Position/Title: Advocacy and Community Organizing Manager
Position Type: Full-time, Exempt
Reports To: Chief Program and Impact Officer
Growing Home is dedicated to creating a thriving and equitable north metro Denver – one family at a time. Our participant-centered approach to strengthening families, nurturing children, and connecting community fills a critical gap for families and children who are experiencing immediate and long-term barriers to stability and success. Through evidenced-based programs, we improve outcomes for children, their parents, and their community. Our model makes us a leader in the two-generation approach to poverty alleviation and community equity.
Mission: To guide children and their families on the path to a brighter future.
Vision: We envision our community working together so that all children and their families have a place to call home, food on the table, and the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Core Values: Respect, Effectiveness, Learning, Collaborative Leadership, Professionalism, and Inclusiveness.
General Purpose:
The Advocacy and Community Organizing Manager leads Growing Home’s Connecting Community programs, which focus on engaging families, volunteers, and participant leaders from all walks of life to share in the responsibility of solving community problems, with a particular focus on housing justice, food justice, and education. This work is fueled by an agency-wide participant-centered approach that blends direct services with community leadership. Our Connecting Community programs include community engagement, community organizing, and advocacy. The Manager will lead these programs, utilizing an asset-based community development and network organizing approach and ensuring high quality, participant-centered best practice programming. The Manager is responsible for connecting grassroots efforts with mission-focused advocacy work for systemic change. The Manager will supervise staff, oversee program operations and budgets, and lead Connecting Community program evaluation efforts. The Manager will also serve as a member of the Management Team.
Responsibilities:
Leadership
- Actively participate in Growing Home’s Management Team, championing the organization’s strategic priorities, strategic goals, and workplace culture
- Supervise staff using organization’s servant leadership philosophy, coaching staff towards a culture of excellence
- Ensure alignment and collaboration between Connecting Community programs/staff and other staff/parts of the organization
Program Operations
- Oversee day to day operations of Connecting Community programs through a strengths-based and supportive approach
- Monitor Connecting Community program budget and contract deliverables, communicating successes and challenges with supervisor
- Ensure compliance with grant contracts and regulatory requirements related to Connecting Community programs
- Develop and streamline processes and procedures related to Connecting Community programs
Community Organizing
- Provide supervision and support to grassroots community organizing and engagement efforts that successfully mobilize community members towards collective action and civic engagement in community-led mission-focused projects and campaigns
- Develop and facilitate one-on-one and group training for participants on leadership skills, key community issues, and civic engagement
- Along with community leaders, develop and execute campaigns around housing justice, food justice, and educational equity that result in improved outcomes for community members
- Conduct research to understand root causes on issues voiced by the community and identify potential solutions
Advocacy
- Stay apprised of and educate staff and community members on emerging policy issues impacting Growing Home’s community and work
- Represent Growing Home in advocacy related collaborative meetings and initiatives
- Collaborate with advocacy organizations to advance staff and community members engagement in advocacy projects and campaigns
- Co-lead Growing Home’s Advocacy Committee
- Vet opportunities and conduct due diligence on advocacy issues, making recommendations to Advocacy Committee and Board of Directors, in alignment with Growing Home’s process for public policy engagement
- Connect grassroots efforts with organizational advocacy efforts
Participant-Centered Approach
- Collaborate with Managers to explore participant centered opportunities within their program
- Develop and facilitate trainings and activities that strengthen Growing Home’s participant centered approach
- Co-lead Growing Home’s Program Advisory Committee with Chief Program and Impact Officer
Evaluation
- Oversee all Connecting Community evaluation efforts with support from Impact Manager; including monitoring progress on goals/impact of programs, ensuring participatory methods are used to document learning and development of community leaders, and incorporating findings into ongoing improvement efforts
- Ensure adequate and complete data collection for Connecting Community efforts
- Compile quantitative and qualitative reports for partners and funders
- Facilitate data-driven conversations with staff and participants, utilizing research and data to highlight inequity and opportunity and make improvements as needed
Fundraising
- Keep Development Team apprised of potential funding opportunities for Connecting Community impact area
- Facilitate access to data, success stories, and reports for fundraising as needed
- Participate in site visits as needed
Job Qualifications:
- Bilingual (Spanish/English) required (written and oral fluency necessary)
- Minimum three (3) years community organizing, community engagement, developing grassroots leadership, and/or advocacy experience required
- Intense passion for social justice and equity
- Knowledge of the socioeconomic characteristics and needs of the north metro Denver community, including Adams County and Westminster
- Strong communication, networking, and listening skills
- Experience in coalition building and community mobilization
- Experience working in service provision or an interest in nonprofit organizational development
- Strong cultural competency and collaboration skills
- Work effectively in an environment with diverse cultures, multiple perspectives, and competing needs
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Hours of Work & Location:
- Hours of Work: This position is full-time, 40 hours a week. Work will generally be completed Monday-Friday, between 9am-5:30pm, with some evenings and weekends required
- Location: Work will be performed out in the community and at Growing Home offices.
