Community Organizer

Salary: $33 hourly

About the Position

The Community Organizer will help strengthen the connection between Paterson residents, local businesses, and the community power-building work of Black Lives Matter Paterson. This role is central to expanding and sustaining grassroots engagement across the cityespecially among communities historically excluded from decision-making or overlooked in local policy conversations.

The Community Organizer will focus on building long-term relationships, recruiting and developing local leaders, and identifying issues that matter most to Paterson residents. Using what they learn through conversations, canvassing, and relationship-building, the Organizer will help shape campaigns, mobilize community action, and support transformative programs across the city.

This is hands-on, people-centered work that brings together outreach, political education, leadership development, and community care.

Position Roles & Responsibilities

Community Engagement, Outreach & Base Building (60%)

• Engage residents across Patersonparticularly those most impacted by housing instability, policing, criminalization, and economic inequityto ensure their needs and voices guide BLM Patersons programs and campaigns
• Conduct outreach to local businesses, youth, faith communities, tenant groups, and underrepresented neighborhoods
• Maintain and grow a volunteer and member database
• Build and nurture relationships with local partners, coalitions, block associations, tenant leaders, and grassroots organizers
• Conduct door-to-door canvassing, community flyering, one-on-one relational meetings, and street outreach
• Table at BLM Paterson events and broader community events throughout the city
• Create a welcoming, inclusive environment for volunteers and residents
• Recruit, train, and support volunteers and emerging community leaders
• Assist with meeting facilitation and support community working groups as needed

Campaign Development (25%)

• Support processes for democratic decision-making when choosing issues and determining campaign demands
• Conduct community analysis sessions to identify priorities, strategies, and opportunities to build collective power
• Help develop leadership skills among volunteers and community members
• Translate community concerns into actionable campaign steps and outreach strategies

Event & Action Coordination (15%)

• Help plan and facilitate community forums, town halls, and listening sessions
• Assist with program events, neighborhood meetings, public education sessions, and campaign actions
• Recruit and coordinate volunteers for events and mobilizations
• Support promotion and turnout-building for all community events

Administrative (5%)

• Keep the community calendar updated
• Complete data entry and outreach documentation
• Prepare summaries or reports as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

Who You Are

You believe deeply in community power, racial justice, and building systems of care and safety led by the people directly impacted. You may come to organizing through lived experience, prior movement work, community service, or informal leadership in your neighborhoodwhat matters most is your commitment, compassion, and willingness to learn and grow.

We are especially excited about candidates who:

• Have experience in community organizing, outreach, leadership development, or grassroots mobilization
• Can build trusting relationships with a wide range of peopleincluding youth, tenants, unhoused individuals, survivors, returning citizens, and long-time Paterson residents
• Are energized by talking to people, listening deeply, and connecting community concerns to broader campaigns
• Have a strong commitment to racial justice, equity, harm reduction, and non-carceral approaches
• Communicate clearlywhether in writing, in meetings, or while canvassing on the street
• Can manage multiple projects and adapt to fast-changing community needs
• Are familiar with Paterson or have deep ties to similar urban communities
• Speak multiple languages (Spanish, Arabic, and Bengali are especially valued)
• Are organized, detail-oriented, and good at follow-through
• Bring creativity, patience, and problem-solving skills to their work
• Are comfortable stepping into new spaces, learning as they go, and supporting a team atmosphere

Hours, Compensation & Reporting

• TuesdayFriday from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM (some work may occur during evenings and weekends, based on program and community needs)
• $33/hour
• Reports directly to the Director of Community Engagement