Voter Engagement Coordinator

FLSA STATUS:

Exempt (Salary)

LOCATION:

Southwest Michigan Counties - Kent (Grand Rapids), Kalamazoo, Alleghan, Berrien. This position will be working on-the-ground as a coordinator.

HIRING RANGE:

$43,888.00 to $45,000.00 annually.

About the Civic Empowerment Coalition: The Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) established by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in 1983 (under a different name) for the purposes of civically engaging farm worker and Latinx communities. The CEC is a sister organization of the United Farm Workers of America 501(c)(5), the nation’s largest farm worker labor union, and the UFW Foundation 501(c)(3). The CEC is committed to advance equity for farm workers and their families. Therefore, the organization is launching the “Farm Workers in Action” Campaign. This campaign seeks to raise awareness about the urgency of the moment in our democracy to ensure that community members who live and work in rural communities and those who support farm workers vote and engage. The CEC is active on-the-ground in Michigan, Arizona, Georgia and California.

OUR WHY: We believe that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. We lift up the voices of farm workers and rural Latinos. Rural organizing and advocacy are at the heart of what the Civic Empowerment Coalition does. We recognize that our efforts in public spaces—in raising awareness, educating farm workers, the public and policy makers—all promise greater impact on greater numbers of people and help create more just and equitable policies and practices. The more that farm workers are able to thrive by gaining legal status, better wages and worker protections and a deeper understanding of the importance of their engagement, the greater the social and economic resilience of rural communities and our food system. Help us motivate the Latino community to engage civically during this critical election year.  

SUMMARY: The Voter Engagement Coordinator will work with farm workers, children of farm workers and community members to canvass Latino neighborhoods for the purposes of increasing voter turnout. This position is responsible for leading canvassing activities, civic engagement workshops, events/town halls and integrative voter engagement activities. The Voter Engagement Coordinator is also responsible for maintaining key partnerships with local students, business leaders, community members, civic leaders, and grassroots organizations. The Voter Engagement Coordinator reports to the Campaign Manager. 

This position may work closely with the Campaign Manager, Field Director, farm worker movement organizations, and other grassroots organizations to maximize the Civic Empowerment Coalition’s (CEC) presence and impact in moving our progressive governing agenda at the national and state levels.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (This is not an exhaustive list)

• Supervise, train, motivate and develop up to 10 Voter Engagement Canvassers by coordinating schedules, training, and holding team meetings (daily shift check-ins and debriefs), etc.
• Coordinate 2024 Election voter engagement activities, including: phone banking, voter registration drives, door-to-door canvassing and community outreach.
• Identify, recruit and orient volunteers and community leaders for activities like volunteer phone and text bankers, volunteer canvassers, events, voter registration activities.
• Train farm workers, and their families in rural communities to canvass Latino neighborhoods for the purposes of increasing voter turnout.
• Coordinate press events and actions, for example: rallies and canvassing launch events in key neighborhoods and/or activities centered on voter engagement, etc.
• Complete daily and weekly reports on progress.
• Utilize VAN and/or MiniVAN for data tracking and precinct prioritization.
• Utilizing technical tools and applications to assist with data tracking, reporting, and management of goals, tasks, and team.
• Document community-led activities and narratives for social media channels. 
• Establish and build key partnerships with local students, business leaders, community members, civic leaders, and grassroots organizations.
• Increase and engage Latino voter turnout through Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) strategies
• Input voter contact information and pledge forms.
• Lead planning of civic engagement events including election night parties, candidate forums and town halls.
• Meet all campaign goals and metrics to the extent possible.
• Monitor and track voter engagement outcomes.
• Must be able to travel regularly within Latino communities in assigned counties.
• Must be able to work weekends and afternoons. 
• Participate and complete all required training.
• Provide information about the voting process and answer any questions.
• Administrative tasks and logistics.
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervise up to 10 Voter Engagement Canvassers.
• May supervise interns and/or volunteers.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

The ideal candidate for this position must have a high level of professionalism and organization. The candidate must demonstrate competency in the following areas:

• Ability to work well with diverse groups, under challenging deadlines.
• Able to work a flexible schedule, with weekday evening and weekend hours as needed.
• Computer literacy: word-processing, Excel charts, and other work-related applications.
• Current registered voter/eligible to register to vote.
• Dedication to Mission. A genuine interest in immigrant and farm worker rights.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in both Spanish and English.
• Experience with/leading voter engagement and/or community outreach.
• Must be able to move throughout residential neighborhoods for long periods of time.
• Must have reliable transportation and state Driver’s License and vehicle insurance. Mileage reimbursement is available.
• Outgoing and comfortable with talking to the public, traversing about neighborhoods. and knocking on doors to engage community members.
• Polite and courteous.
• Previous canvassing or face-to-face selling experience.
• Punctual, well organized, self-motivated, energetic, and motivated to work independently.
• Si Se Puede ® (It Can Be Done) Attitude. The embodiment of a personal spirit that promotes confidence, courage and risk-taking.
• Strong organization, oral/written, interpersonal, communication skills: ability to manage time, meet deadlines, work well independently and in a team-oriented setting, and set priorities in an adaptive, fast-paced and responsive environment.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. This position requires bilingual and/or bi-literate ability (English/Spanish).
• MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• REASONING ABILITY: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to solve practical problems. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• None.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Prior experience with canvassing focused on the Latino community.
• Bachelor’s Degree or commensurate experience.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Must have reliable transportation and valid Driver’s License and vehicle insurance. Fuel reimbursement is available.
• Must be proficient with MS office applications (Word, Excel, E-mail and Internet).

COMPENSATION: 

The annual salary pay range for this position is $43,888.00 to $45,000.00.

ADDITIONAL AND/OR SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement – The Civic Empowerment Coalition is committed to ensuring the health and safety of our community, employees, and program participants. While vaccinations and boosters are not currently mandatory, we strongly recommend their use as a crucial measure in reducing the transmission of COVID-19. It is imperative to emphasize that if a pandemic situation arises that necessitates vaccines and/or boosters, we will reinstate this requirement to protect everyone effectively. Vaccinations have proven to be effective in preventing the spread of the virus and reducing severe illness. By choosing to get vaccinated, individuals contribute to the collective effort in mitigating the impact of the pandemic and creating a safer environment for all. We will continually monitor the evolving situation and follow the guidance of health authorities. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

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

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

The Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe a strong commitment to equal employment opportunity is more than a legal and moral obligation – it is also a sound business practice to realize the potential of every individual. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all! In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunity to all individuals, employment decisions at the   Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Except where required or permitted by law, employment practices will not be influenced or affected by an applicant’s or employee’s race, color, religion, sex/gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, age, or any characteristic protected by law. 

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply for a position fighting for farm worker and immigrant communities!  The Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) believes in second chances. As an organization, we will rely on individualized assessments in the hiring of those with past criminal convictions.

 The Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with qualified disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Persons of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, persons with disabilities, persons who have lived in poverty, formerly incarcerated, persons 40 years old or older, and people fluent in more than one language are strongly encouraged to apply for open positions with the  Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC). 

This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, counseling, discipline, termination, access to benefits and training. Our commitment to equal opportunity employment applies to all persons involved in our operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee, including supervisors and co-workers.

Anticipated end date: 11/8/2024