Salary and Benefits:
- $48,500-51,000, dependent on experience
- Health insurance
- Company paid life insurance
- Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays
- Optional 403(b) plan with 5% match after 1 year
- Professional growth and development opportunities
- Employee wellness program
To Apply:
Please send a resume and cover letter to careers@growinghome.org with Growing Home Advocacy and Community Organizing Manager in the subject line.
Growing Home is committed to an inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Growing Home is committed to an inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Position/Title: Community Activator
Position Type: Nonexempt / FTE
Reports To: Advocacy and Community Organizing Manager
Growing Home is dedicated to creating a thriving and equitable north metro Denver – one family at a time. Our participant-centered approach to strengthening families, nurturing children, and connecting community fills a critical gap for families and children who are experiencing immediate and long-term barriers to stability and success. Through evidenced-based programs, we improve outcomes for children, their parents, and their community. Our model makes us a leader in the two-generation approach to poverty alleviation and community equity.
Mission: To guide children and their families on the path to a brighter future.
Vision: We envision our community working together so that all children and their families have a place to call home, food on the table, and the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Core Values: Respect, Effectiveness, Learning, Collaborative Leadership, Professionalism, and Inclusiveness.
General Purpose:
The Community Activator is a critical member of the Connecting Community team which focuses on engaging families, volunteers, and participant leaders from all walks of life to share in the responsibility of solving community problems, with a particular focus on housing justice, food justice, and education. The Community Activator will implement community organizing and community engagement efforts, engaging and growing a grassroots base of community members who are directly impacted by systemic inequities. He/she/they will work to build relationships and trust within the community, facilitate community engagement activities, and lead community organizing activities that build and mobilize community power, all with the intent to create a pipeline of leadership and engagement at Growing Home.
Responsibilities:
Community Engagement
- Utilize an asset-based community development approach to support community projects, including but not limited to a community garden and Generation Wild, a collaborative project with the City of Westminster to supports student access to outdoor activities
- Build and maintain trustworthy relationships with Growing Home participants
- Train and support community leaders to create the structures and skills needed to operate effectively as a team (e.g., developing clear roles, decision making process, agenda setting, presentation skills)
- Coordinate the participation of community leaders in trainings, meetings, and other activities
- Facilitate access to information for community members to determine how they want to engage in upcoming projects
- Identify and address barriers to community engagement at Growing Home
- Collaborate with the City of Westminster in carrying out Generation Wild project activities
Community Organizing
- Meet individually and in groups with Growing Home community members to develop relationships, understand their concerns, and provide coaching
- Recruit, support, and retain a diverse community of people who are interested in growing their leadership skills and leveraging their collective power to improve conditions for themselves and their neighbors
- Collaborate with Advocacy and Community Organizing Manager to mobilize community members towards collective action and civic engagement in community-led mission-focused projects and campaigns
- Plan, facilitate, and coordinate logistics of meetings with community leaders
- Stay apprised of and leverage external expertise and other community initiatives aligned with Growing Home’s community organizing work
Participant-Centered Approach
- Support Growing Home’s efforts to integrate participant-centered approaches throughout the organization, working with staff across the agency to connect direct services to community organizing and advocacy
- Actively participate in Growing Home’s Advocacy and Program Advisory Committees
Advocacy
- Stay current on emerging policy issues impacting Growing Home’s community and work, particularly as they directly affect Growing Home participants
- Stay appraised of advocacy opportunities that emerge from community members
- Support community leaders to network with partner organizations in and beyond their community
Evaluation
- Collaborate with appropriate staff to evaluate the effectiveness of community leadership, engagement, and organizing efforts
- Ensure administrative tasks are carried out in a timely manner, including data and incentive tracking, record keeping, and timely communications
- Use participatory methods to document learning and development of community leaders
- Compile quantitative and qualitative reports for Growing Home, partners, and funders as needed
Job Qualifications:
- Bilingual in Spanish and English (written and oral)
- Intense passion for social justice and equity
- Knowledge of the socioeconomic characteristics and needs of the north metro Denver community, including Adams County and Westminster
- Strong communication, networking, and listening skills
- Experience planning and facilitating meetings and community gatherings
- Experience developing grassroots leadership, including a demonstrated commitment to recognizing community members’ knowledge/power and an ability to create cohesiveness and effectiveness among a multi-class, multi-generational, and multi-ethnic community
- Experience in coalition building and community mobilization
- Experience working in service provision or an interest in nonprofit organizational development
- Work effectively in an environment with diverse cultures, multiple perspectives, and competing needs
- Proficient with MS Office (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook)
Hours of Work & Location:
- Hours of Work: This position is full-time, 40 hours a week. Work will generally be completed Monday-Friday, between 9am-5:30pm, with some evenings and weekends required
- Location: Work will be performed out in the community and at Growing Home offices.
Salary and Benefits:
- $18-20/hour
- Health insurance
- Company paid life insurance
- Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays
- Optional 403(b) plan with 5% match after 1 year
- Professional growth and development opportunities
- Employee wellness program
To Apply:
Please send a resume and cover letter to careers@growinghome.org with Growing Home Community Activator in the subject line.
Growing Home is committed to an inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Growing Home is committed to an inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer.