Buffalo Organizer

Overview

Organizational Background
VOCAL-NY is building a movement of low-income people dedicated to ending the AIDS epidemic, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and homelessness. We fight for systemic change rooted in justice, compassion, and love. We approach this work with a firm belief in reducing harm and ending stigma, and the knowledge that the issues impacting our communities are driven by institutional oppression, not personal failings. Our campaigns have saved or improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers across the state.

We accomplish our goals through community organizing, leadership development, advocacy, direct services and direct action. We are based in New York City, with chapters in Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Westchester County. You can learn more about our work through our website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Position Description
The Buffalo Organizer will be responsible for building and coordinating VOCAL-NY’s presence in Buffalo. This position will focus on outreach, membership and leadership development, campaign and coalition work on VOCAL-NY’s core issue areas: HIV/AIDS, drug use, mass incarceration, and homelessness.

This position requires a driver’s license and the ability to drive a 15-passenger van to Albany.

Job Responsibilities
-Membership Recruitment: Conduct “base building” and achieve targeted recruitment goals through daily community outreach through street outreach and at transitional housing facilities, shelters, methadone and harm reduction programs, re-entry programs, HIV service providers and other venues as directed.
-Phone-banking and Membership Mobilization: Conduct daily “phone-banking” to engage and mobilize people to attend meetings, action and events.
-Data-entry: Record and input data into our community organizing database
-Support meetings & Mobilizations: Support the logistical needs and preparation of arranging meetings and mobilizations, and mobilizing individuals to attend.
-Leadership Development: Conduct training that builds the knowledge and skills of people who are impacted by homelessness, HIV/AIDS, mass incarceration and with a history of drug use to participate in planning and policymaking that affects their lives.
-Campaign and Coalition work: Support the development and implementation of campaigns and coalition work on VOCAL-NY’s core issue areas.
-Support Other VOCAL Campaigns: The position will be expected to periodically provide support for any and all community organizing and campaign work within VOCAL-NY. We have a highly collaborative office environment where staff members provide support for each other’s campaigns as needed.

Requirements/Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a strong commitment to community organizing and building the power of people living with HIV/AIDS, experiencing homelessness, active and former drug users, and formerly incarcerated communities.  A deep commitment to social justice is required.

The ideal candidate will have:
-Driver’s license and ability to drive 15-passenger van to Albany
-Community organizing experience, or related experience, specifically doing community outreach and phone banking
-Proficiency with common business software (e.g. MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email clients).
-Direct experience with, or demonstrated strength in one or more key areas of VOCAL-NY work.

This is a full-time position. The position will require some travel to Albany, primarily during the months of January to June.
Compensation

The salary range is $55,000 – $60,000 per year, and will be commensurate with experience. VOCAL-NY offers a generous benefits package of twenty days of paid vacation, mileage reimbursement, full cell phone coverage, a 100% employer-covered health, dental, and vision insurance plan, and a 403(b) retirement plan.

 

VOCAL-NY is an equal opportunity employer. People who currently or have a history of using drugs, women, people of color, people who are LGBTQ and people living with HIV/AIDS are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit our website at www.vocal-ny.org