job: lead organizer, Wisconsin, with salary info

[Discussion list for COMM-ORG]

From:
Facilitator NPC <Facilitator at NorthsidePlanningCouncil.org>


Job Announcement
Lead Organizer

The Northside Planning Council, a national award‑winning coalition of 
diverse Madison neighborhood organizations working to improve our 
community’s quality of life, seeks highly skilled, multi-talented 
applicants for full-time position. Requires minimum of 3 years 
professional experience in community organizing/community development. 
Experience in leadership development, leading successful campaigns, 
grantwriting, local government highly desirable. Women, people of color 
and those fluent in Spanish or Hmong encouraged to apply. Low to mid 
$40’s; good benefits.

Full job description is attached.
Learn more about the Northside Planning Council on Northside Online at 
http://www.northsideplanningcouncil.org/

Application deadline: January 7. Resumes not accepted in place of 
application.
For info & application, contact 608-661-0060 ext 1 or 
job at northsideplanningcouncil.org.

Full Position Description

The Northside Planning Council, the national award‑winning coalition of 
community and neighborhood organizations, and publisher of the Northside 
News, is seeking a Lead Organizer to support the work of the 
organization, the citizen-leaders comprising the NPC Board of Directors, 
and the member organizations represented thereon. The Lead Organizer 
reports to the NPC Executive Committee and Board of Directors. See 
www.northsideplanningcouncil.org for more information about us.

Who We Want

- Someone who believes in neighborhoods and local community.
- Someone with a passion to help local democracy work for everyone.
- Someone with skills in many areas, able to successfully manage 
multiple projects, and genuinely enjoys working with a diverse group of 
people.
- Someone with capacity to learn new skills and to analyze complex 
issues and community dynamics.
- Someone who can lead, but more importantly, can mentor others to lead.
- Someone who is motivated to put their beliefs and passion to work here 
in our community.

People of color, women, and those fluent in Spanish or Hmong encouraged 
to apply.

What You’ll Do

“External” Community Organizing & Community Building
- Train and develop new leaders in existing and emerging organizations 
and the community at-large
- Mobilize people and resources (including fundraising and grantwriting) 
to achieve goals
- Build and facilitate relationships among individuals/organizations 
around issues and projects
- Raise awareness of issues and opportunities for citizen and community 
input/involvement
- Organize and strengthen organization as well as neighborhood and 
community organizations
- Support initiatives of the council. We currently have schools, tenant 
organizing and economic development campaigns, along with several ad hoc 
initiatives. Priorities are set by the board and Executive Committee in 
consultation with staff and are adjusted as needed.
- Serve as publisher of the Northside News, our bimonthly community 
newspaper, and assist the Editor in writing, editing, design layout and 
advertising sales.

“Internal” Organizing & Organizational Development/Support
- Identify and monitor community issues, help NPC and member 
organizations select, research, and prioritize issues, and develop and 
implement organizing/advocacy strategies and campaigns
- Facilitate the development and functioning of NPC’s board, including 
member recruitment and orientation, training and leadership development, 
and coordinating and supporting committees
- Facilitate strategic planning, goal-setting/prioritization, and 
ongoing organizational evaluation.
- Support and facilitate NPC members at meetings with public officials 
government and business leaders
- Fundraise to further diversify and expand funding streams (including 
grant writing and oversight)
- Supervise other employees, interns or volunteers that the organization 
may hire and/or work with
- Work with the Administrator, ensuring that the organization meets all 
reporting and legal requirements
- The inevitable “other duties as assigned”

Experience and Skills You’ll Need

Professional Experience Requirements:
Professional experience and demonstrated skills and abilities in 
community organizing, community development, or very closely related 
field are required. A minimum of three (3) years relevant professional 
experience is required – at least five (5) preferred.

Demonstrated Skills/Abilities Requirements:
Experience and demonstrated skills and abilities in as many of the 
following areas as possible are highly desirable and will help equip you 
for this position: organizing successful issue campaigns, volunteer 
leadership development, group facilitation, volunteer coordination, 
training/adult education, grantwriting and fundraising, local 
government, newsletter/newspaper editing and production, and nonprofit 
administration.

Education/Training Requirements:
Formal education and/or advanced training in a number of the above areas 
is desirable, but not a substitute for significant experience and 
demonstrated skills/ability.

Computer and Other Skill Requirements:
In addition to the above, very good communication skills, people skills, 
and personal computer skills are required. Necessary computer skills 
include proficiency with word processing (Word), spreadsheets (Excel) 
and desktop publishing software (Quark Xpress, In Design, PageMaker). 
Proficiency in financial management or bookkeeping software 
(QuickBooks/Quicken) and databases (Access/FileMaker) are highly 
desirable. Sense of humor a must.

Residency Requirements:
Residency in or within a reasonable driving distance from Madison is 
required. Residency on or near Madison’s Northside, or willingness to 
relocate considered a plus.

Teamwork and Supervision
The Lead Organizer is the team leader with other staff in working with 
NPC’s citizen-leaders. The Lead Organizer has responsibility for 
assigning and supervising work and setting expectations for other staff, 
within the general goals set by the NPC Board and oversight by its 
Executive Committee.

Flexibility and Transportation
The position requires the ability to work a flexible schedule that often 
includes evening hours (2-3 evenings a week is typical) and not 
uncommonly, some weekend hours, but beyond scheduled meetings we offer 
as much flexibility as possible in work hours, including the ability to 
do some work from home or other locations. This position will require 
frequent travel within Madison; access to a reliable vehicle is 
essential, although use of public transportation, ride-sharing, or 
bicycle will be possible in some situations.

What You’ll Get
- A full‑time position (averaging 40 hours per week)
- An annual salary in the low to middle $40,000's, depending on 
qualifications and experience
- A salary structure that includes benefit compensation that can be used 
to purchase healthcare or other insurance, pay for medical expenses or 
to contribute to individual retirement accounts. Compensation and 
benefits are set annually by the Executive Committee, and approved by 
the Board of Directors, based on performance and the resources and 
funding available.
- Opportunities for ongoing training and professional development
- An excellent opportunity to work with one of Madison’s most successful 
neighborhood and community organizations

Funding and Job Longevity
As with most nonprofit organizations, NPC depends on many sources to 
fund its work. NPC has a diverse stream of funding: advertising revenues 
from our community newspaper, government contracts for service, grants, 
contributions and dues. Funding levels and funder priorities often vary 
from year to year, as do priorities within the organization. Anyone who 
chooses a career in the nonprofit sector does so with this reality in mind.

However, NPC has a very strong track record over its fifteen-year 
history of mobilizing necessary funding for its own operations and for 
community projects, and has a solid reserve fund. NPC also has an 
excellent reputation among key local funders, including local 
government, and thus has very good prospects for continued funding.

Employment of any individual is, of course, dependent both on 
satisfactory performance and on the availability of funding for the 
position. A six (6) month probationary period is required.

To Apply
Application deadline: January 7,2008. Resumes not accepted in place of 
application. For an application packet, contact 608-661-0060 ext 1 or 
job at northsideplanningcouncil.org

AA/EOE