Grassroots Organizing & Advocacy Coordinator
Location: Silver Spring,MD/New York, NY/Remote
POSITION SUMMARY:
HIAS seeks a Grassroots Organizing & Advocacy Coordinator for the Grassroots Advocacy & Organizing team, which mobilizes the Jewish community to support the rights and safety of refugees in the United States and around the world. Our team interacts with hundreds of advocates, Jewish leaders and congregations each week. We seek a professional who can support these efforts and greatly increase their impact by building systems and processes to keep our data and materials organized. This position will play a critical role in events, trainings, advocacy initiatives and more, creating materials and providing administrative and event planning support. The Grassroots Organizing & Advocacy Coordinator is a new position and an integral component of a deeply collaborative Community Engagement department and Global Public Affairs division.
Note, this position is based at our headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland or our office in New York, New York, and we will consider a remote option for applicants who live outside of commuting distance to either of our offices and are based in other states in which we are registered (Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin).
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Maintains HIAS’ congregation and clergy lists, updating data in real-time to ensure best possible accuracy for HIAS’ projects.
- Develops data systems to help keep accurate records of the many ways that congregations are taking action for refugees.
- Assists with creating and updating resources, talking points and guides for use by HIAS supporters and advocates.
- Assists with maintaining activist listservs, Facebook groups and online communities of practice.
- Keeps our evergreen resources (such as the “how to take action lists”) up to date.
- Supports event planning for advocacy trainings, delegations, Hill visits and more.
- Supports logistical planning and tech support for remote meetings and webinars.
- Assists with project evaluation so that we can consistently learn from what we are doing.
- Represents HIAS on coalition calls, taking notes and reporting to the group on new opportunities for partnership and solidarity work.
- Plays a critical support role in HIAS’ rapid response efforts and other HIAS Community Engagement department efforts as assigned.
- Operates as an essential part of the Grassroots Advocacy & Organizing team, contributing to strategy, systems, tactics and more.
QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:
- Undergraduate degree preferred.
- 2-3 years of experience in a non-profit setting; internships or volunteer experience included.
- Strong knowledge of the American Jewish community and how it is organized.
- High degree of comfort learning and working across various technology platforms, which could include MailChimp, Raiser’s Edge, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Excel, etc.
- High attention to detail; if you are the kind of person that gets excited about a perfect color-coded Excel spreadsheet, this is the job for you.
- Strong written skills; ability to translate complicated topics into easy-to-understand talking points, guides and social media posts.
- A very strong team player who thrives working on close-knit teams.
- Receptive to feedback and excited to grow and lead in a highly collaborative context.
- Commitment to high quality standards, even under quickly changing circumstances and tight deadlines.
- Passionate about the safety, rights and dignity of refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers.
- Eagerness to join a team working to build a more just and compassionate world.
EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION:
All employees are expected to represent the organization in alignment with HIAS' mission, vision and values. Some employees of HIAS are expected to speak externally on behalf of the organization with clients, donors, affiliates, partners, etc. as part of their work-related responsibilities. Applicants for these roles acknowledge and accept the inherent risk associated with external representation of HIAS.
HIRING PROCESS:
We are committed to a fair and respectful hiring process, and we do our absolute best to respond to every applicant. We prioritize communication and transparency with all candidates, even those who are not moving forward. Here’s a snapshot of our hiring process:
Step 1: Submit your application!
Step 2: Phone screen with a HIAS recruiter.
Step 3: Video interview with the hiring manager.
Step 4: Video interview with a panel of HIAS employees.
Step 5: Online reference check with SkillSurvey.
Step 6: Offer and background check with Shield Screening or ESR.
Step 7: Start your professional journey with HIAS!
Note: Some of our hiring processes may vary, and not all candidates will advance to each step.
ABOUT US:
Over one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, our founders were guided by the traditions, texts and history of the Jewish people—a history of oppression, displacement and diaspora. HIAS has since helped generations of Jews facing violence because of who they were, and HIAS remains committed to helping Jewish refugees anywhere in the world. Today, our clients at HIAS come from diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds, as do our staff. We bring our experience, history and values to our work across five continents, ensuring that refugees today receive the vital services and opportunities they need to thrive.
HIAS is a learning community, committed to diversity and inclusion. We do our work with integrity, accountability, transparency and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. We seek employees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences to join our teams located in the United States and across the globe. People who identify as BIPOC, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ+ community and people with lived experiences of forced displacement or immigration are all encouraged to apply. We are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects our vision, mission and values.
VISION:
HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety and opportunity.
MISSION:
Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.
VALUES:
Welcome • Acogimiento • Hospitalité • Hachnasat Orchim
We Welcome the Stranger
Justice • Justicia • Justice • Tzedek
We Pursue Justice
Empathy • Empatía • Empathie • Chesed
We Approach our Clients with Empathy
Partnership • Compañerismo • Coopération • Chevruta
We Believe in Changing the World through Partnership
Courage • Coraje • Courage • Ometz
We Act with Courage to Build a Better World
Resilience • Resiliencia • Résilience • Ruach
We Adapt and Thrive, Continuously Demonstrating our Resilience
DIVERSITY:
HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation or other legally protected status.
SAFEGUARDING:
HIAS is committed to the protection of children, vulnerable adults and any other person from any harm caused directly or indirectly due to their coming into contact with HIAS. We will not tolerate sexual exploitation, abuse or any form of child abuse or neglect by our staff or associated personnel. Any candidate offered a job with HIAS will be expected to sign and adhere to HIAS’ Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policies. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records. HIAS also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. Likewise, HIAS will share this information when other organizations inquire about current and former HIAS staff as part of their recruitment process. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
