Civic Empowerment Coalition Voter Engagement Canvasser Grand Rapids, MI · Part time

Apply for Voter Engagement Canvasser

TITLE: Voter Engagement Canvasser

FLSA STATUS:

Non-Exempt (Hourly)

LOCATION:

Southwest Michigan Counties - Kent (Grand Rapids), Kalamazoo, Alleghan, Berrien. This position will be working on-the-ground as a canvasser.

HIRING RANGE:

$18.00 to $20.00 per hour.

About the Civic Empowerment Coalition: The Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) established by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in 1983 (under a different name) for the purposes of civically engaging farm worker and Latinx communities. The CEC is a sister organization of the United Farm Workers of America 501(c)(5), the nation’s largest farm worker labor union, and the UFW Foundation 501(c)(3). The CEC is committed to advance equity for farm workers and their families. Therefore, the organization is launching the “Farm Workers in Action” Campaign. This campaign seeks to raise awareness about the urgency of the moment in our democracy to ensure that community members who live and work in rural communities and those who support farm workers vote and engage. The CEC is active on-the-ground in Michigan, Arizona, Georgia and California.

OUR WHY: We believe that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. We lift up the voices of farm workers and rural Latinos. Rural organizing and advocacy are at the heart of what the Civic Empowerment Coalition does. We recognize that our efforts in public spaces—in raising awareness, educating farm workers, the public and policy makers—all promise greater impact on greater numbers of people and help create more just and equitable policies and practices. The more that farm workers are able to thrive by gaining legal status, better wages and worker protections and a deeper understanding of the importance of their engagement, the greater the social and economic resilience of rural communities and our food system. Help us motivate the Latino community to engage civically during this critical election year.  

SUMMARY: Voter Engagement Canvassers (VE Canvassers) must have excellent communication skills to encourage and engage the Latino community to vote. VE Canvasser’s primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to: (1) going door-to-door in targeted communities to connect with voters and (2) recruiting volunteers for voter engagement events. Ideal candidates are bilingual, highly organized, reliable, and self-starters who thrive on face-to-face communication. VE Canvassers will report to a Voter Engagement Coordinator.

This position may work closely with the other organizations to maximize the Civic Empowerment Coalition’s (CEC) presence and impact in moving our progressive governing agenda at the national and state levels.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:  (This is not an exhaustive list)

• Educate and engage voters through door-to-door canvassing, phone banking, and text banking.
• Register voters, and assist with absentee ballot/early voting process.
• Train and empower farm workers, children of farm workers and community members to canvass Latino neighborhoods for the purposes of increasing voter turnout.
• Establish and build key partnerships with local students, business leaders, community members, civic leaders, and grassroots organizations.
• Increase and engage Latino voter turnout through Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) strategies.
• Maintain a ‘¡Si Se Puede!’ mindset and attitude through the campaign. 
• Meet all campaign goals and metrics to the extent possible. 
• Attend and assist with press events and actions, for example: rallies and canvass launch in key neighborhoods and/or activities centered on voter engagement, etc.
• Provide information about the voting process and answer any questions.
• Attend and participate in Team daily check-in meetings to set daily goals.
• Attend and participate in Team daily debrief meetings to report field results. 
• Complete daily and weekly reports on progress.
• Must be able to travel regularly within Latino communities in assigned counties.
• Must be able to work weekends and afternoons. 
• Participate in and complete all required training.  
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• May supervise interns and/or volunteers.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

The ideal candidate for this position must have a high level of professionalism and organization. The candidate must demonstrate competency in the following areas:

• Ability to work well with diverse groups, under challenging deadlines.
• Able to work a flexible schedule, with weekday evening and weekend hours as needed.
• Dedication to Mission. A genuine interest in immigrant and farm worker rights.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in both Spanish and English.
• Must be able to move throughout residential neighborhoods for long periods of time.
• Must have reliable transportation and state Driver’s License and vehicle insurance. Mileage reimbursement is available.
• Outgoing and comfortable with talking to the public, traversing about neighborhoods and knocking on doors to engage community members.
• Polite and courteous.
• Punctual, well organized, self-motivated, energetic, and motivated to work independently.
• Si Se Puede ® (It Can Be Done) Attitude. The embodiment of a personal spirit that promotes confidence, courage and risk-taking.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. This position requires bilingual and/or bi-literate ability (English/Spanish).
• MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• REASONING ABILITY: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to solve practical problems. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous canvassing or face-to-face selling experience preferred, but not required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• High School diploma or equivalent.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Must have reliable transportation and valid Driver’s License and vehicle insurance. Fuel reimbursement is available.
• Must be proficient with MS office applications (Word, Excel, E-mail and Internet).

COMPENSATION: 

The hourly pay range for this position is $18.00 to $20.00 per hour.

ADDITIONAL AND/OR SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement – The Civic Empowerment Coalition is committed to ensuring the health and safety of our community, employees, and program participants. While vaccinations and boosters are not currently mandatory, we strongly recommend their use as a crucial measure in reducing the transmission of COVID-19. It is imperative to emphasize that if a pandemic situation arises that necessitates vaccines and/or boosters, we will reinstate this requirement to protect everyone effectively. Vaccinations have proven to be effective in preventing the spread of the virus and reducing severe illness. By choosing to get vaccinated, individuals contribute to the collective effort in mitigating the impact of the pandemic and creating a safer environment for all. We will continually monitor the evolving situation and follow the guidance of health authorities. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

The Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe a strong commitment to equal employment opportunity is more than a legal and moral obligation – it is also a sound business practice to realize the potential of every individual. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all! In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunity to all individuals, employment decisions at the  Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Except where required or permitted by law, employment practices will not be influenced or affected by an applicant’s or employee’s race, color, religion, sex/gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, age, or any characteristic protected by law. 

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply for a position fighting for farm worker and immigrant communities! The Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) believes in second chances. As an organization, we will rely on individualized assessments in the hiring of those with past criminal convictions.

 The Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with qualified disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Persons of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, persons with disabilities, persons who have lived in poverty, formerly incarcerated, persons 40 years old or older, and people fluent in more than one language are strongly encouraged to apply for open positions with the Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC). 

This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, counseling, discipline, termination, access to benefits and training. Our commitment to equal opportunity employment applies to all persons involved in our operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee, including supervisors and co-workers.

Anticipated end date: 11/6/2024