POLITICAL ACTION ORGANIZER
(ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-SPECIALIST SCHEDULE)

AFT-Oregon:   The American Federation of Teachers – Oregon represents 15,000 members across the state.  Our members work in the private and public sectors in elementary and high schools, child care centers, com¬munity colleges and four-year colleges and institutions, to health care clinics and hospitals.  AFT-Oregon members work as classified employees, faculty, instruc¬tors, graduate teachers, early educators and in health care professions. 

Job Title: Political Action Organizer (Assistant Director-Specialist Schedule)

Department: Political and Legislative Affairs

Reports To: Director of Political and Legislative Affairs

Job Description: Assists in building, strengthening and maintaining a more effective and permanent political and legislative program; and working for continual and improved outreach to members. The position is funded by agreement between AFT and AFT-Oregon under the AFT State Affiliate Political Organizer (SAPO) program. Continuation is contingent upon annual evaluation of sufficient progress toward achieving the goals of the program. The position will continue as long as there is funding from the national AFT or, regardless of national funding, AFT-Oregon discontinues participation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintains knowledge of political and governmental process at all levels. Works with field representatives to develop plans and activities for local affiliates to increase and improve affiliates' political action programs.
• Supports and cooperates with local leaders in implementing political action plans. Uses and works under both long- and short-range planning to meet program goals and objectives.
• Provides information and materials for program implementation and leader and member political education.
• Identifies and recruits activists for political action activities.
• Increases voluntary political action contributions and participation.
• Increases voter registration and turnout.
• Helps to expand participation and leadership in coalition groups and attends and participates, as directed, coalition meetings and activities maintaining AFT-Oregon interests. Assists in production of leader and member communications on political and legislative action and activities.
• Responds to affiliate requests for political action information and materials, and inquiries about the AFT-Oregon political action program and activities.
• Assists in developing, planning and organizing political and legislative action programs and events.
• Arranges AFT Activists in Congressional Education (ACE) and ACE-Oregon meetings and coordinates participation.
• Collects and reports member political action information and data and coordinates data collection with appropriate staff. Writes brief summary analyses and reports. Conducts general legislative issue research as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned. By AFT-Oregon or AFT.

Job Qualifications:

Analytical. Collects and researches data related to membership political action and participation in the political and legislative process.
Technical Skills. Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.
Program Service. Responds promptly to needs; Responds to requests for information and presentations; Meets commitments.
Oral Communication. Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
Written Communication. Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Able to read and interpret written information generally; and communications and research specifically related to political and legislative action and participation.
Cost Consciousness. Works within approved budget; Conserves organizational resources.
Organizational Support. Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; Supports organization's goals and values.
Planning/Organizing. Develops realistic action plans.
Professionalism. Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.
Attendance/Punctuality. Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
Dependability. Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions.
Teamwork. Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

Education and/or Experience. Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university or one or two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Language Skills. Ability to read, write and speak, and to effectively present information in one-on-one, staff and officers meetings, and to members in small and medium group meetings. Ability to read, analyze and interpret general political participation data, legislative bills and governmental regulations.
Mathematical Skills. Ability to apply basic math skills to add, subtract, multiply and divide with whole numbers, common fractions and decimals. Ability to create data tables and to draw and interpret charts and graphs.
Reasoning Ability. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions provided in written, oral or diagram form and to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in common situations.
Computer Skills. To perform this job successfully, an individual should be computer literate with ability to access, search and retrieve information from the Internet; and have knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite or similar office software, including Outlook (e-Mail); Spreadsheet software; Word Processing software and databases in general and from outside vendors. Requires ability to type.

Other Qualifications. Requires general knowledge of union structure and operations. The job also requires travel between the office and local affiliate headquarters and worksites; outside coalition and other meetings; and occasional overnights and weekends for general programs, such as the annual convention, or other statewide programs and events, as well as for any assigned national program meetings.

To apply please email a resume and cover letter to Shannon Brett, Director of Political and Legislative Affairs, shannonb@aft-oregon.org.  No Calls Please