North Carolina Voting Rights Program Manager

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Voting Rights Program Manager will work with the state election advocacy coalition and partners of the America Votes table to organize around key voting rights issues locally and in the state legislature. This will include tracking legislation, implementation, and rule-making; engagement with election officials and local boards of elections; and general election protection efforts to ensure convenient voting access for all North Carolinians. The Program Manager will bring key organizations and stakeholders together to execute the larger coalition strategy around this work that focuses on protecting access to the ballot, election administration modernization, and easing the administrative burden of election officials. This position reports to the North Carolina State Director and the National Voting Rights Director, and runs through April 2023 with the potential to extend. 

LOCATION

This position is based in North Carolina, preferably in Raleigh; and may require travel around the state. Other localities in the state are negotiable. The role may require some travel and reasonable access to an airport is required. America Votes is currently in a temporary period or remote work. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• The North Carolina Voting Rights Program Manager will support the coordination of:
• Legislative work around voting rights and election administration. Cultivate and manage a nonpartisan bank of messengers on voting issues; help coordinate and draft testimony, and train spokespeople as needed 
• Engagement with election officials and boards of elections, including staying up to date on county by county election preparations, capacity, anticipated changes, allocation of resources, implementation of new laws, and status of targeted advocacy requests.
• Election administration implementation and compliance at the local and state level, including the implementation of new elections-related legislation.
• Election protection efforts with partners and key stakeholders across North Carolina, including statewide poll worker recruitment effort as needed. 
• Build and manage relationships within the voting rights coalition, help grow coalition membership and expertise, and empower coalition members across the state to identify and work on a coordinated strategy.  
• Participate in weekly coalition calls with state voting coalition partners and national partners to report on progress. Coordinate efforts with state and national organizations participating in aligned efforts, including local election administrator-led efforts.
• Support external communications with partners including weekly emails, workgroup listservs, meeting follow-up, and regular phone calls. Organize and facilitate coordinated and/or collaborative partner events, such as coalition meetings and trainings.
• Help prepare and schedule meetings with coalition partners and election officials, keep meeting minutes, follow up on action items, and track engagement with local election offices.  
• Track compliance of jurisdictions subject to new language requirements, including but not limited to website translations, legal ads, ballot language, sample ballots, and bilingual staffing at elections offices and in-person voting locations.
• Monitor local implementation of new federal, state, and local districts and their impact on voting locations and reprecincting to monitor against mass consolidations, and right-sized precincts that could accommodate population growth over the following decade. 
• Work in close partnership with communications partners and other organizations to create and disseminate strategic messaging guidance around elections administration related legislative and post-session accountability campaigns.
• Provide weekly updates to national and state leadership related to legislative, lobbying, advocacy, election official engagement, and other related progress; as well as challenges, needs, and opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED

• 4 - 6 years of voting rights, advocacy, organizing, nonprofit, electoral campaign, or government experience, and at least two years of experience working within a coalition. 
• Past work in implementing an election or advocacy campaign. Ideal candidates will have experience in volunteer engagement or voter mobilization including registration, absentee vote, early vote, or Election Day voter mobilization.
• Experience working with underrepresented and/or historically marginalized communities, preferably developing or leading voting rights advocacy campaigns or organizing settings.
• Strong sense of ownership and resilience with respect to planning ahead, finding alternative paths when needed, and bouncing back from setbacks and rejections. Demonstrated ability to move people to action and hold them accountable with and without formal authority
• Respect for local organizations, election officials, leaders, and programs.
• Familiarity with North Carolina election laws and administration of election systems. Ideal candidates will have expertise in election administration and related advocacy.
• Experience creating reports and presentations for various audiences, and leading meetings of diverse stakeholders. 
• Proficient in Google Suites or Microsoft Office with emphasis on using Excel, Powerpoint, Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets. Comfort with designing decks in Powerpoint, Google Slides, and Canva.
• Excellent writing, communication, presentation, and time management skills, with attention to detail.  
• Ability to work independently and to drive and manage own workload; ability to manage several tasks/projects concurrently and prioritize work effectively by making and meeting team goals.
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills and sound judgment; positive attitude and sense of humor.
• willingness and aptitude to seek out and learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments; and willing to work irregular hours and travel as needed.

PREFERRED

• Knowledge of and experience in North Carolina politics, state/local lobbying, managing contractors, and/or community organizations.
• Experience or training in race equity/anti-racist frameworks; a general understanding of how power intersects with gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and class in organizing and electoral settings.

COMPENSATION

This position runs through April 2023 with the potential to extend. The salary will be between $5,800 - $6,000 per month, depending on the applicant's experience. America Votes offers a competitive benefits package covering 90% of employee medical, dental, & vision insurance premiums, life insurance, long term disability coverage, cell phone stipend, personal professional development funds, parental leave, and 401 (K) after six months of continuous service with the organization. America Votes provides a generous paid time off policy with paid vacation, paid sick leave and personal days, at least 10 Federal paid holidays including Juneteenth, as well as paid organizational time off from at least December 25 to January 1.

https://americavotes.org/jobs/?job_id=5f00304b-3056-4d24-9f3e-f0f853b5246d