Parent and Community Organizer

Job Description

Job Description

About Mastery:

Founded in 2001, Mastery Schools is a public charter network of 23 K-12 schools in Philadelphia and Camden, serving more than 14,000 students. 

At Mastery, we’re on a mission to provide all students with the academic and personal skills they need to succeed after graduation and pursue their dreams. Student achievement is not just a goal for our organization; it's the reason we exist, and every member of our team is dedicated to securing student success. We are also committed to pursuing equity, actively disrupting systemic racism, and addressing the disparities that limit our students' choices. 

Our culture is built on respect, service, and the belief that the success of our students, their families, and the communities we serve will help us achieve our mission. We foster a positive, open, and inclusive environment where honesty, humor, and continuous improvement are celebrated.

Join us in creating a model urban school district that serves all students with excellence. Together, we can make a lasting impact.

Position Summary:

The Parent and Community Organizer works within the Mastery Schools External Strategies, Advocacy and Organizing Team and is responsible for organizing a deep and broad base of parents and communities in support of school choice and parent power. The Parent and Community Organizer is committed to ensuring that every family has access to high-quality education and fostering positive change in the communities and cities we serve. This role focuses on developing and supporting Parent Action Teams across Mastery schools, organizing effective local actions, collaborating on strategies to expand influence, and managing projects and campaigns to drive meaningful community engagement. The Parent and Community Organizer is expected to develop and/or meet established metrics for parent engagement, external meetings, and actions.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Build Parent Action Teams in assigned Mastery Schools

• Conduct outreach and recruit parent leaders through active weekly presence across assigned schools
• Build parent and school leader relationships through ongoing one-on-one meetings
• Organize regular Parent Action Team meetings at each school
• Confirm Parent Action Team representation at all Mastery Parent Action Team meetings
• Work collaboratively with principals and school leaders on issues, school tours with elected officials, and parent action team meetings
• Organize parent action teams to host regular school-based tours and meetings with elected officials, police and city agencies who represent each school in an effort to build relationships and advocate on behalf of Mastery Schools and its families

Organize effective local actions

• Secure charter renewals across all Mastery Schools in Philadelphia and Camden
• Through the Parent Action Teams, support and train parent leaders to define, take action and win on issues in support of our schools, families and surrounding neighborhoods
• Develop parent leadership through strategic planning and action
• Build and work in coalition with community partners when appropriate

Contribute to Mastery Schools strategies to grow influence and impact change in Philadelphia and Harrisburg

• Develop a deep understanding of Mastery Schools mission and values, strategic plan, and history
• Develop a deep understanding of the political and educational landscape
• Develop relationships with community leaders, educational and political influencers, and grassroots agents in support of deepening Mastery Schools’ presence and influence in the city, district and state.

Manage projects and campaigns efficiently and effectively

• Maintain accurate records and enter data into relevant databases and dashboards in a timely manner
• Research and analyze issues to produce action plans and timelines
• Utilize available data effectively
• Work collaboratively and effectively with organizing team, school leadership teams, and colleagues throughout Mastery and bring problem-solving, creativity, and flexibility to every challenge
• Produce regular reports on tangible wins, parent engagement, parent action team actions, and external meeting summaries

Qualifications:

• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Strong leadership skills and a demonstrated capacity to produce results
• Collaborative team member with a proactive and self-driven approach to achieving goals Ability to actively listen and learn from a wide and diverse range of people
• Commitment to educational equity and excellence for all students
• Knowledge of public education, charter schools, and political landscape is highly desirable
• Proficiency with Microsoft, Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Able to record detailed and accurate meeting notes and enter records into databases in a timely manner
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Excellent problem solver and creative and strategic thinker
• Flexible and able to adapt quickly to changing priorities
• Self-awareness with the ability to reflect and adapt to diverse environments
• Cultural competency and experience working with families from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Available for night and weekend meetings and events, approximately 10% of the total time.

Education and Experience:

• Minimum three (3) years of professional experience in organizing, politics, community relations, education, 
  business development, social services or relevant field
• Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred
• Experience with grassroots field organizing, including experience in political or issues campaigns, or leading a field organizing team a plus
• Self-awareness with the ability to reflect and adapt to diverse environments
• Cultural competency and experience working with families from diverse ethnic and class backgrounds
• Fluency in Spanish a plus

Other Requirements:

• Ability to physically perform the essential duties of the role as outlined above, and to work in the environmental conditions required, such as traveling to network campuses, monitoring and interacting with students, in-person facilitation of trainings, etc.;
• This role requires frequent travel between multiple locations. Reliable transportation is essential to fulfill job responsibilities

Salary and Bonus Information:

• External candidates hired for this role are eligible for a $3,000 signing bonus  as well as up to $5,000 for relocation expenses !
• The Parent and Community Organizer at Mastery can expect a starting salary between $62,000 to $69,700 based on education and experience, with opportunities for growth as your career progresses. Each offer is made in alignment with Mastery’s compensation philosophy and commitment to pay equity, ensuring fairness and consistency across our team.

Mastery's Benefits Package:

We offer a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth. Some of our most popular benefits include our 403(b) retirement plan for PA employees (with a 5% match from Mastery for full-time employees), enrollment in the State of New Jersey Pension Plan for NJ employees, a robust Employee Assistance Program, mental health and counseling programs, an annual Professional Development Fund, and discounts and perks at a myriad of retailers, travel organizations, insurance providers, and so much more, as well as access to the Health Advocate Helpdesk to help you navigate various benefits-related topics.  Please go here to see all of our Benefits offerings!

Annual Calendar:

As you plan to make Mastery your new work home, please feel free to review our  calendar here . We like to think our calendar is a benefit of working here too!

Why You Should Apply:

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. Mastery may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist Mastery's Talent Acquisition Team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.