Senior Organizing Manager
Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation
Because you believe in a Montana that believes in you.
Forward Montana Foundation is seeking a full-time Senior Organizing Manager to directly manage & lead a growing statewide field team to success across our leadership development, issue advocacy, voter mobilization, and voter registration campaigns. Additionally, our Senior Organizing Manager is responsible for developing, maintaining, and growing our statewide volunteer development and engagement programs.
The ideal candidate is someone with direct management experience, a proven track record of supporting diverse teams remotely, and an ability to independently manage their workload while supporting the priorities of a busy, ambitious team. You’ll excel in this role if you have a keen eye for strategy and detail, can delegate work effectively and efficiently, are passionate about leadership development, have experience conducting field work, and are committed to building processes to support the effective functioning of a team (TL;DR: you like to run meetings, provide 1:1 support, and can fill gaps like a pro).
Applicants should be committed to supporting and growing our statewide programs and regional field teams while staying flexible with an eye towards new opportunities.
Who We Are
Forward Montana (FMT) and Forward Montana Foundation (FMF) are dedicated to engaging and mobilizing young Montanans to help shape their democracy to improve their lives and the lives of fellow Montanans. We put young people on the front lines of civic engagement statewide, basing our efforts out of Bozeman, Missoula, Billings, and the greater Flathead area.
What You’ll Do
The Senior Organizing Manager reports to the Program Director, sits on the organization’s coordinating team (our version of a senior leadership team!), and is responsible for the following:
- With the support of the Program Director, lead and support our regional Field Managers in every stage of implementation of programs that accomplish our strategic vision and mission
- Lead our regional field teams through the development of benchmarks, goals, and quarterly execution plans surrounding our statewide voter registration and leadership development programs
- Develop and execute collaborative processes for goal-setting – including the development of metrics and benchmarks for success across all of our statewide programming
- Support our regional field teams to develop & execute advocacy campaigns around relevant and/or timely issues happening in our local communities
- Support, participate, and manage our regional field teams to success across all of our voter mobilization & get out the vote (GOTV) campaigns
- Facilitate planning processes for major programmatic events and initiatives including, but not limited to, National Voter Registration Day, Student Voter Day, other civic holidays, and The Montana Youth Organizing Summit
- Responsible for identifying leadership opportunities for staff, interns, and volunteers that support the growth of professional development skills. Additionally, responsible for developing and running relevant trainings for the program team when appropriate
- Responsible for the development and day-to-day management of our statewide volunteer engagement and retention programs
- Responsible for fielding requests and needs of our regional field team and working with the Program Director to meet them
- Empower the statewide FMT program crew to be the most badass they can be!
Must-Haves | here’s what success looks like:
- Develop leaders & engage volunteers: You can create and maintain strong processes, goals, and benchmarks for success across all of FMT’s regional volunteer development and recruitment programs. You feel passionate about growing our base of supporters and can manage a statewide team to find creative ways for volunteers to engage with our organization, inside and outside of election years. You’re also passionate about internal leadership development and ensure that the individuals you manage have consistent access to professional development opportunities that align with their passions and areas for growth.
- Drive to achieve results while supporting a statewide team: You have a track record of supporting teams to accomplish ambitious goals and getting results even when there are obstacles. You set a high bar and meet it, because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to anticipate hurdles and can come up with pragmatic solutions on the fly. You’re excited about processes and systems within a team – you can run an effective meeting, give 100% to your individual check-ins with the people you manage, and can run an event planning process on a tight timeline. You know how to ask for help, have the ability to act as an advocate for the needs of a diverse team and ensure they feel heard, and understand how to hold folks accountable to setting and reaching ambitious goals with creativity and flexibility.
- Actively Anti-Racist: You are committed to actively contributing to a more equitable and inclusive FMT by facilitating conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice with the regional field team, fellows, volunteers, members, and within our broader organization. You’re committed to amplifying young voices to advocate for a more progressive, just Montana. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye towards continuous learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.
We understand that the right candidate may have experience in different areas. If you don’t meet all the requirements above but have an interest in learning, we encourage you to apply.
If you were the Senior Organizing Manager right now, you would be:
- Facilitating planning conversations for our upcoming regional candidate forums – ensuring your team has the tools they need to execute a badass candidate education event
- Supporting a regional Field Manager during your 1:1 weekly check-in and troubleshooting a roadblock with a local issue advocacy campaign
- Developing the volunteer recruitment and engagement plan for the next quarter to ensure your team has achievable, scaleable goals for growing their volunteer programs and understands how to execute on them
- Developing the agenda and purpose for an upcoming planning conversation for our statewide voter registration goals – you’re compiling data from past years, coming up with recommendations, and figuring out how you’ll track goals this year
- Strategizing with the entire program team about how to create a relevant campaign targeted at new voters who are moving into Montana from other states
What Else You Should Know
Forward Montana is an equal opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by our issues and work. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ2S+ people, women, and people with disabilities to apply.
- Logistics
- This position is full-time (40 hours/week) and is based in Montana. There are opportunities for a relocation stipend
- You must be comfortable working unconventional hours occasionally — including nights and weekends
- You must have the ability to travel once or twice a month, especially in the summer months (a valid driver’s license is required)
- You’re comfortable conducting field work for up to 6-8 hours at a time in all weather conditions
- This position includes both in-person and virtual components based on public health guidance around COVID-19
- You must be comfortable being managed and building relationships with our statewide team remotely
- There is a potential to utilize a shared office space with other FMT staff if based in Bozeman, Billings, or Missoula
The salary for this position ranges from $47,000 – $50,000. Forward Montana also offers the following benefits:
- Health insurance
- Retirement plan with a 3% match
- Technology reimbursement
- Professional development funds
- Generous paid time off, including paid family and medical leave
How to Apply
Please send a resume and one-page cover letter stating your interest in the position, why you think you’d be the right fit for the Senior Organizing Manager at Forward Montana, and what skillsets you’d be excited to grow & develop in this position.
If a cover letter isn’t your style, try something creative! We’re less concerned with the perfect cover letter and more interested in getting to know you, your passions, and what’d you bring to the position — slideshows, videos, graphics / visuals, portfolio’s, or just a more casual tone cover letter are all welcome.
Please send application materials to hiring@forwardmontana.org.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled; however, preference will be given to applications who submit materials by May 20th so that we can start interviews by May 23rd. Preferred start date for this position is July 25 (or earlier).