Do you love harnessing grassroots power to help build a more equitable economy? Do you love supporting business owners in strengthening their communities? Do you want to be on the front lines of reimagining what kinds of economic development collaborations might be possible in the unique region that is the Palouse? Are you passionate about racial equity and ready to work towards making it a reality within our region? Are you excited about using innovative strategies to address racial wealth gaps and disparities in opportunity between rural and urban communities? We are looking for a multi-talented community organizer to help reach out and listen to people who are in positions to help engage in this mission throughout the greater Palouse region.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Spokane Independent Metro Business Alliance (SIMBA) is looking for a contract organizer based in Southeastern Washington to help conduct an outreach and listening drive and assist local entrepreneurs in the launch of a regional Live Local Palouse online marketplace. The organizer will help to assess the capacity building opportunities in Palouse communities to better support under-served and under-represented business owners and entrepreneurs in this part of our state through the pandemic recovery and beyond.

This is an opportunity to be a part of an innovative collaboration to bring forth new grassroots economic development capacity that will help the Palouse region become more equitable and sustainable over time. Your mission will be to meet with and interview key business leaders, refer pandemic impacted businesses to available resources, host and facilitate community discussions, and record, synthesize and report back on community feedback. The position has three main areas of responsibility: reaching out to business owners and leaders, sharing information about free COVID-response resources, and summarizing and compiling findings.

Downtown Colfax by Christopher Anderson for the Spokesman-Review

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Meet weekly one-on-one meeting goals through phone, email and in-person outreach
  • Lay the groundwork for community meetings and business issue forums
  • Collect and assess existing networks of business resources and support
  • Facilitate conference calls and virtual and in-person events
  • Represent SIMBA in the community as appropriate
  • 25% of outreach time will be invested in connecting people with business development support services provided by the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Organizing experience in the community, on campaigns, or on campus; small business experience a plus
  • Preference given to someone who has worked in communities of color and/or in rural communities
  • Passion for building power through economic organizing and leadership development
  • Demonstrated ability to organize volunteers into highly functioning teams
  • Self-starter who’s able to work in a generative, organizing initiative work environment
  • Extraordinary people and organizational skills
  • Innovative, creative, curious and balanced between process and outcomes orientations
  • Excels at working in teams and coalitions
  • Able to self-manage and reliably work remotely

IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS:

  • 2-3 years or more of community, business, or union organizing experience
  • Experience leading trainings and facilitating workshops
  • Spanish language skills a plus
  • Technology friendly: proficient with Google docs, Microsoft Office, and CRMs such as The Databank
  • Experience with online organizing strategies and platforms
  • Experience working with nonprofit organizations
  • Strategic planning skills
  • Flexibility to travel within the SE Washington region
  • Ability to stay organized, balance competing priorities and get work done on time and with minimal management

CHARACTERISTICS:

  • has integrity, compassion, empathy
  • values transparency, honesty, trust
  • can moderate participation to create space, practices “other awareness” as well as self-awareness
  • has humility, interested in teaching and learning at the same time
  • systemic and holistic thinker
  • comfortable with non-hierarchical leadership models
  • solution-oriented, takes initiative

COMPENSATION:

This is a contract position that pays $35-40/hour, depending on experience, for ¾ time over 6-9 months. Contractors is responsible for all state and federal taxes. There are no benefits associated with this position.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, please fill out our application form and upload the requested documents here: https://tinyurl.com/simbaorganizer

We will consider applications as they arrive. Please send in your application as soon as possible.

This three quarters-time position will start as soon as possible. Please send all questions regarding this position to Mariah McKay, mariah@spokaneindependent.org. Please no phone calls or drop-in visits.

SIMBA is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, persons with disabilities and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex are particularly encouraged to apply. SIMBA will provide reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request.

ABOUT SIMBA:

SIMBA (https://www.spokaneindependent.org) is the independent business alliance of the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene metro region. We build a prosperous, equitable, and local economy by organizing and educating regional businesses, consumers, and partners. SIMBA envisions a connected, interdependent, supportive, and collaborative local economy with shared opportunities, broadened ownership, and unique community character for all.