Director of Community Organizing and Coalitions

Job Description

Job Description

Director Community Organizing and Coalitions

Status: Full-Time (40 hours per week, full benefits)
Reports to: Vice President of Citizen Engagement
Salary Grade: Director

Salary Range: $120,000-$130,000
Team: Citizen Engagement
Location: Washington, DC Preferred (hybrid schedule)

About Us

Issue One is a leading cross-partisan democracy reform organization working to strengthen American democracy for the sake of freedom, fairness, and opportunity. We believe the biggest challenges facing our country cannot be solved until we address the political dysfunction that prevents the government from working effectively for the American people. Through policy advocacy, coalition building, and strategic engagement with leaders across the political spectrum, Issue One advances solutions that strengthen democratic institutions, promote accountability, safeguard elections, and ensure government serves the public interest, not special interests.

Position Summary

The Director Community Organizing and Coalitions leads Issue One's grassroots organizing, supporter engagement, and coalition-building programs, transforming public interest in democracy reform into sustained civic action. This role is responsible for building and scaling a nationwide network of volunteers, supporters, advocates, and local leaders who can advance Issue One's campaigns and policy priorities.

Working closely with the Vice President of Citizen Engagement, the Director develops and executes grassroots organizing strategies that increase supporter recruitment, engagement, retention, and activation. The Director oversees grassroots campaign implementation, volunteer leadership development, community-building programs, cross-channel engagement strategy, and movement-building infrastructure while supporting the Citizen Engagement Digital Manager and collaborating across departments to align grassroots and coalition efforts with organizational goals.

The ideal candidate combines strong organizing experience with strategic leadership, campaign management expertise, and a passion for building people-powered movements.

Responsibilities

Grassroots Strategy & Movement Building (35%)

• Develop and execute Issue One's grassroots base-building strategy to grow and mobilize a nationwide network of democracy advocates.
• Build sustainable pathways for supporter recruitment, onboarding, engagement, retention, and volunteer leadership development.
• Design and manage volunteer programs that cultivate supporter leadership and increase grassroots capacity.
• Build and maintain local organizing infrastructure that enables supporters to take meaningful action in their communities.
• Create systems for identifying and elevating grassroots leaders and advocates.
• Establish benchmarks, goals, and success metrics for grassroots growth and engagement.
• Translate organizational priorities into scalable grassroots campaigns and organizing opportunities.
• Lead national supporter activation programs that drive measurable advocacy outcomes.
  

The Council for American Democracy (TCAD) and Grasstops Integration (20%)

• Support capacity building for The Council for American Democracy through training, education, and public engagement programs that align with grassroots organizing efforts.
• Support the implementation of a comprehensive grasstops strategy, integrating grasstops power-building with grassroots organizing to amplify Issue One's impact.
• Develop and manage programs that connect grasstops leaders with grassroots networks to advance shared policy priorities.
• Coordinate with the Vice President of Citizen Engagement to ensure TCAD capacity-building efforts align with broader organizational goals.

Supporter Engagement & Community Building (15%)

• Oversee community-building programs that deepen supporter engagement and increase long-term participation.
• Develop and implement cross-channel engagement strategies that connect online and offline organizing efforts.
• Manage grassroots events, trainings, leadership development programs, and community-building opportunities.
• Foster a culture of belonging, participation, and civic leadership among supporters.

Partnerships and Coalitions (10%)

• Build and maintain relationships with coalition partners, allied organizations, and advocacy networks that advance Issue One's mission.
• Coordinate activations across grassroots, grasstops, and coalitional power to maximize organizational impact.
• Identify and pursue partnership opportunities that expand Issue One's reach and strengthen its organizing infrastructure.
• Represent Issue One in coalition spaces and serve as a key point of contact for external organizing partners.

Data, Analytics, and Operations (10%)

• Track and analyze grassroots engagement metrics, including recruitment, retention, volunteer participation, event attendance, and advocacy actions.
• Use data to inform organizing strategy and improve supporter experiences.
• Partner with digital and operations staff to maintain supporter databases and engagement platforms.
• Prepare reports and recommendations for senior leadership regarding grassroots performance and growth opportunities.

