Community Organizer

Community Organizer, Westchester County (Temporary)
Listed: August 26, 2013
Organization Description:
Community Voices Heard (CVH) is a member-led multi-racial organization, principally women of color
and low-income families in New York State that builds power to secure social, economic and racial justice
for all. Founded in 1994 by welfare recipients in New York City working to fight unjust welfare policies,
we have since expanded our organization to include working on multiple issues in three additional
communities in the Hudson Valley. Our core organizing issues include fighting for a just social safety net,
good jobs and access to them, truly affordable housing, a participatory democracy, and a fair share tax
system.
Job Description:
Community Voices Heard (CVH) is seeking a mid-level, Spanish-speaking organizer to build relationships
with low-income New Yorkers throughout Westchester County for the purpose of engaging them in
organizing to build collective power to address their issues. This position that focus on utilizing one-toone
relational meetings and house meetings, to build towards city-based gatherings (i.e. “Poverty 50
Years Later” meetings), that then culminate in a countywide Poverty Summit in collaboration with elected
officials, policy experts, advocates, academics, and more. The goal is to identify potential policy solutions
both build a base of leaders to take action to advance them.
The organizer would be responsible for:
• building a base of low-income residents throughout the county that want to make change;
• conducting 20 one-to-one relational meetings per week;
• door knocking and/ or conducting outreach at public housing developments and Department of
Social Services Centers;
• organizing 2-3 city-based meetings to bring affected residents together to discuss the issues and
posit solutions;
• contributing towards the Countywide Poverty Summit – through agenda setting, mobilization
efforts, leadership development, coalition building, and more.
This is a short-term (4-6 months), full-time position with an immediate start (as soon as possible in
September).
The Community Organizer will be supervised by CVH’s Director of Organizing, and partner with CVH’s
other Organizer in Westchester County. The position will be based out of CVH’s main office in Yonkers,
but will work throughout the County.
Qualifications:
• Minimum 2-years community, political, or legislative organizing experience;
• Experience in one-to-ones, leadership development, mobilization, coalition work and strategy &
campaign development;
• Ability to work independently, yet take direction, according to goals of the organization and
project;
• Excellent oral communication skills, and attention to detail;
• Strong commitment to relational membership/ community led organizing, conducting one-to-one
meetings with individuals, and ability to identify non-traditional and community-based leaders and
people who want to be community leaders.
• Applicants must be committed to ideology of building community power & share our commitment
to membership grassroots decision-making & our analysis of power.
• Residency in and/ or familiarity with Westchester County preferred.
• Access to a car and ability to drive are important.
• Spanish language skills essential.
To Apply:
Please send resume and cover letter to, Stephen Roberson, Director of Organizing, Community Voices
Heard, 115 East 106th Street, 3rd Floor, NY, NY 10029 or email them to [email protected]. If emailing,
make sure to put “Community Organizer, Westchester County” in the subject line.
CVH is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, people with
disabilities, and people with experience on public assistance are strongly encouraged to apply.
Resumes and cover letters should be submitted as soon as possible. We are aiming to make a decision
will be made by mid-September, if not before.
For more information about the organization, please check out our web page at: www.CVHaction.org.
Salary/ Benefits:
Salary depends on experience. In addition to the salary, the organization will provide support for cell
phone usage, mileage reimbursement, and healthcare. Paid leave includes 1.5 personal days, vacation
time accrued at 1.25 days per month, sick days accrued at 1 day per month, and holidays.