, making democracy work by organizing issue and election campaigns to improve people's lives. USAction represents 22 state-based affiliates and has 250,000 individual members.
The National Field Director is a senior staff position. She or he will take a broad view of how USAction and USAEF relate to and strengthen the state affiliates and partners, and will play a central role in shaping our national campaign strategy. The ideal candidate is an experienced organizer, campaign manager, and trainer with senior-level experience in the field. For more information about USAction and USAEF, please visit www.usaction.org.
Responsibilities:
- Oversee and manage USAction and USAEF’s relationships to state affiliates and partners through both campaign and capacity building efforts.
- Strengthen the relationship between USAction and its affiliates and USAEF and its partner organizations through a team of Regional Field Directors.
- Set field development goals; design and implement a strategy/plans for affiliate capacity building, both campaign and non-campaign.
- Lead USAction efforts to expand presence in additional states.
- Oversee financial agreements with affiliates and partners.
- Work to integrate state and national strategic planning efforts.
- Hire, supervise, evaluate and dismiss Regional Field Directors, Field Assistant, and field-consultant relationships.
- Contribute to the planning and shaping of USAction and USAEF’s issues and elections program.
- Assist the Program Director with developing and implementing strategic issue and civic engagement campaign plans.
- Act as the point person on campaigns, as needed.
- Design and implement systems for field planning, reporting and assessment.
- Provide direct organizational and campaign support to USAction affiliates and partners in 2-4 states.
- Act as the point person with state partners on all organizational issues, including contract compliance, financial matters and disputes.
- Assist state partners with developing and implementing strategic issue and civic engagement campaign plans.
- Travel to each state once per quarter.
Qualifications:
- Minimum five to eight years multi-issue and elections organizing experience with nonprofit, advocacy or political organizations.
- Must have some direct experience working with or for state-based advocacy and political organizations, preferably at a senior level.
- Strong staff supervisory skills and experience.
- Well-developed communication skills, including excellent writing ability and interpersonal skills.
- Meeting planning and/or training experience.
- Commitment to the mission of USAction and USAEF.
- Ability to work evenings and weekends.
- Available for travel.
Salary: Competitive, based on experience
Benefits: Includes full health and dental insurance, excellent leave policy, and pension plan
Send resume with cover letter, three references and a 1-2 page writing sample to: hr@usaction.org. Please include “National Field Director” in the subject line of your email. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled, but we would encourage you to submit your resume by July 15.
No phone calls, please.
Development Director
USAction and its sister organization, USAction Education Fund, are seeking a full time Development Director. USAction builds power nationally and locally with our 27 state-based affiliates and partners. In our ten years of organizing, we have helped develop the model of the winning modern, progressive issue campaign. In 2010 we are key leaders of Health Care for American Now, helping implement the recently passed health reform law, and we are organizing for economic justice and security with Jobs for America Now. USAction Education Fund provides information, training, and technical assistance to its 27 state partner organizations. The organizations have average annual combined budgets of $7,000,000.
The USAction Development Director coordinates and takes primary responsibility for all individual, foundation, labor union, and online fundraising activities of USAction and its 501(c)(3) sister organization, USAction Education Fund (USAEF), and provide substantial fundraising assistance to USAction affiliates.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Create yearly fundraising plan:
- Set goals and timelines for multiple fundraising projects, aligning them with both our internal organizational calendar and the external policy and program calendars
- Prepare and oversee implementation of organizational fundraising calendar, including proposal and report deadlines, major donor renewal requests, regular communications, and other projects
- Manage the development department:
- Supervise the Major Donor Manager and Foundations Manager
- Report weekly to the Executive Director
- Foundations:
- Review grant proposals
- Build relationships with foundation staff and arrange meetings for program staff
- Manage multiple foundation deadlines
- Cultivate Major Donors:
- Develop prospective donors
- Set-up and hold one-on-one meetings with current and potential major donors
- Make initial and renewal requests
- Prepare regular donor updates and special communications
- Coordinate such activities with affiliates where appropriate
- Develop other diverse and repeatable sources of income
- Oversee on-line fundraising with our True Majority on-line arm
- Engage Board of Directors in targeted fundraising activities
- Staff Board Fundraising committee
- Identify fundraising opportunities for board members, and create system for follow- up
- Assist affiliates in developing fundraising capacity
- Take lead on designing and implementing joint fundraising projects between USAction and affiliates
- Provide or organize training to affiliates on all aspects of fundraising
- Take responsibility for select requirements of 501(c)3 organization
- Write 501(c)3 Annual Report
- Work with Executive Director, Managing Director, and Finance Manager to prepare yearly organizational budgets
- Oversee regular communication with donors
QUALIFICATIONS
- Excellent communication skills including writing, research, one-on-one and public speaking
- Experience and demonstrated skill in non-profit fundraising, including:
- Staff management experience
- Creating a fundraising plan
- Writing and securing foundation grants
- Cultivating major donors
- Building an individual donor fundraising program
- Organizing successful fundraising events
- Developing diverse and repeatable sources of income
- Experience and demonstrated skill in developing organizational and project budgets
- Understanding of the legal and operational differences between 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations
- Good personal organization, time management and planning skills including the ability to meet and manage multiple deadlines and supervise staff
- Demonstrated aptitude for taking the initiative on projects
- Comfortable working in a face-paced work environment
- Leadership experience in federated organizations, coalitions or community organizing groups
- Attention to detail
- Ability to work well as a team member with other organizational staff
- Ability to motivate team members
- Commitment to social change and to working with diverse people and organizations
Additional factors: Knowledge of grass-roots organizing and issues including health care, tax and budget policy, education, environment and/or campaign finance reform; experience in labor union fundraising, on-line and/or direct mail fundraising; proficiency in computer skills, including word-processing, mail-merge, database, spreadsheets and e-mail; proficiency with on-line fundraising databases; ability to work some evenings and weekends, and occasional travel.
Salary: Competitive, based on experience
Benefits: Includes full health and dental insurance, excellent leave policy, and pension plan
Send resume with cover letter, salary history, three references and a writing sample to: hr@usaction.org. Please include “Development Director” in the subject line of your email. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled, but we would encourage you to submit your resume by May 21.
No phone calls, please.
USAction and USAEF are equal opportunity employers. It is the policy of USAction not to discriminate against any individual for any reason including, but not limited to, race, color, religion, ethnic background, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, marital status, age, height, weight or persons with disabilities. We work hard to recruit, retain, and identify leadership positions for staff members who represent these communities and/or who are from low-income backgrounds.
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