Food & Water Watch is looking for a Michigan Senior Organizer to join our Organizing team and help run campaigns  to protect our food, water, and climate. The Michigan Senior Organizer will work closely with volunteers, community partners and other staff at Food & Water Watch. This position must be based in the Grand Rapids area. This position is primarily remote. However, the employee may be required to occasionally report to the office for meetings, trainings, or other business needs at the employer’s discretion.

About Food & Water Watch:

Food & Water Watch is working to create a healthy future for all people and generations to come—a world where everyone has food they can trust, clean drinking water and a livable climate. Making this happen requires involving people in the pressing issues of our time at the local, state, and federal level, building on one win after another, as we develop a larger movement that has the political power to make our democratic process work. 

About the position:

The Michigan Senior Organizer will report to the Rural Organizing Director and will work with other staff on the organizing, policy, digital and communications teams to support Food & Water Watch’s work. The Michigan Senior Organizer will primarily focus on building out our volunteer team, Food & Water Team Michigan, build relationships with groups working on food, water and climate issues across Michigan, and organize against the buildout of data centers in the state. This is a full-time, temporary, grant-funded position for one year; this is an FLSA – exempt position.

Salary: $56,800.00 – $66,800.00

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Responsibilities:

1. Recruit volunteers and allies. Build a strong base of volunteers and organizations in support of our local, state, and national campaigns.
2. Develop campaign plans. Work with other staff to establish long and short-term goals, strategies, and tactics to win our campaigns. 
3. Organize campaign tactics. Plan and execute strategic tactics to meet the needs of our campaigns, including educational events, base-building drives, and actions directed at elected officials. 
4. Build capacity. Develop the leadership of volunteers and grassroots organizations by offering training and organizing support.
5. Represent Food & Water Watch. Speak at public events and in press interviews on behalf of the organization. Participate in coalitions and joint campaigns or tactics.
6. Write to inspire action. Develop educational materials such as factsheets, action alerts, website content and newsletter articles on campaign issues.
7. Use digital tools. Become proficient in tools such as ThruText, Scale to Win, and Mobilize.
8. Know our issues. Maintain familiarity with Food & Water Watch’s priority issue campaigns and policy positions, and respond to information and support requests from activists, coalition members, and the media.
9. Build Food & Water Watch for the long haul. Participate in member recruitment and fundraising activities for Food & Water Watch.
10. Carry out other projects as assigned. 

Required Qualifications: 

• At least 3 years of full-time organizing experience, or an equivalent combination of full-time and volunteer experience. 
• Demonstrated ability to develop effective organizing strategies and to guide others to develop effective organizing strategies. 
• Familiarity with Michigan politics and communities.
• Commitment to Food & Water Watch’s core values of justice, human dignity, fair treatment, and equity.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse racial, ethnic, class, age, gender, and sexual orientation backgrounds.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills. 
• Excellent time management & organizational skills and ability to balance multiple projects.
• Ability to work remotely using basic online programs, including email, Slack, and Google docs.

Compensation: 56,800 – $66,800 annually dependent upon experience and location.

Food & Water Watch provides an excellent benefits package for full-time employees. This includes 100% employer-paid health, dental and vision plans for staff; 403b retirement plans with employer contribution once eligible; 12 weeks paid parental leave once eligible; 3 weeks vacation for new employees; 12 sick days and 5 personal days; paid federal holidays and winter break (December 24 – January 1).    

This position is a bargaining unit position covered under a contract between Food & Water Watch and the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU).

Please include your resume, cover letter, writing sample, and three professional references to be considered. Position open until filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Click here to apply. We will review your application and if we feel that your knowledge, skills and abilities are potentially a good match for our organization, we will be in contact with you. 

Food & Water Watch is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and other members of underrepresented groups. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Food & Water Watch (FWW) is committed to the health and safety of its staff members. Moreover, FWW, as an organization, promotes science-based policy. Science clearly shows that unvaccinated populations drive the spread of the coronavirus and the emergence of new variants, and that unvaccinated people are more likely to contract COVID and experience severe symptoms. Effective immediately, it is strongly recommended that prospective new staff members provide proof of vaccination.