Director of Community Organizing
Organizational Overview:
Food Justice NW Aurora (FJNWA) is building a multicultural,
intergenerational, and intersectional movement for food justice
and food sovereignty to transform our local food system in NW
Aurora, CO. We strive to create a just, sustainable, and complete
food environment by mobilizing people, organizations, and
businesses; building community wealth; facilitating and nurturing
strategic partnerships; and advocating for policy and systems
changes. FJNWA was founded in 2022 by a dedicated steering
committee and guided by a strategic retreat with resident
leaders, local organizations, and small businesses.
Position Overview:
As a growing organization, FJNWA seeks a seasoned leader and community organizer to
guide the community organizing program and support the growth of the community
organizing team. This role involves strategizing, implementing, and evaluating community
organizing efforts aimed at addressing systemic issues in food access, equity, and
sustainability. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of food justice issues,
proven experience in community organizing, and a commitment to social change. This
position will report to the Executive Director and will collaborate with the leadership team
to develop and implement programs.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Programmatic Development
● Develop and implement comprehensive community organizing strategies aligned
with the organization’s mission and goals, including strategically integrating
community organizing across FJNWA’s programs and projects.
● Lead and support the FJNWA community organizing team in planning and
executing campaigns and initiatives in collaboration with residents and partner
organizations.
● Build and maintain thoughtful and transformative relationships and strategic
partnerships with community members, resident leaders, local organizations, small
businesses, government agencies, and other representatives of the NW Aurora
community.
Community Engagement and Leadership Capacity Building
● Develop, coordinate and collaborate with the multilingual Community Advisory
Committee, a group through which FJNWA will solicit guidance from residents and
partners as well as supports leadership capacity building and civic participation
● Lead the community organizing team to mobilize and engage community members
through training, meetings, events, and action teams.
● Provide training and support to community leaders and grassroots organizations.
Advocacy and Policy
● Advocate for policy, systems, and environmental changes that promote food
justice, food sovereignty, and equitable access to resources.
● Collaborate with policymakers and advocacy groups to influence local and regional
food policies.
● Monitor and analyze food justice-related legislation and policy developments to
determine organizational policy positions and involvement in advocacy campaigns.
Team Supervision and Program Management
● Provide direct supervision to the community organizing team, including working
with staff to develop annual work plans, and providing annual reviews and regular
opportunities for staff to receive feedback to grow and build capacity.
● Track and report on program outcomes (including data collection, analysis, and
grant reporting), adjusting strategies as needed to achieve desired impacts.
● Manage budgets and resources for community organizing initiatives.
● Contribute to grant identification and grant applications for community organizing
initiatives.
Communication and Outreach
● Develop effective communication strategies to raise awareness about food justice
issues and promote FJNWA’s goals and objectives.
● Implement communication strategies by coordinating the community organizing
team to utilize various media and communication channels to promote initiatives
and successes.
● Prepare reports, briefs, and presentations for internal and external audiences.
Racial Equity (Integrated throughout all duties)
● Engage in ongoing racial equity training, learning, and capacity building.
● Practice equity principles through a deep understanding of the roles of power and
privilege throughout each level of the organization and in all functions of the work
of FJNWA.
Required Skills and Qualifications
● 4+ years of experience in community organizing including experience leading
strategy development and leading successful advocacy campaigns
● 2+ years of experience supervising a team
● Bilingual in English and another language that is common in the NW Aurora
community (such as Spanish, Nepali, Burmese, Vietnamese, Arabic, French,
Amharic, or others) for verbal and written communication
● Experience and confidence working closely with diverse community members,
including adults and youth with a wide range of cultural and linguistic
backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives, needs, and interests (e.g.,
low-income households, communities of color, and immigrants and refugees)
● Knowledge of NW Aurora community issues and local political structures
● Demonstrated ability to work within a team and also with high level of autonomy
and independence
● Adaptability and curiosity with willingness to learn and tolerance for change
● Excellent writing and communication skills (internally within team and externally
with community and partners)
● Proficient in Google Suite and Microsoft Office
● Ability to reach for, move and/or lift 20 pounds, with modifications available
Preferred Qualifications
● Connection to NW Aurora community (i.e., living or working in the community in
the past or present)
● Work experience or interest in food justice, food sovereignty, healthy equity,
and/or community wealth building
● Experience with social media and communications apps (including Instagram,
Facebook, and Mailchimp)
Hours, Work Environment, Compensation, and Benefits:
● Full-time exempt position: 40 hours per week with flexibility to attend and/or lead
some evening and weekend activities
● Work is conducted in Aurora, CO, in a wide variety of settings including in-person
meetings and events in the community and computer work while working from the
office and from home
● Compensation: $80,000-85,000 depending on experience and language skills
● Through our fiscal sponsor the Barton Institute, FJNWA offers the following robust
benefits to help promote a work/personal balance and wellness: 26 days of paid
time off annually, 10 paid holidays plus business days between Christmas and New
Year’s Day off, majority of the applicable health care premium paid along with
long-term disability and life insurance, and a 401(k) plan with a generous employer
match. We participate in Colorado’s FAMLI leave program. FSA, HSA, dental, and
vision, and additional insurances available for purchase.
To apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and three references as one PDF document
to Maddie Atuire at maddie@foodjusticenwaurora.org.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Priority application review will be given
to those submitted by Sunday, August 3rd. All applicants will receive communication
from FJNWA by Monday, August 11th.
The intended start date for this position is late September to early October.
Equal Opportunity Statement
FJNWA is an equal opportunity employer. Equity is one of Food Justice NW Aurora’s core
values, and is central to both our process of working together as well as the outcomes we
seek. Diversity of identity and experience makes our community and our organization
stronger. FJNWA is committed to equal employment opportunities and does not
discriminate against applicants or employees based on race, age, color, sex, national
origin, physical or mental disability, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, gender
identity or expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal,
state, or local law.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or promotion
opportunities. Research shows that women and other underrepresented and historically
marginalized groups tend to apply only when they check every box in the posting. If you
are reading this and hesitating to click “apply” for that reason, we encourage you to
apply.
