Organizing & Policy Director

Organizing & Policy Director

 

Location: Montgomery County, PA              Deadline: Until hired

Reports to: Executive Director        

Woori Center is seeking a full-time Organizing and Policy Director who will oversee and coordinate Woori Center’s organizing and public policy campaigns. The role requires frequent local travel as well as occasional travel for national mobilization and training. The salary for this position ranges from $60,000 to $65,000, with exact salary depending on experience. We also offer excellent benefits such as 100% employer-sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance. Also, paid time off, and sick days are offered. We close between December 25 – January 1 for reflection and rejuvenation. This is an exempt position that will be based in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. 

The ideal candidate will have a passion for engaging with community members, coalition partners, and policymakers to bring about a systematic change that will improve the lives of immigrant community members in Pennsylvania. The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to build and nurture relationships with immigrants and Asian American community members along with other diverse marginalized identities. The ideal candidate will advocate for more equitable policy solutions, with attention to the role of race, poverty, age, and immigration status, and regularly include others in planning and decision-making. The ideal candidate will be committed to getting results in a fast-paced environment without sacrificing input or quality, and have the resilience to navigate setbacks with an eye toward new opportunities.

Who we are

Established in late 2018, Woori Center’s mission is to organize Korean and Asian Americans to achieve social, racial, and economic justice. Serving the Greater Philadelphia, Woori Center empowers the most vulnerable community members including the low-income, recent immigrants, limited English proficient, undocumented, youth, women, and seniors.  Through education, social service, community organizing, public policy advocacy, civic participation, and arts & culture programs, Woori Center ensures that these community members can impact progressive change at the local and state levels. Woori Center is an affiliate of a national progressive Asian American network, NAKASEC.   

Major Responsibilities

The Organizing and Policy Director who is based in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and reports to the Executive Director. Roles and responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

Organizing

• Immigrant Justice Campaigns:  Co-develop, implement, and evaluate creative and effective municipal, county, and state-based organizing and advocacy campaigns.  Ensure the intersection of immigrant rights with race, gender, sexual orientation, and ability are integrated into campaign planning. 
• Leadership Development: Recruit and train Asian American multi-generational community members to participate in Woori Center’s campaigns and activities. Support community members in developing their leadership skills.
• Civic Engagement: Support year-round integrated civic engagement campaigns for issue-based and electoral engagement.
• National Work: Participate as a representative of Woori Center in its national organization, NAKASEC. Join regular Immigrant Justice Project meetings.
• Contribute to grant proposals and reports as needed.

Public Policy

• Monitor municipal, county, state, and national public policy developments related to issues important to the Asian American community.
• Advance public policy that creates tangible change in the lives of the most vulnerable members of the Asian American community.
• Provide community-accessible policy updates, papers, and briefings for Woori Center community members.
• Communicate and build relationships with government and elected officials’ offices.

Staff Leadership and Management

• Hire, manage, and support the development of the Woori Center organizing team and other staff and consultants as needed.
• Assist with the hiring and evaluation of staff.
• Manage and develop the leadership skills of staff members.
• Co-build a healthy team culture and work environment at Woori Juntos.
• Assist with fundraising efforts as needed.

Coalition and Community building

• Participate in, develop, and lead coalition efforts.
• Develop and grow relationships with new and non-traditional partners.
• Represent Woori Center at conferences, meetings, and events as needed.
• Act as a spokesperson for Woori Center as needed.

Miscellaneous

• Attend weekly staff meetings and team lead meetings.
• Carefully track time and communications to ensure appropriate assignment to c3 or c4, direct and grassroots lobbying, and electioneering 
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience & Skills Needed:

• Strong understanding of issues facing the Asian American community and other marginalized communities including people of color, women, and LGBTQ community members and ready to resist racism, patriarchy, homophobia, classism and ableism.
• A strong vision of community empowerment and a deep commitment to change the world with marginalized communities. 
• Experience organizing Asian Americans towards social, racial and economic justice issues.
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds. Experience with training and motivating staff and volunteers. 
• Ability to work in a small team and assist in growing an organization.
• Strategic and creative thinker: Connect the dots between Woori Center programs and campaigns, assess options, identify trends, synthetize new information into existing analysis/work plans.
• Willingness to be a bold, out-of-the-box and creative thinker and enjoys problem solving.
• Ability to take initiative and experience meeting deadlines. Ability to prioritize multiple projects and have attention to detail.
• Enjoys both listening to and sharing ideas and opinions.
• Ability to work well in and build coalitions.
• Proficiency in using technology.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to travel.
• Ability to work some evenings and weekends.
• A valid driver’s license, car and car insurance.
• Bilingual in English and an Asian language is an asset. 

Physical Requirements

Examples: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. 

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume to yhan@nakasec.org

Woori Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.