Description
Who We Are
VCET is a statewide organization that serves a broad network of partners across the Commonwealth. We envision a multi-racial democracy in Virginia where the full diversity of the Commonwealth is actively participating, representing, and transforming our democracy; where white supremacy is being actively dismantled, people of color, working families, and impacted communities are thriving in a just economy and leading healthy lives. We work towards our vision by cultivating a diverse and progressive leadership pipeline in Virginia, driving collaboration among partners through equitable and inclusive relationships, and growing shared capacity and resources for the progressive movement infrastructure in the Commonwealth.
VCET is a nonpartisan, 501c3 organization dedicated to fostering greater civic engagement in Virginia. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we make a particular effort to recruit people with historically marginalized identities to apply for open positions. Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.
What You’ll Do
With supervision from the Director of Civic Engagement, the Election Protection Manager will be responsible for overseeing VCET’s programmatic efforts to build a more inclusive democracy in the Commonwealth. Some of these initiatives include our work anchoring coalitions such as the Virginia Election Protection Coalition, the Right to Vote Coalition, and Virginia Counts. In this role, the Election Protection Manager will be largely responsible for supporting the programmatic efforts and objectives of the coalitions, leading voter education & democracy advocacy efforts, and running our volunteer field program for election days.
Election Protection (50%)
Oversee Voter Advocate & Legal Advocate field program activities such as volunteer recruitment, protocol development, trainings, stipend distribution, database maintenance, etc.
Ensure the timely distribution of all Election Protection materials including volunteer packets and yard signs
Update and maintain a database of polling locations & closures, ballot drop boxes, early voting sites, and other relevant information
Update and maintain external programmatic websites & volunteer portals, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for volunteers and the general public
Convene & lead VCET’s Election Protection Coalition, providing a space for partner organizations and external stakeholders, such as regular meetings and occasional convenings, to share resources and information, as well as make strategic recommendations or decisions
Collaborate with national, statewide and local organizations to develop and implement annual programming
Advocacy (25%)
Lead statewide voter education efforts, including but not limited creation of materials, toolkits, and other assets as needed
Maintain relationships with local registrars and elected officials
Monitor State Board of Elections meetings and disseminate information to coalition partners
Lead advocacy efforts with local registrars as well as state agencies and the General Assembly
Maintain and update VCET’s bill tracker during Virginia’s legislative session(s)
Review relevant legislation and distribute summaries, recommend coalition positions, and provide public comments during the legislative process
Maintain and utilize a working knowledge of significant developments, new laws, trends and best practices, including monitoring and keeping up to date with Virginia current events and legislative updates
Election Crisis & Sabotage Response (15%)
Convene Virginia’s Election Crisis & Sabotage Response working group
Support mis/disinformation tracking with partners through trends analysis and training offerings
Maintain and update VCET’s scenario planning book for partners and stakeholders
Admin & Special Projects (10%)
In collaboration with the Director of Civic Engagement, develop program-specific budgets and work closely with the Operations Director to track expenditures and stay within budget
Work alongside development staff to support the identification, solicitation, and stewardship for new and recurring grants
Attend local, regional and national coalition convenings as a representative of VCET or our coalitions
Prepare, present, and distribute programmatic reports every quarter
Other duties as assigned
Requirements
Your Starting Point
The Election Protection program is highly structured and continuously evolving; you will not be creating a program from scratch and you will be inheriting many pre-existing systems and rhythms. We are looking for someone who is both eager to understand its history and current iteration and to deepen the quality beyond its current state. There are support systems in place to have a gentle ramp, but we’re also nearing a primary election so you will need to be ready to dive in on day one.
Who You Are
To be successful in this role, you will have 4+ years of experience working in civic engagement, voting rights, community organizing, or electoral organizing. More specifically, you will be most of the following:
Effective project manager: You enjoy utilizing spreadsheets and/or systems. You manage effectively upwards, sideways, and all ways. You have an ability to handle a wide portfolio of projects with multiple deadlines, keeping the big picture in mind while managing the details. You hoe to the end of the row. You hold a high bar for the timeliness of your work, including follow-up and follow-through. You ask for help when needed. You leave things (and people) better than you found them. You exhibit these qualities without succumbing to perfectionism or false urgency, and you don’t expect that of your colleagues.
Strong interpersonal and relational skills: You love people, and the mosaic that makes up communities of people. You lean into conversations; that doesn’t mean you’re an extrovert but you’re curious and care about people. You listen to understand and can clearly communicate the next steps to address the challenges expressed (be that an immediate band-aid, a long-term fix, or an empathetic, "not right now and here's why"). You are able to quickly build a connection with colleagues across the network. You are known for being able to understand and translate the nuances of policy into language all people can easily follow.
Skilled and collaborative problem-solver: You can do a lot with a little. You’re comfortable proposing ideas as solutions, even if they don’t always stick. You toggle thinking in the present and five steps down the road anticipating & troubleshooting challenges. You value each step from ideation to implementation. You can weigh multiple, sometimes competing factors; the impact of various decisions; who may be helped or harmed as a result of those decisions; and identify practical options.
Demonstrated track record of advancing racial equity and justice: You are conscientious of the ways race and other identities intersect in biases and inequities in the workplace just as much as they do in civic life. You center equity, justice, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of the work. You proactively spot equity and justice in the work and can bring practical solutions by drawing on personal experience combating white supremacy and other interconnecting systems of oppression. You can name and grapple with how your own identities play out in the work. Your north star is systems and culture change that operationalizes equity. You know “how we do'' is just as important as “what we do.”
Note: Research shows that people from minoritized groups apply to jobs only if they meet every single qualification. No one, not even the strongest candidates, meets every qualification. If the work we do at VCET piques your interest and you think you could be a good fit for our team, we urge you to not exclude yourself prematurely and to submit your resume for consideration. There are no formal education requirements for this position. People of all educational backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
This position requires access to a computer, internet, and reliable transportation. If you do not have a computer or access to a vehicle, it will not affect your candidacy and we will provide necessary equipment or tools upon hiring.
Location
VCET is a distributed team across Virginia and DC.
While the Election Protection Manager will primarily work remotely, they will be expected to be in the state of Virginia for all Election Days and relevant partner convenings.
