THE OPPORTUNITY

Our Turn is here to fight for education justice. Education justice looks like students exerting decision making power for their education. It is students and families elevating what works for them, and resources flowing to support their aspirations. It is students serving as the evidence base. It is the centering of Black, Indigenous, and students of color in data, curriculum, culture, communications, and funding.  Our Turn activates the next generation of diverse civic leaders who know what’s possible for all students because they’ve built power in their communities to dismantle inequities through grassroots organizing. In the past few months, our work and members have been recognized by Fast Company, Buzzfeed, The 74 Million, and more. 

We are hiring a Manager of Organizing to build student power, win youth led campaigns, and increase Our Turn’s brand awareness in North Carolina. The Manager of Organizing will grow a network of youth activists and key stakeholders that are responsive and engaged in taking action to ensure education justice is a reality in local public schools.

WHY WORK FOR OUR TURN?

We approach our work with the audacity of believing that students have the power to rewrite the rules of education in our country and the humility to know that thousands have come before us in this fight. We know that young people, especially young people of color, have been shut out by decision makers who shape their educational experience and respond by providing transformational leadership development and grassroots organizing experience that flip the traditional power dynamic on its head. Our team is highly collaborative and works with urgency, passion, and — most importantly — a lot of joy. We are looking for strategic, innovative social justice activists to join us and continue the fight for education justice. 

We believe that supporting, developing, and retaining our team is the most critical investment we can make for achieving bold outcomes. To ensure that our team is prepared and excited to do their job with excellence every day, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: a performance-based culture with generous paid time off; flexible working environment; opportunities for internal and external professional development; health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement plan with an employer match.

GAMEPLAN

Recruitment and Base Building 

• Direct recruitment of BIPOC Charlotte & other North Carolina high school students, alum in local colleges, and young people most impacted by education inequity 
• Build and sustain a volunteer base of young people of color 
• Organize [a] outreach activities with volunteers including canvassing, phone/texting banking, and tabling, [b] leadership development and organizing activities such as trainings, leadership and committee meetings, [c] large-scale actions including community conversations, town halls, public meetings, and direct actions, and [d] digital communications, such as social media and email.
• Identify existing and new opportunities to engage young people in person and online. 
• Consistently turn out base for actions and events 
• Create regular email and text communications to keep list informed of opportunities and campaign activities 
• Accountable for meeting ambitious metrics around student recruitment and engagement 
• Responsible for ensuring that data is up-to-date, and accurate. 

Coalition and Campaign Strategy 

• Lead students in the development of a North Carolina Student Agenda to inspire plans and strategies to advance wins related to policy, practice, elections, or other levers for system change, with a three-month to multi-year view
• Identify and develop community power through building relationships with a broad base of grassroots groups and local stakeholders
• Regularly attend school board meetings and other community events.
• Build on and lead the work of the One State, One Rate campaign to achieve legislative wins for tuition equity in the state of North Carolina.
• Train organizers to identify issues with attainable goals through engaging leadership base in participatory research and political education
• Spearhead local messaging strategy, as represented in ongoing and campaign-specific communications, by collaborating on talking points, press releases, reports, social media, and other communications materials as necessary
• Utilize online organizing tools and social media to engage youth base and local stakeholders. 

Management and Leadership 

• Train and coach young people on grassroots organizing skills and concepts
• Manage a team of young people to develop and implement campaign and advocacy plans on local and statewide issues
• Develop work plans and a yearly professional development plan for lead organizers and evaluate their performance.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to broaden organizing work and connect local youth to relevant organizations, partners, and opportunities.

• Able to work with leaders across race, class, and gender to align different interests towards a common goal of building community power to achieve student- and equity-focused systems change

• Collaborate with development team to develop and execute local fundraising plan, with a goal of fully funding the North Carolina coalition through local revenue
• Attend and actively participate in team meetings, meet regularly with supervisor, submit all reports in a timely manner, and attend professional organizer training as required
• Plan and execute training, action, and events. 
• Develop the leadership of young people to share their stories with each other and publicly, with the media and online.
• Provide support on executing national organization initiatives and processes 

QUALIFICATIONS

• The desire to work smart, hard, with passion and love, and a deep hunger for advancing social justice through organizing! 
• Demonstrated experience of working in partnership with young people. 
• Demonstrated impact as a political change agent, as exhibited by a successful cycle of local grassroots organizing, leadership in a political campaign, and/or achievement in an advocacy or elected official’s office.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders and communities 
• Collaborative work ethic and ability to work effectively across lines of difference 
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of an innovative team. 
• Ability to write and speak clearly and persuasively, including speaking in small and large group settings.

• Foundational knowledge/ willingness to learn about Charlotte & NC  public schools and politics
• Alignment with Our Turn’s Mission, Student Agenda, and Theory of Change. 
• Consistent access to a car and a valid driver’s license. 
• Must be willing to work flexible hours that will include time outside of the traditional work day and weekends.

STUDENT AGENDA 

Read more about our national student agenda for education equity here: 

https://www.edjusticeforall.org/#agenda

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary range for this position is $53,000 - $63,000. A comprehensive benefits package is included with employer covering 85%+ of healthcare premiums. Benefits include: health, dental/vision, FSA, retirement with employer match, unlimited PTO.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY 

Our Turn encourages individuals of all identities and backgrounds to apply for this position and is committed to recruiting a team that reflects the diversity of our student movement (BIPOC, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, first generation college students). Our Turn does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nation of origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, or parenthood. 

HOW TO APPLY

Fill out an application and upload your resume. Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled. Please email [email protected] with any questions or requests for accommodations. We’re happy to help! Please visit Our Turn’s website (www.itsourturn.org) for more information.