Our Oregon is seeking an Executive Director to lead its operations and develop and move a strategic agenda promoting economic, racial and social justice statewide. Our Oregon is a dynamic 501(c)(4) social advocacy nonprofit that has served as a strategic leader and coalition coordinator in Oregon’s progressive political arena, focusing on ballot measures and get out the vote efforts (GOTV) for over 15 years. Our successes include defeating anti-immigrant, anti-union and anti-choice ballot measures, promoting and achieving school funding goals and leading huge coalition efforts towards a fair system of corporate taxes. Our Oregon focuses on protecting democracy and being active in our ballot measure landscape.

Our Oregon has a board that consists of labor unions and 503(c)(4) organizations in Oregon. Current board members are SEIU Local 503, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, PCUN, Oregon Education Association, Oregon AFSCME, OLCV, and Oregon AFL-CIO.

The ideal candidate is someone who is highly motivated to continue Our Oregon’s work in the statewide and local ballot measure arena through working in coalition. Desired experience includes leadership in the progressive arena along with strategic leadership and management expertise. The ideal candidate will work with the Our Oregon board to develop the organization into an anti-racist organization that approaches coalitions and campaigns with an understanding of power dynamics in politics and coalitions. We need someone who will lead motivated organizational leaders on our board, our high-level staff, and in connected coalitions in a fast-paced team environment.

Buckets of Responsibility:

1. Develop and implement Our Oregon’s strategic agenda

·   Create/design a strategic plan in collaboration with board for both short and long-term goals

·   Work to integrate strategic plan with coalition partners in an ever-changing environment

·   Convene and collaborate with other allies across the state to inform overall strategy

·   Integrate overall strategy, with key progressive coalition partners, focusing on ballot measure opportunities

·   Be involved in the national landscape to see what opportunities are coming to Oregon to push forward progressive ballot measures

·   Examine and address the organization’s history and establish a culture that advances the leadership of multiracial, working-class, and rural Oregonians and coalition partners

2. Direct Our Oregon’s ballot measure hub

·   Provide direction and management on both offensive and defensive ballot measure campaigns prioritized by the board

·   Oversee initiative petition/ballot measure process, from initial filing and legal process through election day

·   Coordinate legal, polling, coalition, political and data strategy with a team of outside consultants and high level staff

·   Connect and support partners via ballot measure process, including providing training, resources around process

·   Work with progressive candidate and ballot measures to coordinate final GOTV operations for elections every two years

·   Coordinate a team of consultants who work on the ballot measure process

3.  Leader of the Organization

·   Manage and support a staff of 4 to 6 people who are leaders in their specialties

·   Build a team that includes staff, consultants and coalition partners to be able to win campaigns

·   Recruit, hire, train and retain a strong, diverse team including consultants using equitable management practices

·   Oversee ongoing development and training of directors and staff

·   Develop and oversee the organization’s annual and ongoing budget with board input

·   Manage and answer to a board of directors

·   Build a collaborative and inclusive team culture where all staff feel a sense of belonging

·   Ensure that staff deliver great results using strong and equitable day-to-day management practices

·   Model Racial, Equity, and Inclusion (REI) competencies at the highest level and is able to bring equity and inclusion lens to all aspects of our work; actively contribute to a more equitable and inclusive organization

Preferred/desired skills and experience: 

·   Experience managing staff and teams at a senior level

·   Demonstrated ability to execute complex projects through realistic work plans

·   Experience working with community groups or unions that promote progressive policies

·   Track record of effective leadership at a regional or national level

·   Experience or demonstrated aptitude for working with/cultivating working relationships with board members and organizational leaders

·   Excellent interpersonal skills

·   Expertise in or familiarity with Oregon political landscape

·   Experience working on or running campaigns and/or working in coalition towards electoral goals

·   Background in or commitment to creating a broad and powerful, inclusive, multiracial coalition

·   Bachelor’s or advanced degree

·   Strong written and verbal communication skills along with a high degree of organizational skill             

Compensation is $100,000 – 120,000 plus comprehensive benefits including medical and dental coverage, generous leave policy and 401k retirement plan with an employer match program. For consideration, please submit a resume and cover letter to info@ouroregon.org no later than November 23, 2022.