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National Field Organizer

Employer
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Location
Washington D.C.
Salary
$65,000
Closing date
Feb 8, 2022

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The National Field Organizer is responsible for identifying, engaging, and cultivating new pools of advocates to lobby Congress and connect with FCNL’s advocacy programs. Success will be measured by the growth in the numbers of new people FCNL engaged around the country and our effectiveness in persuading these individuals to continue to participate in our advocacy. This position will also help to build out FCNL’s growing civic education work around the country. The position reports to the Associate General Secretary for Strategic Advocacy.

Specific duties include cold-calling potential constituents, developing materials and resources to support advocates around the country, and collaborating with others in Strategic Advocacy on grassroots engagement strategy. This position will also help FCNL build out its growing civic education work. Some weekend and evening work, as well as travel within in the United States, is required.

The success of this position will be measured by how many new people FCNL engages around the country and our effectiveness in persuading these individuals to participate in lobby visits with the FCNL community, publish letters to the editor, and work to pass legislation in Congress.

 

The Organization

FCNL lobbies from a basis of spiritual and ethical purpose and seeks to change government policy and practice for the better. We play a key role in lobbying initiatives on Capitol Hill that focus on social and economic justice, peace, stewardship of the environment, and good government. FCNL’s team of lobbyists have extensive connections and conduct focused legislative campaigns on the following priorities: peacebuilding, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation; curtailing endless war; criminal justice sentencing reform, immigration reform, refugees, solutions to climate change, gun violence prevention, economic justice and Native American issues.

Our dedicated grassroots network brings constituent perspectives into congressional offices—both here in Washington at two major lobbying events each year and in local district offices throughout the year. We inform and educate our network through our newsletter and collateral materials and activate our grassroots network through a robust website, email, and social media outreach.

Our national network includes people from many different faiths and backgrounds who are activists and donors. We are dedicated to growing the network with particular emphasis on effective relationship-building as a path to policy change. In the past 3 years, we’ve increased the number of in-person lobby visits from our constituents by 50%. Headquartered on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, FCNL is governed by a General Committee of 190 Quakers from across the country and employs a staff of 48, including 20 registered lobbyists.

FCNL has brought Quaker values to bear on national policy throughout our 78-year history through congressional testimony, Capitol Hill visits, grassroots lobbying, and educational initiatives. Our strategic direction in the coming years is to create a bigger presence for FCNL—through media and marketing, as well as through our vibrant network of activists.

 

Key Priorities and Responsibilities

Manage recruitment events, trainings, and campaigns (70%)

  • Design, lead, and evaluate recruitment events to mobilize people to lobby Congress and create a larger pool of leads in every Congressional district that can be mobilized for Strategic Advocacy programs.
  • Mobilize and recruit individuals and groups to participate in FCNL programs (Advocacy Teams, Young Adult Program, Grasstops, Quaker Engagement) through broad-based communications and individual outreach.
  • Work with Organizing Data Strategist to track outcomes and impact of recruitment.
  • Design events, trainings, workshops, and campaigns based on previous experience and learning from other organizations. These events could include the following:
  • Manage and host “Learn to Lobby in 30 Minutes” type event series, including follow-up support for participants to take action.
  • Organize large-scale virtual events on a quarterly basis, like “Prepare to Drive Change in the New Congress” on Dec. 9, with extensive follow-up.
  • Organize statewide strategy calls in collaboration with Strategic Advocacy staff and lobbyists.
  • Plan and lead civic engagement events, collaborations, and trainings with partner organizations, coalition members, university programs, and faith groups, including BIPOC-led and non-Christian groups.
  • Develop and support the implementation of action campaigns like the 2019 August Recess campaign.
  • Research and develop best practices to engage new communities in the work of FCNL from peer organizations to strengthen and inform FCNL’s grassroots strategy.
  • Collaborate with Strategic Advocacy team and Communications team to develop, produce, and maintain resources for distributed organizing among FCNL advocates.
  • Collaborate with Strategic Advocacy and Quaker Engagement teams to support each program’s organizing strategies and recruitment goals.
    • Recruit prospective leads for participation in Advocacy Teams, Young Adult Programs, Grasstops program, and Quaker Engagement.
    • Build capacity in key states, Congressional Districts and constituencies to strengthen lead pool for grassroots programs.
  • Work with lobbyists and Grasstops Manager to support FCNL’s legislative priorities through expanded grassroots lobbying and field organizing.
    • Develop best practices and systems for information-sharing and collaboration between lobbyists and Strategic Advocacy team on constituent mobilization.
    • Support flow of information about constituent engagement on sign-on letters, Call to Conscience, Native American Legislative update to Strategic Advocacy team.
  • Lead Recruitment Working Group on Strategic Advocacy team.
  • Develop partnerships and collaborations with faith groups, organizations, and other allies to reach new audiences and diversify FCNL’s grassroots network.

Strengthen organizing strategy and cross-team collaboration (30%)

Other duties as assigned

 

Requirements

  • At least 5 years of organizing or recruiting experience focused on engaging new people in democracy and advocacy.
  • Proven ability to organize or recruit people into advocacy.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently.
  • Ability to travel up to 40 percent of the time to do recruiting work, when Covid-19 conditions permit.
  • Ability to motivate individuals and groups to engage in deep advocacy.
  • Demonstrated public speaking ability.
  • Ability to work with a team remotely and provide timely, accurate reports.
  • An entrepreneurial self-starter who is able to build new structures and initiatives.
  • Agreement with FCNL’s policy positions and understanding of a faith-based perspective toward lobbying.

 

Benefits

Salary starts at $65,000 and is negotiable based on skills and experience, and in relation to other similarly sized non-profits in the Washington, D.C. market. Robust benefits package includes health, dental, vision, life, short- and long-term disability, generous retirement plan contribution, paid time off plus holidays, parental leave, and more.

 

FCNL is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability status, genetic information, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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