Field Director

New York State Nurses Association

Field Director

Based in New York
(statewide)

The New York State Nurses Association is a union of 42,000 frontline nurses standing together for strength at work, our practice, safe staffing, and healthcare for all. We are New York's largest union and professional association for registered nurses. 

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Field Director is responsible for leading the union's internal field operations, ensuring excellence in member representation, contract campaign support, leadership development, and strategic field execution. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Campaigns, the Field Director translates organizational strategy into coordinated field operations that strengthen member engagement, build workplace power, and deliver successful bargaining and organizing outcomes. This role is Field-based, state-wide; extensive travel, as well as evening and weekend hours will be required to fulfill the duties of this position.

The Field Director directly supervises Senior Area Directors, Area Directors, and the Labor Education Team, providing leadership, coaching, accountability, and operational direction across multiple regions. They will also work closely with the following: Collective Bargaining Director, Organizing Department, Research Department, Political Department, Communications Department, Education and Workplace Development Departments and the Executive Leadership Team. This role ensures consistency in servicing, representation, organizing, and contract campaign execution while fostering a high-performing field leadership team. 

The Field Director leads with integrity, accountability, and a deep commitment to building worker power. This individual is expected to inspire staff, develop future leaders, foster collaboration across departments, and ensure every field initiative advances the organization's mission of empowering members and winning meaningful improvements in their workplaces and communities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITES:
Field Leadership & Operations 

• Provide strategic leadership and day-to-day management of Senior Area Directors and Area Directors. 
• Develop field priorities, goals, and operational plans aligned with organizational objectives. 
• Ensure consistent, high-quality member representation, servicing, contract enforcement, and workplace organizing across all assigned regions. 
• Build accountability systems that measure field performance, member engagement, and campaign effectiveness. 
• Conduct regular field observations, coaching, and performance evaluations for field leadership. 

Strategic Campaigns 

• Partner closely with the Director of Strategic Initiatives to develop and implement comprehensive field plans that support organizing, representation, bargaining, and strategic campaigns. 
• Coordinate field resources to support contract negotiations, organizing drives, political campaigns, and major member mobilizations. 
• Develop escalation plans that increase member participation and workplace power throughout bargaining and campaign cycles. 
• Develop and implement strategies that increase member participation in political action, legislative advocacy, and other union and labor movement programs, ensuring field operations actively support the organization's broader strategic priorities. 
• Ensure field activities align with broader organizational priorities and strategic initiatives. 

Bargaining & Member Power 

• Support bargaining teams by developing member engagement strategies before, during, and after negotiations. 
• Help design and implement escalating contract campaigns that build member participation and demonstrate workplace power. 
• Partner with bargaining staff to identify workplace leaders, strengthen structures, and increase contract enforcement. 
• Ensure field teams effectively educate members on bargaining priorities, workplace rights, and campaign objectives. 

Leadership Development 

• Recruit, mentor, and develop high-performing field leaders. 
• Create a culture of coaching, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. 
• Identify training needs and ensure staff receive ongoing professional development in organizing, representation, leadership, and campaign strategy. 
• Foster cross-department collaboration with Organizing, Bargaining, Research, Political, Communications, and Education teams. 

Organizational Excellence 

• Monitor field metrics, campaign benchmarks, and departmental goals. 
• Analyze trends and recommend improvements that strengthen field operations and member outcomes. 
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, legal requirements, and collective bargaining obligations. 
• Prepare operational reports, staffing recommendations, and strategic updates for senior leadership. 

QUALIFICATIONS:
Required Experience: 

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in labor organizing, collective bargaining, field operations, and/or campaign leadership. 
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale organizing, contract, or escalation campaigns. 
• Significant experience supporting or leading collective bargaining negotiations and comprehensive contract campaigns. 
• Experience supervising managers and building high-performing field teams. 
• Proven ability to develop leaders and manage multiple priorities across diverse geographic regions. 
• Ability to travel regularly to worksites, meetings, bargaining sessions, and campaign activities and to work evenings and weekends when required. 

Knowledge & Skills 

• Deep understanding of labor organizing, representation, contract administration, and member engagement. 
• Strong strategic planning and campaign development skills. 
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and people management abilities. 
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills. 
• Ability to analyze field performance data and translate findings into operational improvements. 
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously. 
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and member-led organizing principles. 

Success Measures 
Success in this role will be measured by: 

• Increased member engagement and participation across field operations. 
• Successful execution of strategic organizing and bargaining campaigns. 
• Strong contract campaign escalation resulting in improved bargaining outcomes. 
• Development and retention of high-performing Senior Area Directors and Area Directors. 
• Consistent achievement of departmental goals, work plans, and operational benchmarks. 
• Strengthened collaboration across Organizing, Bargaining, Political, Communications, Research, and Education teams. 
• Demonstrated improvements in member representation, workplace leadership development, and organizational capacity. 

Note: Every effort has been made to make this position description as complete and comprehensive as possible. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties required of the position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is a logical assignment within the position.

We are committed to fostering an organizational culture of diversity and inclusion. Women, minorities, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary Range: $210,000.00 – $220,000.00, depending upon education and relevant experience. 

TO APPLY:
All interested candidates should e-mail their resumes to: View email address on unionjobs.com , Subject: “ Field Director- New York State ”

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