Job offer

Job Description:
National Organizer, SOA Watch

We are a nonviolent grassroots movement that works:

• to stand in solidarity with the people of Latin America,
• to close the U.S. Army School of the Americas (SOA, now renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation or WHINSEC
• to change oppressive U.S. foreign policy that the SOA represents

We are grateful to our sisters and brothers throughout Latin America and the Caribbean for their inspiration and the invitation to accompany them in their struggle for economic and social justice.

National Organizer

SOA Watch seeks a full time National Organizer to work in collaboration with the grass roots movement and other staff to engage in field organizing, and campaign and event coordination.

Field Organizing

The National Organizer would be responsible for engaging the grass roots movement across the United States by coordinating with local partners, members of the SOA Watch Council, and grass roots members to host events, strategy meetings, and other projects that will serve to strengthen and broaden the SOA Watch movement.

Responsibilities will also include mentoring local leadership, promotion of SOA Watch campaigns/events, and coordination of events in partnership with local groups to build awareness of the School and the movement to close it.

Campaign and Event Coordination

The National Organizer is responsible for coordinating events for the organization including the annual Vigil in Columbus GA, federal trial events, and annual lobby days. The National Organizer is responsible for helping to create and implement new campaigns for the organization that assist in fulfilling its stated mission.

The coordination of events and campaigns is shared in partnership with different committees of the organization, the SOA Watch Council, partner organizations, and members of the movement. SOA Watch works from a consensus model that does not engage a hierarchical model of relationships or organization.

Spring Multi-Strategy Event

This will include coordination for a broad based event that will engage different strategies of the movement such as congressional visits, media engagement, nonviolent civil disobedience, and public education workshops. These could be linked with other campaigns that support the movement's strategy to engage legislation to close the School.

November Vigil

Duties include convening and supporting the annual organizing process for the November vigil, maintaining relationships with necessary local officials in Georgia, maintaining and creating new partnerships with coalitions to close the SOA/WHINSEC, and coordination of trial logistics.

Fiscal Development and Coordination

The National Organizer needs to be familiar with the fiduciary responsibilities of a non-profit, and provide support to and coordination with the Development Coordinator and Development Working Group as needed.

Office Coordination

The National Organizer will work with fellow staff and with the different volunteers and interns who come to the organization, to help ensure that the organization's work flows smoothly.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of five years experience organizing on a national level.
• Strong familiarity and experience working on Latin American solidarity issues.
• Bilingual, Spanish/English
• Strong computer skills and knowledge of electronic media use for outreach and organizing.
• Familiarity with fiduciary responsibilities within a not-for-profit.
• Strong written and spoken communication skills; comfortable with public speaking.
• Strong commitment to engaging the consensus model of the organization and engaging all of the members and partners of the movement.
• Skills at community building and fostering transparency, with a commitment to anti-oppression models and methods.
• Commitment to the mission and vision of the organization as well as fostering a diversity of strategies to close the SOA/WHINSEC.

This is a full time position with benefits, paid vacation and holiday times. The position is based in the SOA Watch office in Washington, DC. Salary ranges from $35,000 - $42,000 commensurate with experience. Please send a resume and cover letter to Hendrik Voss at hvoss at soaw.org.