Team Leadership and Management (10%)

• Supervise and support members of the grassroots sub-team (approximately 4 direct reports). 
• Provide coaching, strategic guidance, and professional development opportunities.
• Establish clear goals, workflows, and accountability measures for grassroots engagement efforts.
• Foster collaboration across the Citizen Engagement team and broader organization.

Job-Related Experience

• 7-10 years of experience in grassroots organizing, advocacy campaigns, community organizing, civic engagement, or movement-building.
• Demonstrated success building and scaling volunteer or supporter engagement programs.
• Experience leading advocacy, electoral, nonprofit, or issue-based organizing campaigns.
• Experience supervising staff and managing complex projects across multiple stakeholders.
• Proven ability to translate strategy into measurable grassroots outcomes.
• Experience working in fast-paced political, nonprofit, advocacy, or campaign environments.
• Experience building or working within coalition and partnership structures.

Job-Related Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep understanding of grassroots organizing, volunteer management, and movement-building principles.
• Strong campaign planning and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to motivate and inspire supporters, volunteers, and staff.
• Experience working with CRM, advocacy, and engagement platforms such as EveryAction, Action Network, Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar tools.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort using data to guide decision-making.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and manage competing priorities.
• Commitment to inclusive organizing and community-centered engagement.
• Passion for democracy reform, civic participation, and strengthening democratic institutions.

Benefits 

Issue One has developed a comprehensive benefits package that invests in our staff to improve their health and promote a solid work-life balance. 

• All full-time employees are eligible for a platinum health plan, with Issue One paying 100% of the premium. The organization also covers 75% of the premium for all spouses and dependents of IO staff. 
• Staff receive over 50 paid days off annually, including holidays, vacation, personal time, and office-wide closures. 
• Issue One provides various reimbursements and stipends, and promotes a hybrid work environment that allows for working from home while establishing regular in-person office opportunities twice a week.
• Issue One offers general  wellbeing reimbursements and student loan assistance. Additionally, all staff members are encouraged to participate in professional development throughout the year, and the organization offers several opportunities for fun and fellowship. 

Strategic Responsibilities

• Establish and scale Issue One's grassroots organizing infrastructure, building a nationwide network of democracy advocates capable of driving sustained civic action.
• Lead the integration of grassroots, grasstops, and coalition strategies to maximize Issue One's organizing power and policy impact.
• Support The Council for American Democracy's capacity-building efforts in coordination with the Vice President of Citizen Engagement and organizational leadership.
• Represent the Citizen Engagement team in cross-functional meetings and coalition spaces as needed.
• Provide thought leadership on grassroots organizing, volunteer leadership development, and community-centered engagement best practices.
• Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships that expand Issue One's reach and strengthen its organizing and coalitional infrastructure.

Structure and Location

This role is a full-time, fully benefited position requiring 40 hours per week. Washington, DC is the preferred location, though Issue One is open to candidates based elsewhere in the Northeast. Candidates based outside of DC will be expected to travel to the DC office regularly and should be prepared to discuss logistics with the hiring manager prior to an employment offer. Issue One operates a hybrid work environment, with staff coming to the office two days a week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and otherwise working remotely.

Tentative Recruitment Timeline:

August 28-Sept 7:  Position posted and resumes collected

August 8-14: Resumes screened and top candidates identified for interviews

September 15-22 First-round panel interviews

September 23-28: Second-round panel interviews with finalists

September 30: Preferred candidate named and role offered (contingent on background check and verification of educational credentials)

October 15: New candidate begins (flexible start date) 

Special Note:  While Issue One will do its best to follow the above timeline, there are instances where the selection process is shortened or delayed due to circumstances beyond our control. While resumes may be submitted after the posted deadline, there is no guarantee they will be screened for a potential interview.

DEI Philosophy and Self-ID Questionnaire 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) drive everything we do. We celebrate each individual's unique perspectives and experiences to our team. Your voice matters to us, and we're committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. As part of our ongoing DEI efforts, we invite all applicants to complete our self-identification questionnaire voluntarily. Rest assured, your responses are confidential and have no impact on your job application. 

Non-Discrimination and Harassment Policy

Issue One is committed to the principles of equal employment. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities and all other employment laws and regulations.