Southeastern Organizer

Citizen Action of Wisconsin Southeastern Organizer 

Citizen Action of Wisconsin seeks applicants hungry for the opportunity to lead people centered power building campaigns to achieve the sweeping changes Wisconsin needs to become a just, equitable, and sustainable multiracial democracy. 

This position is best suited for creative and effective out-of-the-box thinkers deeply committed to effectively building the grassroots power to make tangible progress on the big challenges confronting the multiracial working class. 

Description of Work This position is based in the Southeastern of Wisconsin Area (Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties). This is a full-time (40-50 hrs/week on average) salaried position that reports to the Organizing Director. Some weekend and evening hours will be required from time to time. Occasional in-state and out of state travel is required. 

Organizing Co-ops are Citizen Action’s membership chapters. A successful Co-op Organizer will work to advance our democratic membership organizing model. This role involves community organizing and growing a critical mass of co-op members through one-on-one meetings and events. Together with member-leaders and Citizen Action of Wisconsin staff, the Co-op Organizer will advance issue and electoral campaigns that lead to real impacts in their community and lay the groundwork for large-scale changes in Wisconsin. 

The successful organizer in this position will be an ambassador of Citizen Action’s approach to grassroots power building and large-scale structural reform, inspiring members and other like-minded people to take effective action. An effective person in this role would have a clear self-interest in working with members and prospective members to build power to change the material conditions of working class people in Wisconsin. Current major issues include BadgerCare Public Option and Climate Justice (Climate Accountability Act and 2% of Income Utility Rate Cap). See the full Citizen Action of Wisconsin Platform. Citizen Action Wisconsin can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.

Primary Responsibilities

• Understand Citizens Action’s strategies, theory of change, major issues and electoral initiatives, and explain them to members in a way that motivates them to take action.
• Maintain and further build a grassroots base of people in the region who are dedicated to building collective power by recruiting new members into action teams for our pillar campaigns around health care climate and movement politics. 

• Create opportunities to strategically develop members into effective movement leaders, inviting our members to step into the power they already have, create space for their growth and help them embody the values that they bring to the movement. 
• Contribute to Citizen Action’s efforts to transform Wisconsin’s political environment by recruiting candidates to run for office, managing local endorsement efforts, and executing regional plans to talk to voters in support of Citizen Action’s endorsed candidates through canvassing, phone banking, and other tactics. 
• Contribute to strategic grassroots campaign planning and effectively execute those campaigns to achieve local and state-level wins. 
• Organize actions for members and activists that build leadership capacity while also driving outcomes for our key programs, including planning community events, organizing canvassing efforts, driving public engagement to influence policy decisions, etc. 
• Practice effective communication with members and supporters to drive understanding of Citizen Action’s worldview and strategy and to keep them up to date on the status of our campaigns through direct communication through 1:1 meetings, personal phone calls, and direct emails. 
• Contribute to and manage organizing data in Citizen Action’s database, currently 
  • EveryAction, to support identifying and developing members in your region and to build long term collective knowledge that will serve our movement for years to come 
• Displays in their first 6 months of employment the ability to meet the weekly organizing metrics as instructed by the Organizing Director 
• Proficient in submitting weekly documentation required by the organizing Director in a timely manner 
• Shows the ability to work in a team setting and seeks to resolve conflict when issues arise by leaning into relationships and taking action to repair. 
• Have proper communication in times of high stress and an ever-changing political/organizing landscape. 
• Ability to meet specific fundraising goals as assigned 

Required Qualifications

• Philosophical commitment to progressive values of economic, gender, racial, anti-oppressive, and environmental justice and equity along with health care freedom for everyone in Wisconsin and America. 
• Strategic thinking skills and willingness to innovate in fast moving issue campaigns. 
• Excellent listening, interpersonal and problem solving skills; strong personal time management skills, organization skills, the ability to work under pressure, and the ability to resolve conflicts while maintaining effective relationships
• Commitment to continuous learning, understanding that there is always more to know and more ways to develop your leadership skills.

• Ability to motivate and engage staff and project participants
• Can take initiative on projects, work independently and is detailed oriented
• Embrace a spirit of possibilities, contributing to a team ethic that we can all do things we’ve never done before, and can stretch ourselves to achieve incredible results 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Access to reliable high-speed internet and cellular service at home
• Fully vaccinated for COVID-19 

Desired Experience

• Ability to understand public policy issues and translate them into organizing issues that motivate average people to act, and devise tactics to move the issues or campaigns forward.
• Experience in labor, community, political or faith-based organizing, experience with or a strong interest in learning relational organizing as well as a commitment to working on racial justice issues, working with communities of color, and with a multicultural base of individuals. 
• Experience with large and/or small dollar fundraising. 
• Experience working in coalition with a broad array of organizations on issues of social and economic justice.
• Experience with working on racial justice issues and/or working in communities of color.
• Bilingual/multilingual is a plus.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

This role is highly active and community-based, requiring sustained physical, mental, and emotional engagement consistent with grassroots organizing work.

Physical Activity & Mobility

• Ability to engage in frequent in-person community outreach, including walking, standing, and canvassing for extended periods (often 2–4 hours at a time) in neighborhoods, public spaces, and event settings.
• Ability to travel locally throughout the region multiple days per week and occasionally travel statewide or out of state.
• Ability to climb stairs, walk on uneven terrain, and operate in varied indoor and outdoor environments.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull materials such as clipboards, literature, signage, folding tables, or supplies weighing up to approximately 25 pounds.

Work Schedule & Stamina

• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to meet weekly organizing metrics such as one-on-one meetings, canvasses, action team activities, and community events.
• Ability to maintain energy, focus, and effectiveness during long or irregular workdays, particularly during peak campaign periods.

Communication & Repetitive Tasks

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in person, by phone, and via digital platforms for extended periods, including conducting multiple one on one meetings weekly.
• Ability to perform repetitive computer-based tasks such as data entry, email communication, reporting in EveryAction, and completing weekly documentation and time tracking.

Environmental Conditions

• Regular work in outdoor conditions, including heat, cold, rain, snow, and wind during canvassing and public actions.
• Regular work in community spaces such as homes, libraries, union halls, faith spaces, and public venues.
• Ability to operate in high-energy, fast-paced, and sometimes high-stress environments tied to political campaigns and organizing timelines.
  

Cognitive & Emotional Demands

• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet weekly and monthly performance metrics, and adapt quickly in an ever-changing political and organizing landscape.
• Ability to engage in emotionally demanding conversations related to healthcare access, climate impacts, racial and economic justice, and lived experiences of community members.
• Ability to work collaboratively while also functioning independently with a high degree of self-direction and accountability.
• Ability to work through rejection

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position which includes health and dental insurance, employer-matched 401K, life insurance, disability insurance, smart phone allowance, generous paid time off, and other benefits. The starting salary rate is $49,257 and applicants with significant experience and a record of organizing.

Accomplishments can qualify for higher rates of compensation on our union scale. There are annual COLA increases and opportunities for promotion based on success. This is a union position, represented by OPEIU Local 9, AFL-CIO. 

To Apply: Email cover letter and resume to Rafael Smith (Organizing Director) at rafael.smith@citizenactionwi.org. If you are chosen to participate in the interview process, Rafael Smith will reach out to you via email to schedule a pre-interview phone call, and a first interview via Zoom. Please, no calls or in person inquiries, as we want to ensure a fair hiring process. 

Women, People of Color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, formerly incarcerated individuals, and those facing barriers to employment are strongly encouraged to apply.