Commission Shift seeks Voter Mobilization Program Coordinator

Position: Voter Mobilization Program Coordinator
Pay range: $50,000-$55,000, depending on experience
Benefits: Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement; 401k retirement plan with up to 4% employer match; professional development allowance; 20 days/year paid time off for vacation, sick leave, or other needs; and 12 days/year paid holidays.
Location: Must be located in Texas. Work from home with regular virtual meetings and regular in-person participation at meetings, events, or conferences in Texas. Candidates located in active oil and gas development regions are strongly encouraged to apply.
Hours: Full-time
Travel: Up to 40% of the time. Must have a personal vehicle to use for travel throughout the state. Travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Application deadline: September 18, 2023 or until the position is filled

About Commission Shift and Commission Shift Action

Commission Shift is a fast-growing Texas-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in March 2021. Our mission is to reform oil and gas oversight by building public support to hold the Railroad Commission of Texas accountable to its mission in a shifting energy landscape.

Commission Shift Action, the 501(c)(4) advocacy partner of Commission Shift, mobilizes the public to hold the Railroad Commission of Texas accountable to its mission through legislative involvement and voter education and empowerment.

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is one of the most important oil and gas regulators in the world. Contrary to what its name implies, the Railroad Commission has no authority over railroads. Instead, the agency oversees oil and gas development, coal and uranium mining, and gas utility service in Texas, among other functions. Its mission is to serve Texas through stewardship of natural resources and the environment, concern for personal and community safety, and support of enhanced development and economic vitality for the benefit of Texans.

Commission Shift’s goal is to build broad public support from a wide array of stakeholder voices to advance changes at the RRC that improve the agency’s function, transparency, and accountability to people and places impacted by the oil and gas industry. Too often, the Commission has promoted accelerated development of oil and gas over all other parts of its mission — to the detriment of natural resources and the environment, safety, and economic vitality.

Learn more about Commission Shift by visiting our website, www.commissionshift.org.

Position Description

Commission Shift is seeking a passionate and self-motivated organizer to develop and execute a non-partisan Get Out To Vote (GOTV) campaign focused on the Railroad Commission of Texas election. More than half of Texas voters don’t know that the Railroad Commission of Texas oversees oil and gas development and the Voter Mobilization Program Coordinator will help to change that.

As a member of the organizing team, the Voter Mobilization Program Coordinator will report to the Organizing Director. The coordinator will work with strategic campaign consultants and digital consultants to develop an overall outreach strategy to reach a broad base of potential voters using non-partisan outreach and education tactics and language. The coordinator will design and deliver in-person and virtual educational presentations about the Railroad Commission and key voting information to groups including partner organizations, community groups, and any relevant stakeholder group leading up to March 2024 major-party primaries and the November 2024 elections.

Responsibilities

• Co-design and implement a nonpartisan GOTV strategy throughout the state of Texas.
• Collaborate with Commission Shifts’s communications team, strategy consultant, and digital consultants to create multimedia materials and digital campaigns to educate voters on the importance of the Railroad Commission race.
• Organize and coordinate election education activities within nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit boundaries including, but not limited to:
  • Partner with nonpartisan GOTV organizations to include RRC awareness materials in their voter education packets
  • Plan nonpartisan RRC candidate forums
  • Coordinate voter registration drives
  • Coordinate RRC candidate education presentations on Commission Shift’s and partner organizations’ areas of interest
  • Manage volunteers to conduct phone, text, and social media canvassing to ensure folks will get out to vote.
• Develop educational materials such as brochures, postcards, and door hangers to achieve campaign goals.
• Create fun and engaging videos to share on social media to encourage GOTV.
• Prepare and deliver educational presentations or remarks in nonpartisan venues about the RRC election and its importance.
• Assist with preparing digital content and social media toolkits to share with partner organizations.
• Monitor RRC election landscape and propose improvements and updates for future voter education activities.
• Attend and participate in other 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations’ events relating to elections.
• Build relationships with other 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations with similar interests.
• Remain non-partisan when interacting with potential voters, and maintain a neutral stance on the various candidates.

Required minimum qualifications

• One to three years of professional experience in civic engagement, GOTV organizing, outreach, coalition building, or a relevant field.
• Meet qualifications necessary to be able to obtain a Volunteer Deputy Registrar certificate in multiple counties.
• Clean driving record, willingness to use personal vehicles for work-related travel, maintain proof of auto insurance, and ability to travel throughout Texas.
• Proficiency using social media for public education and advocacy campaigns, or working with digital media consultants to develop such campaigns.
• Outgoing, curious, and energized by meeting new people. Respectful and empathetic of individuals and groups coming from a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints (e.g. progressive or conservative; rural or urban; educated or uneducated; across races, ethnicities, and genders).
• Experience planning events and delivering public presentations.
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and continuous learning practices.
• Familiarity of oil and gas locations, including understanding of diverse cultures and languages spoken.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Attention to detail, maintains organized electronic files, and manages time and expectations with respect to deadlines.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Word and Powerpoint; and Google Workspace applications including Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. Basic familiarity with Microsoft Excel. Willingness to learn how to use Asana project management software.
• Familiarity or experience with advocacy software like EveryAction, and Voter Action Network (VAN).
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule.
• Takes initiative; ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Desired qualifications, not required

The ideal candidate will have some combination of the following qualifications, but does not need to meet all of the following criteria.

• Experience recruiting and managing volunteers, working on a political campaign, executing phone and text canvassing, and/or leading public awareness and engagement campaigns for 501(c)3 nonpartisan nonprofit organizations.
• Experience with the Texas political landscape, or experience working on political campaigns in Texas.
• Experience using Canva, Photoshop, or similar applications.
• Experience creating social media videos using TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.
• Knowledge of or experience with the Railroad Commission of Texas’ duties, and election cycle.
• Familiarity with Texas climate change and energy issues.
• Bachelor’s degree, potentially in political science, public administration, mass communications, or environmental science. Other related majors will be considered.
• Relationships with one or more of the following stakeholder groups:landowners, workers rights advocates or labor unions, public education advocates, business leaders, consumer or ratepayer advocates, economic development leaders or entities.
• Strong public presentation skills, and a desire to consistently improve and learn new methods for public speaking and presentations.

Technology Requirements

• Phone and internet access allowing for multiple phone or video calls per day

How to apply

Send a cover letter and a resume (no more than two pages) to Dr. Maria A. Reyes, apply@commissionshift.org with the subject “Voter Mobilization Program Coordinator Application.” Prepare to provide three professional references and a writing sample upon request. The writing sample could be a speech/testimony, an opinion article or blog post, social media content, or other similar document. Finalists will be asked to prepare and deliver a short presentation.

Applicants with a nontraditional career path or gaps in employment are encouraged to share knowledge, strengths, or skills they developed during this nontraditional experience in their cover letter, if desired.

Commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity

Commission Shift believes that corporate and institutional bad behavior disproportionately hurts the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people with disabilities. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of marginalized communities that are not listed here.

Commission Shift is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.