Grassroots Engagement Manager

Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop and manage strategy to move grassroots supporters through ACLU-WA's engagement journey, from identification and education to cultivation and mobilization, to build a pipeline of activists ready to engage and mobilize on issue-specific campaigns
• Serve as a key consultant to ensure grassroots strategies are effective and consistent with overall programmatic goals
• Manage the implementation of grassroots strategies during session including sequencing, prioritizing, and providing support to other organizers implementing tactics involving grassroots supporters
• Own development and execution of ACLU-WA's Advocacy Day strategy, including handling, or delegating and supervising, event logistics, scheduling, promotion, recruitment, managing volunteers, developing training materials, presenting to participants, and post-event evaluation
• Design and oversee implementation of ACLU-WA's volunteer program strategy, including curriculum development and in-person and virtual supporter trainings to equip activists with advocacy and organizing skills
• Consult on emerging issues that impact supporters and provide strategic organizing guidance on mass mobilization events
• In consultation with the Legislative Director and Electoral Program Manager, facilitate activist engagement with ACLU-WA's electoral work and build ACLU-WA’s reputation as a resource for nonpartisan election information
• Develop overall strategy for and manage use of ACLU-WA’s volunteer management system (VMS) database to support ACLU-WA's organizing strategy, including growing and mobilizing ACLU-WA's base of high-touch grassroots activists
• Conduct regular data analysis of ACLU-WA's activist base to inform resource investment and decision-making
• Supervise, mentor and coach organizing staff and volunteers as needed
• Ensure organizing staff effectively utilize resources to support the ACLU-WA’s mission, vision, values, and programmatic goals
• Develop systems, structures, and processes to support the work of organizers
• Foster a culture that promotes the ACLU-WA’s values and promotes teamwork and collaboration across the organization
• Cultivate trusted relationships with ACLU-WA supporters and oversee communication with ACLU-WA activists via one-on-one correspondence, consultation with People Power and ACLU-WA Activist Network groups, and updates to the activist email list
• Manage development and implementation of mobilization tactics for supporters, such as text banking, phone banking, letter writing, action alerts, and in-person activities (including canvassing, marches, rallies, and protests) to mobilize supporters to take action in support of ACLU-WA’s campaign goals
• Cultivate trusted relationships with community partners in support of campaign goals
• Represent ACLU-WA at community events throughout the state in collaboration with the Grassroots Organizer and other staff
• Stay current on best practices and available technologies to support effective identification, engagement, education, and mobilization of supporters
• Identify needs and gaps in team processes, research and strategize potential solutions, and collaborate with People Services and others in the Integrated Advocacy Department to implement and support adoption of tools that enhance and amplify impact of cross-team advocacy efforts
• Identify training and processes that support safe engagement of activists and ACLU-WA staff during mobilization and ACLU-WA campaign events
• Work closely with colleagues across the office to ensure that grassroots organizing messages, strategies and tactics are consistent with overall advocacy plan
• Train and support colleagues’ use of ACLU-WA's volunteer management system (VMS) database
• Maintain accurate awareness and fluency of the work to facilitate representation of the Organization’s integrated advocacy efforts internally and externally
• Work with grassroots activists to build allyship skills, with particular focus on how non-impacted activists can build political power with and in communities that have been marginalized by systemic oppression
• Perform other related duties as assigned within the scope of the role

Qualifications

• At least three (3) years of experience working in grassroots, advocacy or volunteer program management
• At least one (1) year experience managing volunteers, interns, or staff; the ability to successfully delegate projects or tasks to others, supervise performance, and evaluate impact
• Proficient with cross-function team collaboration with different tools, processes, and work styles
• Skilled at shepherding compromise among conflicting interests and strategies
• Consistent consideration of how solutions, strategies, and tactics will impact community members who are directly impacted by the problems or issues the ACLU is working on
• Flexibility to respond to rapidly changing information and ability to adapt to new context
• Leverage established relationships with supporters and mobilize with quick turnaround
• Good judgement and discretion in decisions about how and when to share sensitive information with external stakeholders
• Willingness to have difficult conversations with volunteers and/or colleagues when conflict arises, and self-management skills that foster de-escalation, mutual respect, accountability, and deepening of relationship
• Experience managing volunteers, including recruiting new activists, building and maintaining relationships, identifying and supporting leaders, serving as a consultant to volunteer-led groups, and handling complex interpersonal dynamics
• Experience providing systems and process trainings to peers
• Capacity to break complex projects into discreet tasks and delegate effectively
• Speak in front of groups and communicate complex information to a general audience
• Approach to learning and decision-making that centers communities impacted by systemic oppression
• Openness to receiving constructive feedback and facilitating difficult conversations
• Experience evaluating priorities and policies through an equity lens
• Experience working with bill tracking software, voter file information, and data visualization tools
• Experience working in legislative, ballot measure, or electoral campaigns preferred