Native Vote Organizer

The ACLU of Montana seeks a motivated person with relationship building and organizing skills to join our team as Native Vote Organizer for the 2024 election cycle as a temporary position from June through November 2024. This role will focus on ACLU Montana’s electoral outreach to Indigenous communities in Montana, in both rural and urban settings. The ACLU of Montana works on a variety of issues impacting Indigenous people – from voting rights, to education, to reforming unjust criminal laws and is working on a variety of campaigns during the 2024 election cycle. As part of our Indigenous Justice work, this position will be critical to getting out the vote in Indian Country and organizing in tribal communities to ensure protection of civil liberties.

The Native Vote Organizer will work in the Advocacy, Policy, and Organizing Department (APOD) and report to the APOD Director. This is a full-time, temporary position through November 2024 that is remote with extensive travel to all seven reservations as well as select urban areas with high Indigenous populations.

ABOUT THE ACLU OF MONTANA

The ACLU of Montana Foundation “ACLU of Montana” (founded in 1972) is an affiliate of the national ACLU (founded in 1920) and operates as a private, independent, non-profit organization. We are the state’s largest and most influential civil rights organization. Our current top priorities are Indigenous Justice, criminal legal reform, 2S-LGBTQIA rights, and voting rights. We work on a range of additional issues including reproductive justice, immigrants’ rights, freedom of speech and religion, and informational and digital privacy. The ACLU of Montana envisions a fair, equitable, and free Montana that welcomes and celebrates diversity of all kinds. In our Montana, everybody is treated with dignity and respect, and has equal access to rights and freedoms.

The ACLU of Montana has a current staff of 11 and an office located in Missoula. We aspire to a friendly work environment, with flexibility and consideration of personal needs and circumstances. To learn more about the work of the ACLU of Montana, please visit http://aclumontana.org.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

ACLU of Montana is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We believe that having a board, staff, and volunteer base with diverse personal and professional backgrounds enhances our ability to meet our mission and creates an environment where all members of our community can thrive.

The ACLU of Montana does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, faith, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, tribal affiliation, disability, veteran status, or record of arrest or conviction. We are committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment and one that honors and promotes a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We are engaging in ongoing internal racial equity work, with an emphasis in anti-racism and anti-colonialism.

We strongly encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants, women, people with disabilities, bi- or multi-lingual (including Indigenous languages) speakers, bicultural individuals, 2S-LGBTQIA individuals, those who have been formerly incarcerated or are currently under supervision, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We seek to build a team reflective of our diverse communities. All qualified applicants who share this vision and who have a desire to contribute to our mission are encouraged to apply.

We commit to developing and collaborating on thoughtful training programs and onboarding processes with the Native Vote Organizer that identify an individual’s growth areas, in relation to the job description, and empowers their existing knowledge and skills. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Outreach and Engagement

• Travel to tribal communities in Montana on behalf of the ACLU of Montana - including all reservations and select urban Indigenous communities - to engage with Indigenous voters and encourage them to vote in the 2024 election.
• Support the ACLU of Montana’s Get Out the Vote (GOTV) plan for Indian Country, in collaboration with partners and other organizers.
  • Build relationships with partner organizations and organizers for in-field collaborations promoting the Native vote.
• Screen ACLU of Montana’s Indigenous Voting short documentary at all tribal college campuses across Montana and facilitate events to promote the Native vote.
• Act as a liaison between ACLU of Montana and tribal governments, partner organizations, and community leaders for purposes of promoting Native turnout at the ballot.
• Collaborate and implement an organizing engagement plan to mobilize Indian Country and activate voters in advance of the 2024 election:
  • Build understanding among the electoral team of the unique geographical, historical, and cultural contexts of tribal communities in Montana.
  • Strategize traditional and innovative voter contact tactics and integrate them into organizing engagement plan.
• Plan and oversee feeds, rallies, presentations, tabling at powwows, and other community events and engagement opportunities in all tribal communities in Montana.
• Create staff and volunteer training materials, in consultation with the electoral team.
• Seek opportunities to elevate Indigenous storytelling and perspectives through the campaign.
  • Assist the communications team in identifying and training spokespeople to share their stories, using ethical storytelling principles.
• Help the campaign team define “success in Indian Country” and develop appropriate goals and metrics related to our organizational prioritized campaigns.

