The Vice President of Capacity Building at the Alliance for Youth Action (along with our sister 501(c)(3) organization the Alliance for Youth Organizing) will lead and manage the advocacy, data, organizing, and programmatic systems for our network and help us implement our new strategic plan. Since our inception, our network has led some of the most innovative and exciting electoral and issue advocacy work across the country.
We’re looking for an organized and driven individual to develop, grow, and manage a department of Alliance staff (currently five roles) that support the staff, programs, and systems of our network organizations through consulting on program strategy, 1-1 coaching, and training to implement effective programming to hit their goals. The Vice President of Capacity Building will be part of the Alliance Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Chief Impact Officer, and is a full-time position preferably based in the Washington, DC area but with flexibility (see Logistics, below).
About the Alliance for Youth Action
The Alliance convenes, supports, and scales a national network of youth-led, locally rooted organizations growing civic engagement and social justice coast to coast. We truly are a multiracial network “of young people, by young people, for all people.” Our network organizations run massive voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, train new young leaders, and run powerful campaigns to win on the progressive issues our generation cares about most. Our national team empowers this work by tracking down national resources for the network, building capacity for local groups, seeding new efforts, and coordinating national issue campaigns.
Job Responsibilities
People Management | Lead the team that supports the growth and power building of network organizations
- Oversee Advocacy, Data, and Program staff (currently four Director-level roles and one Manager-level role) to develop and reach goals set forth in the strategic plan, annual work plan, and budgeting process to support the capacity of local network organizations to design, launch, and scale successful campaigns.
- Support and coach Alliance staff to help build sustainable solutions for issues facing network organizations, including creating pathways for network organizations to implement those solutions.
- Guide the professional development of team members by identifying opportunities to grow their individual skills and abilities.
- Accountable for team results, performance, standards, goals and supporting an environment of creativity and innovation that ultimately impact organization-wide initiatives.
Capacity Building | Support network capacity building efforts, including advocacy and electoral planning
- Support the scaling and building of electoral programs and issue advocacy campaigns within the Alliance’s network by coaching direct reports and, as needed, providing direct assistance to network organizations.
- Cultivate and maintain relationships with national, state, and local partners to uplift the work of network organizations and further the network’s electoral and issue campaign goals. As needed, represent the Alliance in coalition and partner spaces.
- Work with other internal stakeholders in the planning of in-person and virtual network leadership meetings, including agenda setting as well as recruitment and management of external meeting facilitators, alongside network leaders.
- Strategic support and thought partnership to senior leadership at network organizations. Largely supports EDs and/or senior staff at network organizations.
Strategic Leadership | Act as a thought partner with fellow senior leaders to move the Alliance and network forward
- Work with other members of the Senior Leadership Team in the development and implementation of the annual work plan and budget. Utilize a big picture approach to ensure goals are robust, attainable, and connected.
- Understand the systems of the Alliance network organizations and drive a vision for how they can grow and develop to achieve their goals.
- Manage an experienced team in the development and implementation of network organizations’ goals and objectives across a variety of verticals, including civic engagement, data management, issue advocacy, voter mobilization, and organizational support.
- Consults and advises on organizational strategy development and plays a key role in shaping organization-wide strategy making.
- Identifies, assesses, and informs Executive Leadership of all critical issues that affect the organization.
Candidate Profile
We are searching for a candidate that:
- Has a core philosophy and belief in young people as change-makers within their communities
- Believes in the power of grassroots organizing and coalition building
- Has a well-developed skill set in project management: organized and disciplined, deep attention to detail, and actively follows up to ensure the right results.
- Has a sophisticated mix of emotional intelligence, judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and political acumen
- Has experience serving in senior levels of organizations or campaigns, including at least three years of experience managing staff and/or cross-functional teams
- Has at least 4-5 years of campaign experience under their belt (across electoral campaigns, issue campaigns, independent expenditure efforts, non profit organizations, etc.)
- Understands the role data plays in successful advocacy and organizing programs, and some hands on experience with data tools and/or making data-driven decisions.
Key Qualifications & Experience
We don’t expect candidates to have all of the required skills, and encourage you to apply even if you only have some of them.
Required Skills
- Leads, inspires, and motivates others to take action and meet goals. Delegates skillfully. Supports and holds the team accountable and acknowledges growing edges (in self and others).
- Deep understanding of state and local grassroots organizing and advocacy. Track record of developing & implementing issue advocacy and electoral campaigns from idea to implementation. Ability to advise staff on campaign strategy and developing new ideas to maximize impact. Can make smart judgment calls when needed.
- Ability to manage multiple projects, plan backward from a due date and identify benchmarks and deadlines from doing so. Can anticipate obstacles and run a tight ship to reach goals and produce deliverables.
- Experience supporting and developing staff. At least three years previous experience managing full-time, senior-level staff required.
- Track record of developing and maintaining trusting relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. Ability to meet people where they are, find common ground, and inspire collective action.
- Experience running multiracial and/or people of color-focused issue or electoral campaigns, and/or prior work supporting leaders from diverse backgrounds in succeeding in their roles. Demonstrated commitment to prioritizing equity and inclusion personally and organizationally.
- Brings a clear vision and recognizes the value of divergent perspectives. Approaches leadership with a mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly includes others in planning and decision-making.
- Experience working in federated models.
- Knowledge and/or relationships with infrastructure groups — such as State Voices, America Votes, and The Movement Cooperative — and of the progressive ecosystem as a whole.
- Experience with providing or supporting staff professional development, coaching organizational leaders, or leading group or one-on-one training, particularly the training of trainers.
- Familiarity with tools like VAN, ThruText, Hustle, Reach, Civis, etc., and their use in organizing and advocacy programs.
Equal Opportunity
The Alliance for Youth Action is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse work environment. People of color, people with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions, and identities are encouraged to apply.
Logistics
- Compensation: $103,600 – $134,600 per year commensurate with experience.
- Benefits: The Alliance offers a competitive benefits package covering 100% of employee medical, dental, & vision insurance premiums, 75% of premiums for employee dependents, employer retirement contributions (SEP IRA), life insurance, short and long-term disability income protection insurance, cell phone stipend, WMATA transportation SmartBenefits, professional development opportunities, a generous paid time off policy, and up to 16 weeks of paid family and medical leave.
- Location: This is a full time position preferably based in the Washington, DC area. In 2023, all Alliance staff are permitted to work remotely from DC, CO, IL, MD, MN, MT, NY, OR, TX, VA, or WI. By January 1, 2024, all Alliance staff will be required to live within about an hour from major airports in most US states; more detail will be provided to finalists regarding this in-development policy. Other states besides those listed will be assessed based on internal capacity.
- Travel: Approximately 30% of this position may be spent on domestic travel. Must be a self-starter; willing to work periodically long, irregular hours and to travel as needed.
To Apply
Please apply via this link and submit a single pdf document including the following:
- Resume
- A one-page cover letter that includes answers to the questions below:
- Why are you interested in this role, particularly the management functions?
- What excites you about youth organizing?
THE PRIORITY DEADLINE IS MARCH 15, 2023 BUT APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL THE JOB IS FILLED. THE DESIRED START DATE FOR THIS ROLE IS MAY 2023.
PLEASE EMAIL ANY QUESTIONS TO AMIT@ALLIANCEFORYOUTHACTION.ORG.