Job Title: UniServ Organizer

Salary Step:Professional Staff Step 0 - $79,372

General Description of the Position’s Function and Purpose:

The position will lead field organizing efforts in targeted local associations within Indiana. The work will be centered around the basic tools of relational organizing: one-to-one meetings, power analysis, charting internal relationships, leadership development (teaching and training), action and evaluation. The position will also develop and implement membership recruitment and retention strategies. The goal is to enable local associations to organize for power so that they can move issues to action leading to positive change and without the exclusive reliance on collective bargaining. This could include (but not limited to): running school referendum or school board campaigns, attempting to change school district policies through collective action, advancing local campaigns to address problems that parents and children face in a community, or working to affect a social justice issue in the community.

The work will be carried out in close cooperation with UniServ Directors assigned to the targeted local association and the local leaders of the targeted locals. The position will be under the supervision of the Director of UniServ and Organizing. This is a term Professional Staff Organization position. It is subject to the collective bargaining agreement between ISTA and the Professional Staff Organization.

Responsibilities:

  • Setting up and conducting 10-15 one-to-one meetings per week (A one to one meeting is a focused 30 to 40-minute meeting with a person to begin to build a relationship and to look for leaders for public action).
  • Conduct regular building visits for association visibility, potential member recruitment and related efforts.
  • Build organizing member teams in 10 to 15 local associations, additional locals may be assigned over time.
  • Build networks of leaders within existing and new member units.
  • Utilize and carry out the tools of relational organizing: one-to-one meetings, power analysis, charting/mapping internal relationships, teaching and training, action and evaluation.
  • Organize and carry out member recruitment, new unit, contract, political and/or other issue campaigns.
  • Write and provide training (or train-the-trainer training) to local associations in organizing for power.
  • Write and create relevant campaign plans and materials.
  • Work cooperatively with relevant UniServ Directors, local leaders and others involved in local organizing efforts.
  • Enter and analyze data related to member programs and organizing.
  • Write a weekly report and participate in regular check-in meetings with manager or designee.
  • This is not a 9 to 5 job. There will be considerable travel within the state of Indiana. Some weekend work will be necessary.
  • Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director and/or immediate supervisor.
  • This is a bargaining unit position (term).

Qualifications:

A.Bachelor’s degree is required; Master’s degree is preferred.

B.Skills and experience

  1. Required:
  2. Minimum of two year’s union/association or community organizing experience with an emphasis on relational organizing strategies and methods.
  3. Demonstrated experience in organizing issue, contract and/or political campaigns.
  4. Documented experience/successes in popular education and/or member/leader development and training.
  5. Experience implementing member recruitment plans (or other similar growth plans) carried out largely by member volunteers.
  6. Experience in developing and implementing plans based on analysis of current events, organization goals and attitudes.
  7. Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a collaborative team member.
  8. Coordination of the day-to-day activities of member organizersand/or volunteers.
  9. Current driver’s license and insured vehicle in good driving condition.
  10. Preferred:
  11. Working knowledge of Indiana public sector labor laws as well as labor relations law related to the membership recruitment, representational petition campaigns and elections.
  12. Broad understanding of the critical issues and problems facing preK-12 educators and associations in Indiana and nationally.
  13. Demonstrated ability to analyze member data for strategic purposes.

C.Interpersonal skills:

  1. Required:
  2. Effective public speaker
  3. Clear and lucid writing
  4. Social awareness
  5. Ability/desire to work with a diverse population
  6. Strong personal planning and time management skills
  7. Ethical, integrity, and inclusiveness
  8. Ability to give and receive constructive feedback
  9. Initiative
  10. Problem analysis and resolution
  11. Relationship building
  12. Leadership
  13. Organizational sensitivity
  14. Flexibility
  15. Detail orientation

Location and Duration:

There are two UniServ Organizer positions being filled. One working from central to northern Indiana and the other working from central to southern Indiana. The positions are one year term appointments with a goal of making the positions permanent after one year.

The Indiana State Teachers Association provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

January 22, 2018