Director of Organizing

BASTA works to build tenant power by supporting organized groups of renters -tenants associations- and by educating the larger renter community about evictions and other tenant issues. Our tenants association work supports tenants organizations at multifamily properties throughout Austin to advance campaigns to win dignity, respect, better living conditions, and community benefits. Our community education work includes interactive presentations, the development of digital and print materials, and connecting individual tenants facing eviction to resource and rights information. BASTA envisions a future where the collective action of Austin renters has brought healthy and affordable housing to all.

Position Description:

The Director of Organizing position presents a unique opportunity for a strategic, dynamic, and thoughtful leader to advance BASTA’s commitment to building power through base building, grassroots leadership development, and tenants association campaigns. The successful candidate will have a robust grassroots organizing background, strong campaign planning and strategy skills, and management experience.

The Director of Organizing will be responsible for overseeing our property organizing work and refining BASTA’s organizing model, which centers the voices and the lived experience of those who are most impacted by the current housing crisis: low-income renters. As a member of the leadership team, the Director of Organizing will also guide organization-wide decisions and play a key role in maintaining a healthy organizational culture. The Director of Organizing will report directly to the Project Director.

Responsibilities:

• Recruit, hire, supervise, manage and support BASTA organizing staff to build the power of tenants associations in Austin by running and winning campaigns at low-income multifamily properties. Currently, 3-4 direct reports and 3 indirect reports.
• Train organizers in outreach, facilitation, meeting planning, tenant leadership development, and other key skills to develop robust consensus-oriented tenants associations.
• Lead comprehensive property organizing strategy including assessing new properties for organizing potential and collaborating with community partners to identify organizing opportunities.
• Guide organizers in the development and implementation of campaign plans to address collective priorities of tenants associations, including researching properties and targets, conducting power analysis, selecting tactics, and messaging.
• Support and when necessary take lead on tenant meetings, negotiations, direct actions, media events and other tactics to further property campaigns.
• Refine and further develop BASTA organizing model in collaboration with BASTA leadership team.
• Ensure that data and deliverables are regularly updated and assist with grant reporting.
• Any other duties required by the BASTA Project Director, or her designee.

Required Qualifications:

• Commitment to social, economic, racial and language justice;
• 2+ years of experience managing multiple staff, interns or volunteers;
• 3+ years of grassroots organizing experience including base building, campaign planning and leadership development;
• Experience with effectively coaching or mentoring individuals for leadership and professional development purposes;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish, including the ability to persuade others;
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills;
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and consensus-building skills, including the ability to work effectively across sectors and in multi-ethnic and multi-generational spaces;
• Experience with planning and leading participatory meetings, direct actions, and media events;
• Ability to effectively multi-task, work well with others under pressure, and creatively adapt as needed;
• Proficiency with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides or Microsoft equivalents;
• Experience designing effective flyers and print materials, knowledge of Canva a plus;
• Ability to work nights and weekends; and
• Vehicle and driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience running campaigns led by directly-impacted communities;
• Knowledge of tenant rights and housing justice issues, including healthy housing, code enforcement, affordable housing and equitable development. Texas experience a plus;
• Experience creating and implementing popular education tools and curricula;
• Experience with roleplaying and leading role plays;
• Strong understanding of the role that communications and media play in grassroots organizing and advocacy;
• Experience working in multilingual spaces;
• Knowledge of program development, budgets, and grant reporting and writing; and
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Slack, Miro, Hustle, and Toggl and project management software such as Asana.

Compensation:

Salary $59,000-$69,000, depending on experience. Full medical and dental benefits are provided to employees. Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays. This is an exempt position but hours are reasonable.

To Apply:

• Email a resume and a cover letter describing interest in the position to jobs@bastaaustin.org with the subject line “BASTA Director of Organizing Application.”