Term of Assignment - Full-Time 03/11/24 - 08/11/24; Half-Time 08/12/24 -09/06/24

 

Integrated Voter Engagement: Groundswell’s Integrated Voter Engagement (IVE) Program supports organizations with a deep investment of resources to engage under-represented constituencies in policy, systems change, and the democratic process in an ongoing, non-partisan way; within and beyond election cycles. Currently, the IVE program supports 20 organizations to build sustainable infrastructure to increase voter participation among underrepresented constituencies, while helping organizations scale up the core power-building components of their work. Organizations in the IVE Program expand their grassroots base of leaders and volunteers; forge and deepen organizational alliances that increase their reach and influence; and strengthen relationships with public officials. This model integrates a year-round organizing approach to achieve policy wins and systems change. 

Grassroots Organizing Institute: The Grassroots Organizing Institute (GOI) supports organizations to build power, win campaigns for policy and systems change, and achieve sustainability for the long haul. The GOI provides organizing fundamentals along with tailored coaching support for each participating organization. Through the GOI, Groundswell supports skills development around the nuts and bolts of organizing and the fundamentals of advocacy, while grounding the work in a racial and gender justice framework and organizing theory and, ultimately, putting it all together through strategic campaign design and implementation.

Position Summary: The Director of Capacity Building is responsible for leading Groundswell’s capacity-building department, which supports grassroots organizations to build grassroots power and improve conditions for their communities. The department resources two cohorts of grantees focused on deepening their voter engagement capacity (the Integrated Voter Engagement program) and sharpening their grassroots organizing skills (the Grassroots Organizing Institute). It also offers a newer and expanding body of work providing political education around theories of social change and intersectional organizing and as well as resources for healing justice to sustain leaders and organizations. The Director of Capacity Building will develop and manage the annual departmental work plan and budget and supervise Program Managers and others to ensure high quality program delivery and effective relationships with grantees. They will work closely with Program Managers to co-manage a team of more than 20 coaches and consultants. They will work to ensure that Groundswell’s capacity building programs are meeting our Blueprint plan targets, are responsive to the needs of our grantees and the field, and that our grantees are supported holistically by all field-facing staff at Groundswell. They will serve as a public representative of Groundswell and the department with funders and other audiences. 

 

Responsibilities:

Capacity Building Strategy and Direction 

  • Develop and oversee the implementation of the departmental annual work plan, calendar and budget.

  • Implement data-based evaluation to assess the efficacy of the programs and compile data from coaches and external evaluators to 1) produce comprehensive reports on program impact, and 2) inform program planning. 

  • Support Program Managers to manage relationships with a large team of coaches and grantees.

  • Ensure programmatic activities advance grantee partners’ understanding capacities, and skills in organizing strategies and tactics in collaboration with Program Managers and coaches to plan and execute grantee convenings, webinars, trainings, and site visits; including working with staff and coaches to design content and curriculum 

  • Serve on the organization’s Directors leadership team.

  • Support the development of Groundswell’s strategy to build organizing and power building capacity for grantee partners across GOI and IVE. 

  • Keep the CB department on track to meeting annual Blueprint (strategic plan) goals.

Leadership of the Capacity Building Team

  • Provide direction and coaching to staff members in order to meet team and organizational goals and objectives.

  • Oversee all stages of Capacity Building programming and provide thought partnership on due diligence and solicitation of new grantee relationships.

  • Partner with staff to implement well-designed departmental retreats and regular meetings. 

  • Oversee implementation and evaluation of team member’s annual work plans and performance.

  • Foster strong communication, cohesion and morale within the department and with other departments. 

  • Ensure that all team members have a tailored staff development plan in place. 

Funder Organizing

  • Develop accurate and timely grant report content including 1) program related data, 2) impact stories from the field, and 3) grantee demographic data

  • Coordinate with Groundswell’s Funder Organizing team to submit grant applications and reporting.

  • Develop and maintain relationships with CB’s individual and foundation supporters. 

  • Strategize with Groundswell’s Funder Organizing team and Grantmaking Team to ensure that CB staff are taking leadership positions in support of women of color (WOC)/Trans-gender, non-conforming people of color (TGNCPOC) organizing in relevant spaces and networks.

