Housing Justice Field Organizer

Overview

The Network works with our members to enhance their ability to create affordable housing and revitalize their communities through capacity building, resource development, and public policy advocacy. Working with the Network’s Vice President of Policy and Advocacy (VPPA) and other HCDNNJ staff as needed, the Housing Justice Field Organizer will engage current and prospective Network members around local housing justice issues. The Organizer will also support a policy and programmatic agenda that addresses systemic challenges facing our most vulnerable residents. These include, but are not limited to, local housing issues, rising cost of rent and homeownership, housing discrimination, e.g. institutional and structural racism, homophobia, gender discrimination, sexual violence and other factors that disproportionately impact lower income residents, people of color, women and LGTBQ+ communities.

The Organizer will listen to and learn from our members, and those most affected by the lack of safe, affordable places to call home, and support the Network’s efforts to secure housing justice for all through policy and programmatic efforts. This field position requires in person meetings, ability to travel throughout New Jersey and demonstrated skills for recruitment and retention of Network members and allies.

Responsibilities

• Engage with Network members, allies and supporters to ascertain involvement in housing justice issues at the neighborhood, community, regional and state levels.
• Provide administrative support to organize the Network’s Advocacy Teams (A-Teams), organizing meetings, setting actionable A-Teams goals and deadlines, and keeping A-Teams updated with policy news and related materials.
• Support the Network’s Tenant Leadership Council with operational and informational resources, including scheduling meetings, providing background information, setting meetings and ensuring the participants are well-informed.
• Research and engage non-Network members in geographic areas and constituencies facing housing insecurity.
• Collaborate with Network staff to highlight and address housing justice issues in tandem with the Network’s local, state and national policy and planning efforts.
• Work with VPPA to schedule, plan and conduct off-site, field activities that promote the Network’s housing justice agenda and members’ efforts.
• Develop materials to support campaigns and members as needed.
• Assist Network member organizations with local organizing efforts and capacity building activities.
• Work with VPPA to engage in electoral issue advocacy and voter education to raise the visibility of and mobilize voters around housing and community development policies.
• Coordinate with the Network’s communications team to promote issues as they arise.
• Participate in the overall operations of the organization.

Qualifications

• Minimum two years’ experience in field organizing and/or political organizing.
• Excellent communication skills (writing, phone, public speaking and social media).
• Ability to work effectively in a team setting.
• Ability to collaborate with leaders and residents from a variety of backgrounds, in diverse multi-racial, multi-ethnic settings.
• Ability to speak and/or read Spanish or other non-English language is a plus.
• Occasional evening and weekend availability is required.

This is an in-person position. Candidates must have access to reliable transportation and a willingness to travel.

Compensation & Benefits

This position has a starting salary range of $52,000 – $62,000. HCDNNJ provides comprehensive medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage for our employees, as well as vacation and personal time, professional development opportunities and other benefits.