Senior Deep Engagement Organizer

About this position

Title: Senior Deep Engagement Organizer

Start Date: As soon as possible

Terms: Permanent, full-time 40hrs/week

Salary: $60,000, performance-based raise considered after first 6 months

Location: Flexible

Job description:

Neighbours United, (formerly known as West Kootenay EcoSociety) is a non-profit community-driven organization that brings together local residents to protect the natural environment while building just, equitable, healthy, and livable communities. Neighbours United coordinates hundreds of volunteers and outreaches to rural residents each year to build sustainable communities and protect our natural world.

Neighbours United is the first group in Canada to develop a deep engagement canvass program, and the first group anywhere to complete a long-term deep canvass on climate and energy. Deep engagement canvassing, or deep canvassing, is a transformational practice for having vulnerable, emotional, and nonjudgmental conversations that decrease polarization and move people to become more in favour of an issue. The Senior Deep Engagement Organizer will participate in current strategic deep canvassing programs to develop relevant skills and leadership to lead deep canvass programs, manage staff, and teach other organizations to successfully run deep canvasses on climate, clean energy and sustainable land use solutions. Participating in and leading deep canvassing programs involves having deep canvass conversations, regularly evaluating and tracking learnings, recruiting, retaining and organizing volunteers, developing and running training programs, coordinating, coaching and partnering with other organizations, and participating in coalition campaigns.

Neighbours United practices employment equity and is dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our community. We welcome applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black People, People of Colour, women, people with disabilities, youth, members of the LGBTQ2SAI+ communities, new immigrants, refugees, or members of other minorities.

Neighbours United is committed to a safe work and volunteer space for everyone. All staff and board members have completed anti-oppression training. All new staff are required to complete anti-oppression training upon starting with Neighbours United if they have not previously completed similar training in the past two years.

Neighbours United is a Living Wage Employer. Employment benefits include:

• 4 weeks paid vacation, with flexibility around dates to accommodate staff needs
• Supply technology hardware
• 10 paid sick days annually
• Paid Statutory holidays including Boxing Day and Easter Monday, and additional consideration for days of cultural or religious significance
• Flexible work hours/work-life integration
• Paid time for leadership and organizer training
• Paid time for organizational justice, equity, diversity and inclusion training
• Hours tracking and time off enforced
• Annual raises for the cost of living and performance
• Opportunity for position advancement within the organization

The position is ideally based in the West Kootenay and participates in the organization’s hybrid work model, working from our office in Castlegar for at least 0.4 FTE and from home 0.6 FTE. If the successful candidate is based elsewhere, the position will be based from their home office. At minimum, travel will be required to participate in, train and lead deep canvass programs, and relocation may be required, depending on the program’s needs. Candidates from suburbs, small towns and rural areas are especially encouraged to apply with qualifying experience.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop deep engagement canvassing programs and campaigns with staff and volunteers on the phones and at doors 
• Supervise staff
• Recruit, organize, coordinate, and train volunteers to support in educating and engaging members of the public on climate, clean energy and land use issues and solutions using engagement organizing principles
• Fundraising from individual donors for the program
• Outreach, organize and deliver presentations to community groups and partner organizations
• Research and write climate, clean energy and land use solutions communications and reports
• Tell the story of our progress by tracking the metrics of the program within the organization’s database and regularly updating the organization, funders and allies about the lessons, successes and challenges of the program
• Support website development, content updating and other communications
• Participate in leadership development and anti-oppression trainings
• Meet regularly with the supervisor and supporting staff
• Participate in mandatory organizational development activities, like individual donor fundraising
• Ability to follow workplace health and safety protocols
• Other duties as assigned

Desired Skills and Experience:

• At least three years experience with managing teams
• At least three years experience in community organizing, campaigning, canvassing, and/or leading trainings and developing training content
• Experience with social work, crisis support, or trauma-informed care preferred
• Experience with CIVICRM, CallHub, Microsoft office (Excel), Google workspace, and other data analyzing and mapping software preferred
• Experience with fundraising and asking for donations 
• Fluent in English, and fluency in an additional language preferred
• Demonstrated commitment and passion to environmental justice and its  intersections
• Ability to work with diverse people and organizations
• Proven strong interpersonal, conflict resolution and communication skills 
• Able to accurately record results of conversations in a data tracking database and contribute to debriefs that support team in learning from canvass interactions
• Comfortable talking with people with diverse viewpoints and actively listening without judgment  to what they have to say
• Willing to share vulnerable experiences from your life 
• Enthusiastic about learning, risk-taking and willing to make mistakes in the process
• Ability to be emotionally resilient during work hours for this position 
• Able to work evenings and weekends as required
• Access to reliable transportation and valid driver’s license 
• Extensive travel or relocation may be required for periods of time
• Legally entitled to work in Canada