Job Summary

Students for Educational Justice (SEJ) is seeking a full-time Lead Organizer. Growing our membership base is, and always will be, a top priority for our organization to ensure authentic student leadership. We believe that the people who are most directly affected by an issue should be at the forefront of the fight against it. The Organizer will spearhead efforts to build our membership base and help design and implement systems to ensure that young people are the leaders of our fight against racial and educational injustice in New Haven. Also, the SEJ Organizer will be responsible for training and directing the organizing team, forging relationships between SEJ and the community, and strategizing SEJ’s campaign and movement activities. The Organizer will engage with students who have completed the pilot years of the African-American and Latinx Studies course.

Responsibilities

  • Manage SEJ Campaign Organizers & Student Organizers
    • Spearhead SEJ’s campaign to replace SROs and police officers in schools with mental health support
  • Facilitate regular SEJ weekly member meetings (virtually or in-person)
    • Develop SEJ member meetings curriculum and meeting agendas
    • Prepare digital presentations and other meeting materials
  • Deliver leadership and organizing training opportunities to SEJ Student Organizers (virtually or in-person)
    • Design in-person, and when necessary digital, workshops, and trainings for SEJ Student Organizers
  • Develop political consciousness and strategic organizing skills of SEJ student members through political education, reflection, and developing appropriate educational materials
  • Participate in occasional parent/guardian outreach
  • Lead field trips, special events, and workshops
  • Provide strategic vision and direction to campaigns and projects
    • Develop, implement, and coordinate campaigns and projects with Student Organizers
  • Mobilize and build SEJ’s base through ongoing outreach and new member recruitment
    • Conduct outreach to and regular one-on-one meetings with young people
    • Build relationships with community members and conduct one-on-ones
  • Provide students with the skills needed to build capacity, and lead campaigns, including speaking to the media, organizing and facilitating meetings, leading public actions and events, and recruiting and leading other SEJ members
  • Provide overall support for the SEJ infrastructure
    • Attend all SEJ Leadership Team meetings
    • Manage the SEJ project budget, with support from the Executive Director
    • Support the Executive Director in fundraising efforts and organizational capacity-building
    • Perform additional administrative tasks and needed by the overall team/Organization

Qualifications

  • High school diploma required; Bachelor’s degree preferred 
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and communicate effectively and professionally with a diverse range of people
  • Previous teaching or facilitation experience 
  • At least 2 years of non-profit or related organizing experience  
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting information at meetings and conferences and representing SEJ in the broader community.
  • Strong organizational skills and strong attention to detail
  • Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks effectively 
  • Lead with humility, flexibility, and optimism 
  • Outstanding creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion 
  • Ability to work collaboratively and within a team environment
  • Must be flexible to work some evenings and weekends 
  • Familiarity with the New Haven area ideal

Compensation and Benefits

USD $20-$24/hour

Hourly to start. Opportunity for salary after 6 months.

Health insurance, retirements savings, and cell phone reimbursement.

How to Apply

Please email a resume and cover letter in either PDF or Word format to Briyana Mondesir at info@students4edjustice.org. In the Subject line please type SEJ Lead Organizer.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Vaccination Information

SEJ requires an individual who is newly hired into the organization to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by their first day of employment. If you have any concerns regarding compliance with this requirement, you will need to discuss your concerns with SEJ’s Executive Director after a decision has been made about whether or not to make you a conditional offer of employment.


SEJ does not require applicants to discuss vaccination status prior to receipt of a conditional offer of employment and complies with all applicable laws requiring reasonable accommodation.

SEJ complies with all applicable civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristics in any of its educational programs or activities, including employment. Protected characteristics (or protected classes) include race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, alienage, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by state or federal law.