Canvassing Fellowship Lead - Kalamazoo

Job Description

Job Description

TITLE: CANVASSING FELLOW LEAD

LOCATION: Kalamazoo (Michigan) - In-person

ANNUAL COMPENSATION: $25/hr (40 hours per week)

RETENTION BONUS: $1,250 (must remain on staff through Nov 6th, 2026) 

POSITION DURATION: This position is considered temporary and will conclude on November 6, 2026. 

FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY

Are you someone who has an interest in how politics shapes our lives? Have you ever seen or experienced systemic oppression and felt a calling to dismantle it? Are you someone that doesn’t feel wholly represented by business as usual politics? Are you looking for a high energy political home focused on justice for the 2026 election cycle and beyond? 

The Movement Politics Fellowship is a recruitment and training program for rising organizers who are passionate leaders of all social justice movements; especially economic equity, immigrant rights, workers rights. Fellowship graduates will be connected with other professional development opportunities, job opportunities, academic support, and join a growing alumni network. 

MI United / MI United Action is going to conduct outreach to  hundreds of thousands of voters in 2026 with strategic resolve and an ambitious voter contact strategy. In 2022 and 2024 we were the source of the largest voter contact program not affiliated with organized labor or a political party.  In 2025, MUA scaled our electoral outreach program to effect change in the Detroit municipal elections by electing 2 movement candidates to the Detroit City Council.  In 2026 we are going to build power in every corner of Michigan and we need you to help us to once again execute an incredibly large and complex independent voter canvassing campaign. 

We are looking for a team of high energy individuals to become our Movement Politics Lead Fellows. Under the mentorship and supervision of Michigan United staff, lead fellows will be proficient in all the responsibilities of fellows: conducting extensive outreach (primarily through door to door conversations) into the community to register, educate and mobilize voters for the coming 2026 election cycle. Additionally, lead fellows will be expected to provide daily support to the management team in the following ways: setting the standard in terms of metrics and door conversation quality, shadowing fellows and giving feedback on door conversations, supporting launches and onboardings, and providing other support in the turf as necessary.  

Our electoral program differs from most because our Fellows and Managers will participate in an ongoing training program to learn how to motivate others toward action, to learn the history of and challenges facing the social justice movement, and to develop a systems-based analysis of the power structures at the local, state, and federal level. 

MI United’s Theory of Change:

Michigan United is building a vibrant, inclusive movement in Michigan where community members are organizing to build power to affect change at local, state, and national levels. We are working to dismantle systemic barriers perpetuating inequality by building power. Michigan United defines power as the ability to act, and it comes in the form of organized people and organized money. We focus on issues from a racial, economic, and gender justice lens. We are a hub of people-centered leadership development, issue organizing, and civic power building. We are movement builders.

Michigan United’s theory of change is rooted in our core values. We start from the position that everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential and live with dignity. We’re committed to bridging gaps and fostering unity across different communities, recognizing that our destinies are linked in the fight for equity and justice.

Michigan United is dedicated to dismantling white supremacy, economic injustice, and patriarchy, transforming lives through tangible victories and leadership development. We believe in the power of a united community driven by a shared vision and strategic action, capable of making significant impacts at local, state, and national levels. Our focus on organizing communities, training leaders, and tackling systemic barriers is crucial in shaping Michigan's future.

Our commitment to a movement that reflects our multiracial base is at the core of our work, guiding us as we organize and mobilize communities, build collective power, and seek just outcomes. We are steadfast in these principles, aiming to create a Michigan where government and economy are inclusive, accountable, and equitable.

Michigan United's approach is grounded in practicality, driven by our values, and focused on building a state where dignity, equity, and justice are realities, not just aspirations. Through strong relationship-building, continuous leadership development, and strategic collective action, we pave the way for the radical, systemic changes our communities need and deserve.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

As a Canvassing Fellowship Lead, your responsibilities will consist of executing our electoral canvassing program by using door to door canvassing tactics and supporting Canvassing Fellows in the field. You will report directly to a Canvassing Fellowship Manager. 

Your typical week responsibilities could look similar to this:

• Splitting time between shadowing fellows, training and retraining fellows, supporting launches/onboarding and personally door knocking
• Time will be spent in turf shadowing and giving feedback to canvassers, providing material support to fellows and frequently communicating with the canvass manager(s) to successfully execute each day’s canvass 
• Participating in a daily briefing with the canvassing team to receive daily instructions and updates
• Preparing and organizing materials for daily canvassing
• Once on turf you will be responsible for completing the canvassing of that list and recording details of that conversation in the MiniVAN app
• Debriefing daily with the canvassing team
• Practicing and learning organizing skills through a specific training curriculum

Programmatic responsibilities would include:

• Setting the standard for door knocks and conversation quality
• Shadowing fellows on doors and giving feedback after conversations with voters 
• Supporting launches and onboardings
• Leadership on the team, building team culture and morale 
• Troubleshooting on turf as necessary 
• Executing a high energy electoral canvass rooted in MI United / MI United Action’s theory of change
• Ensuring canvass data integrity
• Receiving and providing feedback on training materials and curriculum
• Collecting stories, videos, photos, and other multimedia to use for promotion 
• Attending staff development trainings and fellowship training opportunities
• Occasional relational outreach via SMS to family and friends to engage them around issues and the election 
• At the end of the election you will be transitioning new and newly activated leaders to a permanent organizer

REQUIREMENTS

• A commitment to MI United Action’s theory of change and a strong commitment to racial, gender, and economic justice and their intersections, both inside and outside the organization
• Impeccable integrity and commitment to setting the highest standard for the rest of the team 
• A desire to learn and grow as a leader or as as organizer
• Previous experience working with a culturally, religiously, and economically diverse staff
• A bold desire to talk to people you meet, hear and share stories, and ask people to take action
• Able to stand and walk for extended periods of time
• Effective communication skills and comfortability working with the public, talking to strangers, and asking people to take action
• Reliable transportation/ability to drive to and from canvassing locations
• A data-capable smartphone
• Not required, but would be advantages to success in this role: A high energy, highly organized, self starter capable of executing plans and implementing creative solutions to problems, ability to work with with a team to achieve a common goal, multi-lingual (particularly Spanish and Arabic), familiarity with MiniVAN, and previous canvassing experience

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Employees must be in person to execute a door to door canvassing program. There will be in-person events, meetings, and activities. Our wo