Project Coordinator – New York Statewide

Organization: NYPIRG (NY Public Interest Research Group)

Job Title: Project Coordinator

Location: New York – Positions open statewide

Hours and Compensation: Full time; $28,500 + full benefits and paid vacation

Posted On: May 24, 2012

Organization Overview

NYPIRG empowers students to constructively address problems in New York State. Within that mission, our purposes include training students to become effective advocates, educating the student body on issues involving public decisions, and spurring civic engagement on campus. NYPIRG has played a critical role in advocating for the passage of more than 150 New York State laws.

NYPIRG’s 20 campus chapters provide much of NYPIRG’s energy, vitality and power. Each campus chapter consists of a full-time staff organizer — or project coordinator — who recruit and train college students in civic action skills including media outreach, event planning and coalition building. The full-time, on-campus Project Coordinator helps to provide the training, guidance, expertise, and organizational support that students need to mount viable campaigns for policy reform. Project Coordinators gain valuable, hands-on, leadership and organizing skills and are provided a rewarding, meaningful, exciting work experience and the opportunity to train the next generation of activists. NYPIRG is currently hiring for positions acoss the state for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Description

Training:

Since a key part of NYPIRG’s mission is to train leaders who can develop and lead social justice campaigns, project coordinators go through a minimum of two weeks of training each year, with workshops conducted by NYPIRG’s issue experts and campaign organizers. Project coordinators also participate in regular regional trainings and statewide conferences.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment: outreach to students on campus throughout the year; organize and lead large non-partisan voter registration drives on-campus;
• Student development: training students in civic leadership skills; in some cases oversee an intensive internship program for course credit, which includes preparing and delivering workshops on topics like public speaking;
• Event organizing: planning and executing forums, educational events, rallies and workshops, etc.;
• Generating media: making pitch calls, drafting news releases, organizing press conferences;
• Coalition building: reaching out to campus and community groups to build campaign support;
• Advocacy: organizing students to effectively bring their message to targeted elected officials through call-in days, letter-writing drives, and civic action days.

Qualifications

Applicants should have exceptional interpersonal communication and public speaking skills, strong writing skills as well as a commitment to social change, a desire to work with college students, and a willingness to be a part of local, statewide and national grassroots campaigns. Experience with student organizations, campaigns, or media is helpful. The ideal candidate is a versatile, energetic person who handles numerous tasks expeditiously to meet the demands of ever evolving multi-year campaigns.

Long hours, occasional weekends, and some travel is necessary. A bachelor’s degree, at minimum, is required.

How to Apply

Email cover letter and resume (MSWord or PDF only please) as attachments to [email protected] with PROJECT COORDINATOR in the subject line. No phone calls please. NYPIRG is an EOE.