Texas Organizing Project -Statewide Political Director

Job Description

At the Texas Organizing Project (TOP), we work to dramatically improve the lives of low and moderate-income families in the second largest State in the nation. Despite being the fastest growing State and having appeared to have weathered the economic storm, Texans are facing alarming trends: a fast growing poverty rate, lack of access to quality health care and education for many Texas families, particularly people of color, and a huge rise in income and racial inequality. For more than three years, TOP has been running and winning campaigns that address these issues. Our goal is to change the tide in Texas by building power for low and moderate-income families, engaging these communities in taking power for themselves through year-round community and electoral organizing while building key strategic partnerships with other progressive organizations and labor unions to make systemic change.

TOP is seeking a Statewide Political Director that is highly motivated, creative and committed to social justice. Texas is becoming more widely recognized as a state that must dramatically improve voter participation, especially among low-income residents and people of color. In 2010 and 2012, TOP ran the largest voter engagement program in the state – informing and getting the vote out of tens of thousands of Texas residents.

The Voter Engagement Director is a new position and will report directly to the TOP Executive Director. The main role of the Director is to create the road map and game plan to ensure that tens of thousands more Texans’ voices are heard at the voting booth in 2014 and beyond – creating an expansion plan for TOP, identifying what it would take to go to scale in voter turnout, building and managing strategic partnerships and overseeing the execution of voter engagement programs.

TOP is a membership-based organization that conducts issue advocacy, lobbying efforts and electoral organizing on behalf of working families in Texas. We are an energetic, dedicated and tight knit team with a combined eighty-seven years of experience. We are a financially viable and family friendly organization that is currently organizing in Houston, Dallas, and the Rio Grande Valley with expansion opportunities in other major metro regions of Texas.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Work with Executive Director and other key staff to develop statewide voter engagement and electoral plans in target regions of Texas.
• Work with grassroots membership committees to ensure participation in and ownership of the long-term strategy and identify plans to grow TOPs electoral capacity.
• Assess baseline capacity and infrastructure needs of TOP’s operations in Houston, Dallas and the Rio Grande Valley.
• Coordinate and collaborate on voter engagement with strategic allies in Houston, Dallas, the Valley, and San Antonio regions and statewide.
• Develop and execute targeted electoral campaigns that coincide with TOP’s strategic plan and organizational direction.
• Increase TOP’s political and community strength by developing and enhancing working relationships with key labor partners, community organizations and advocacy groups.
• Staff up and manage all aspects of electoral field operations in key Texas regions. General responsibilities will include research, writing, public speaking, preparation of reports and training materials, representing TOP with key strategic partnerships and coalitions.
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise and evaluate staff assigned to the TOP electoral program.

Qualifications, Experience & Competencies:

• Thorough knowledge of strategies used in political campaigns including use of the VAN (Voter Activation Network)
• Minimum 5 years of experience in political campaigns, electoral engagement or other relevant field
• Knowledge and experience in use of polling, research, targeting, direct mail, opposition research.
• Manage and help develop electoral and grassroots campaign plans, logistics and timelines
• Develop and manage program budget and implement plans
• Managing voter contact and field campaigns
• Communicate effectively written and orally
• Develop and maintain good working relationships and work well in a team
• Proactive, problem-solver
• Manage and assess multiple programs and priorities
• Handle multiple priorities in different regions of Texas and meet deadlines
• Able to travel around the state, sometimes for multiple days and/or overnight and work long days and weekends during campaign time
• Bilingual in Spanish is a plus
• Must be based or willing to move to Houston, Dallas or San Antonio

How to Apply:
Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume and three references to Crystal Zermeño: czermeno@organizetexas.org.

TOP provides generous benefits to all employees including full family health care and paid vacation. Salary is commensurate with experience.

TOP is an equal opportunity employer – women and people of color are encouraged to apply.