About the Boston Cyclists Union

The Boston Cyclists Union (BCU) is helping Bostonians lead healthier lives by promoting the everyday use of the bicycle for transportation. Among other things, we teach bike repair, educate new riders, and organize neighborhood residents who would like to voice support for friendlier street designs, bike paths, and public spaces.

Our fast-growing, 1,000+ member grassroots organization is one of the most active and effective advocacy groups in the city. The Boston Cyclists Union’s work is helping to increase ridership in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline. We work to connect our neighborhoods, parks, paths and business districts with a network of low-stress bike routes including quiet neighborhood streets and protected bike lanes so that people of all ages and abilities feel safe and comfortable riding a bike.

About the Position

The goal of the Director of Organizing is to identify and promote opportunities that will produce safer, more equitable bicycling conditions in the greater Boston area, and to engage the public in the Boston Cyclist Union’s mission, campaigns, and story.

The Director of Organizing will work with all parts of the organization (staff, board, members, interns, and volunteers) to further develop and lead the Boston Cyclists Union’s Bikeways for Everybody campaign and ongoing reactive campaigns, and to win support for key bicycling infrastructure improvements.

The Director of Organizing will work with the Boston Cyclists Union Activist Group, community and neighborhood groups, businesses, and elected officials to gather neighborhood input, grow grassroots and grasstops support, build consensus around progressive bike infrastructure and policies in the Boston area, and achieve the goals which are most important to people who bike in the city.

The Director of Organizing also works with the Membership and Events Coordinator and Executive Director to plan large- and small-scale events to grow membership and increase awareness, publishes the Union Rider (monthly newsletter) and Action Alerts, and manages social media communications.

Responsibilities:

• Plan and lead BCU’s proactive Bikeways for Everybody campaign
• Plan and execute reactive advocacy campaigns for better road designs and policies as opportunities arise
• Chair the Union’s Activist Group and help develop neighborhood leaders to champion changes in the bike network through outreach, relationship building, and conducting organizing and activist trainings
• Manage and work with staff, volunteers, and interns related to advocacy campaigns and associated programs, overseeing campaigns and programs and delegating to others as needed
• Coordinate volunteers and advocates in executing campaign strategies, including (but not limited to) creating and distributing petitions, canvassing, and neighborhood-based meetings
• Build relationships with Neighborhood, Civic and Business Associations and other bodies with the goal of gaining support for Bikeways for Everybody and other advocacy campaigns
• Create Action Alerts to notify membership and community of important public meetings to attend and other advocacy actions to take to build campaign support
• Create content for campaign materials and other collateral for BCU marketing
• Meet with City agencies, elected officials, planners and engineers to advance campaigns
• Represent the BCU on committees, task forces and other bodies
• Speak at public meetings and other events on behalf of the BCU
• Help produce talking points for media interviews and and public hearings
• Help staff plan and execute fundraising events

Desired qualifications:

• Deep commitment to the Boston Cyclists Union mission
• 2-5 years experience in community or political organizing or a related field
• Demonstrated track record of successful campaign and project planning, project management, base-building and strategy implementation
• Experience sourcing and managing a diverse cohort of staff, volunteers and interns
• Proven ability to build leadership into volunteer roles, creating a scalable network of volunteers
• Experience incorporating the perspectives of multiple communities, including communities of color, in the consideration of impacts and outcomes of a decision-making process
• An understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias
• Ability to work individually and as part of a team
• Superior analytical and problem-solving skills
• Knowledge and experience using Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media
• Impactful public presentation
• Strong interpersonal and relational skills, excellent communicator, and a commitment to working respectfully with individuals of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and life experiences
• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel and Google docs
• Extra points for working knowledge of Salesforce, Constant Contact, Vertical Response, WordPress, and/or Adobe Creative Suite
• Bilingual abilities are a plus, but not required

Knowledge of bike advocacy is not required but an interest in learning every aspect of it is.

Salary and benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position with an annual salary range of $42,000 to $52,000/year, based on experience. Benefits include a health care stipend, a bicycle commuter benefit, paid vacation plus all federal holidays, and a commitment to training and professional development opportunities.

How to Apply

Send a cover letter and resume to jobs@bostoncyclistsunion.org. Please include “Director of Organizing, YOUR NAME” in the subject line of the email, and where you saw the job advertised. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications will be considered until the position is filled.

Please note that we are also hiring a Community Organizer to work closely with the Director of Organizing to plan and execute advocacy campaigns. If you are interested in organizing work with the Boston Cyclists Union, but don’t feel you have the necessary experience for the Director of Organizing position, please take a look at the Community Organizer position.

Boston Cyclists Union is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political orientation.