Staff Teamwork and Collaboration

• Collaborate with other departments of the ACLU of Montana, as necessary, to support legal, policy and organizing work, communications and storytelling, grant proposals and funding opportunities, administrative tasks, and other related work.
• Ensure all administrative tasks are completed in a timely and accurate manner, including, but not limited to travel and other expense reimbursements, timesheets, and other related financial and personnel documents.
• Actively engage with the ACLU of Montana team through regular staff meetings, continuing racial equity and inclusion work, professional development opportunities, occasional retreats, and periodic committees.
• Attend certain ACLU Montana functions.
• Assist in other duties as assigned within the scope of these responsibilities.

Competency and Commitment to Racial Equity 

The ACLU of Montana is committed to, and engaging in, ongoing racial equity work with an emphasis on anti-racism and anti-colonialism. As a staff member, you will be asked to commit, contribute and engage in the following ways:

• Demonstrate commitment to building or deepening understanding of equity, in which racial equity and anti-racism and anti-colonialism are centered.
• Engage with the issues of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.
• Embrace self-learning and reflection through optional racial caucus group conversations, activities, and support.
• Within the scope of the position, understand, explore, and utilize concepts such as structural racism, settler colonialism, anti-Blackness, Indigeneity, restorative justice, whiteness, and other related topics.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The following experiences are integral to meeting the job responsibilities. Please be sure to identify these in your application materials through lived, professional or volunteer experience, and/or coursework.

• History of living in, or working with, Indigenous communities, preferably in Montana. 
• Exceptional and proven ability to build relationships.
• Event planning expertise to organize, facilitate, promote, and manage events.
• Ability to work independently and keep organized, manage several projects simultaneously, be in regular contact with coworkers while working outside of the office, and adjust plans when needed.
• A willingness and ability to speak in public and to lead meetings and training.
• Ability to work long hours and occasional evenings and weekends; and the ability to travel regularly and for long distances.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging with anti-racist and anti-colonialist understandings of and respect for differences of race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance and class.
• Commitment to building and deepening understanding of equity, in which an anti-racism and anti-colonialism lens are centered.
• Understanding and willingness to engage with the issues of institutional and structural racism and bias, and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The following experiences are particularly valuable - please be sure to address these in your resume or cover letter. We encourage you to apply even if you do not have these qualifications:

• Conflict resolution skills.
• Experience tracking invoices and reporting expenditures in alignment with project budgets.
• Experience using constituent management database tools and voter file programs.
• Experience with supervising remotely and being supervised remotely.
• Familiarity with traditional and cultural protocols of tribes in Montana.
• Knowledge regarding Montana politics and Indigenous movements and history.
• Understanding of civil rights issues and a strong commitment to advancing the ACLU’s values, mission, and goals.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position is full-time, exempt, and will pay an annual salary of $54,600 to $59,799, pro-rated for actual time worked, depending on experience. We offer a monthly stipend of $540 to help offset costs of health care or other costs, eligibility to participate in a retirement 401(K) plan, and paid vacation, sick and holiday time. We provide monthly stipends for business use of personal mobile phone and internet. The ACLU of Montana also invests in each staff member’s professional development. This temporary position is not eligible for other benefits.

The Native Vote Organizer will be based in Montana. If the finalist is not a Montana resident yet, we will discuss with the finalist a timeline for moving to MT within the first weeks of the start date. The position is currently remote with optional access to the Missoula office. The position will require frequent travel to tribal communities in Montana including all reservations and select urban Indigenous communities. Additional travel will include quarterly two-day staff meetings. Travel expenses paid for by the ACLU of Montana.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

All applications are treated confidentially. Please submit (in pdf format if possible):

1. A letter (of no more than one page) describing your interest in the position and the ways in which you satisfy the qualifications specified above. Please indicate in your letter where you learned of this position.
2. Resume.

Email your application to jobs[at]aclumontana.org or mail it to:

ACLU of Montana, Attn: Hiring                                                            P.O. Box 1968, Missoula, MT 59806

Please put “Native Vote Organizer” in the subject line of your email / envelope.

Applicants with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing to jobs[at]aclumontana.org to request reasonable accommodation at the time of application.

PROCESS

Application review will start April 29, 2024. Applications after that date are encouraged and will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is removed from the ACLU-MT Job Openings page. We are aiming for a start date in May or June 2024.

Our hiring process is managed by a dedicated hiring committee and HR. The steps for finalist selection include a screening call by HR staff, a videoconferencing interview with the hiring committee, a compensated assessment/work sample exercise, a final videoconferencing interview, reference calls for the selected finalist, decision and making a job offer to the finalist candidate. We commit to regular communication with all applicants throughout the process, will apprise candidates of the next steps as appropriate, and will promptly communicate any change in the timeline above.

To learn more about the work of the ACLU-MT, please visit www.aclumontana.org.