  • Partner with Communications team to ensure consistency with Groundswell’s overarching organizational marketing and communications plan.

  • Serve as spokesperson and uplift the work of our grantees at funder meetings and philanthropic affinity group events, as needed. 

Grantmaking

  • Partner with Senior Director of Grant Making to ensure effective grants management processes that are rooted in Trust Based Philanthropy, including developing less burdensome applications and reporting processes, implementing easy-to-use software, ensuring timely grant payments with the Finance Department.

  • Stay abreast of trends in philanthropy, reproductive justice, and related social justice movements.

  • Maintain communication with other departments to maximize support for grantee organizations.

  • Build and maintain relationships with partners and the broader fields we support; this may include site visits, conference participation, and more.

  • Develop and monitor the annual budget for CB in partnership with the Chief Financial Officer.

Qualifications:

Essential:

  • Minimum of eight years of experience working in social justice movements

  • Minimum of eight years of  grassroots community organizing and integrated voter engagement experience

  • Minimum of five years of management experience in budget development and employee supervision

  • Experience with and knowledge of 501(c)(3) lobbying rules 

  • Extensive experience coaching and training  women, LGBTQ, people of color-led, organizations to successfully implement grassroots-led issue campaigns integrated voter engagement campaigns and strategies

Strongly Preferred:

  • Program management and/or campaign development experience

  • Advanced knowledge in new and advancing Digital Strategies and tools

  • High proficiency in rigorous tracking and analysis of impact data, for organizing and voter engagement metrics

  • Proficiency utilizing voter file databases such as Voter Activation Network (VAN) and/or PDI

  • Ability to lead and motivate a team

  • Excellent meeting planning and facilitation skills

  • Ability to take direction and feedback

  • Ability to work harmoniously with teammates and staff; excellent team player

  • Ability to be solutions oriented and work collaboratively to advance program 

  • Self-starter, able to work well independently 

  • Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)

  • Ability to develop and deliver compelling presentations to diverse audiences

  • Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening, problem solving and compromising 

  • Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously  

  • Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

  • Ability to develop and manage an annual departmental and individual workplans

  • Commitment to working in an organization rooted in reproductive justice

Preferred:

  • Bi-lingual Spanish/English

  • Familiarity with Reproductive Justice/Gender Justice 

Virtual Organization: Groundswell is a completely virtual organization and has been for many years before the COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to building a strong identity and thriving culture that is exemplary in the nonprofit world and in the greater landscape of fully remote organizations.  To succeed as remote workers, applicants should have a dedicated workspace, a commitment to clear and frequent communication, and comfort utilizing technology to increase collaboration and connection. Those with previous remote work experience are preferred, but we also welcome those who are new to remote work and understand the requirements of working in a thriving virtual organizational culture.

Work Schedule: Groundswell is currently operating on a 4 day, 32 hour work week, Monday - Thursday. We are a completely virtual organization, allowing for flexibility in work schedules for our staff across differing U.S. time zones. Groundswell is a completely virtual organization, allowing for flexibility in work schedules for our staff across differing U.S. time zones. While work can usually be completed during standard business hours of the applicant's time zone, there may be times where early morning, evening, and weekend work may be needed to ensure organization-wide collaboration, to staff or attend events, and/or to meet organization workload needs during busy times of the year. Staff whose jobs require travel can expect longer hours, as travel may happen outside of business hours and on weekends. 

To Apply: Please include a resume, three professional references, and a cover letter that includes your salary expectations and describes why you feel you are a strong candidate for this position. Accepting applications on a rolling basis until the position has been filled. If you have questions, please email hr@groundswellfund.org (please do not reach out to individuals). Due to the high volume of applications, only those selected for further discussion will be contacted. Please, no phone calls. 

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have an openness to learning and working with technology, including Gsuite, Slack, Asana, Excel, Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) database software, web browsers, social media, the basics of conferencing software and Zoom.  

Travel: When travel is safe again, must be available to travel up to 7 times a year for overnight events/meetings across the U.S (this includes a guaranteed 5-night travel for the IVE convening, dates pending). Travel needs will be evaluated and determined on an ongoing basis with an eye toward staff safety as we continue navigating COVID-19.

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