Director of Resource Organizing

Southerners On New Ground (SONG) is a regional Queer and Trans Liberation organization made up of Black, Indigenous, and people of color, immigrants, undocumented people, disabled folks, poor and working-class, rural and small town, LGBTQ people in the South. We believe that we are bound together by a shared desire for ourselves, each other, and our communities to survive and thrive. We believe that Community Organizing is the best way for us to build collective power and transform the South. 

“We are looking for the people who are looking for us.” 

SONG is hiring! In the midst of continued political attacks and an ongoing need to increase our internal capacity, SONG is planting seeds of renewal and building a team of the willing. Our staff is a beautiful tapestry of brilliant, passionate freedom fighters. The recipe for success includes team members who bring deep organizing backgrounds, popular education skills, and astute political analyses. 

We’re looking for everything listed in the job description below, and believe there is a person out there who is looking for this particular portal: one who is ready to roll up their sleeves and join shoulder-to-shoulder with us to do the unique work required to steward SONG into its next powerful stage. This person has long experience in the overlap of these circles: grassroots organizing, fundraising, and LGBTQIA+ community building with all of its promises and all of its challenges. We seek a person who resonates with the following ideas: “low ego, high impact”; interdependence; and who is “willing to be transformed in the service of the work.” Is that you? 

TITLE: Director of Resource Organizing 

HOURS: Full Time 

REPORTS TO: Co-Directors 

LOCATION: This position requires working remotely/from home (must be located in the South), with some travel to SONG convenings as well as evening and weekend work hours to support SONG’s operations.

POSITION SUMMARY: Grounded in SONG’S mission, vision, and theory of change, the Director of Resource Organizing collaborates with the Co-Directors to lead the resource development strategy of both the 501 c3 (SONG) and c4 (SONG POWER) entities. This position supervises the Resource Organizing Team, whose members are responsible for supporting the organization’s development strategy, which incorporates grassroots fundraising, major donor cultivation, and partnerships with foundations, as well as member-led and member-centered fundraising strategies and philanthropic organizing projects that benefit the movement. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Resource Organizing: 

● Create and implement the resource organizing strategy of the organization, for both the 501 c3 and c4 arms, with meticulous attention to record-keeping requirements 

● Maintain ongoing relationships with philanthropic institutions supporting SONG’s mission 

● Develop new partnerships with philanthropic organizations who will support SONG and its movement partners 

● Generate sources of financial support for SONG via major donors and grassroots fundraising, including membership and other sources of earned income 

● Gather input from and encourage the engagement of SONG members, staff, and board members in fundraising and development activities 

● Maintain the appropriate separation between 501c3 and c4 arms in all development materials and funding streams 

● Work in tandem with the Director of Operations and Finance to organize funding flow and management, including producing quarterly funding updates 

● Evaluate and update resource organizing strategy on a regular basis in collaboration with Co-Directors and other staff 

Management: 

● Manage Resource Team, which includes hiring, training, supervision, evaluation, professional development, support, retention, and promotion 

● Lead planning and support administrative tools for grants management such as fundraising calendar, reporting mechanisms, databases, CRM, etc. 

● Coordinate team through regular meetings and communications

● Support the development of member-led donor-organizing strategy - alongside the development team 

● Participate in the leadership of the organization to conduct organizational planning, including being willing to pivot and problem solve as necessary with the goal of contributing to a strong values-aligned organizational culture and healthy workplace 

Administrative Responsibilities:

Operations:

● Staff meetings and calls

● Operational systems and communications

● Work planning and adherence

● Staff development and evaluations

● Evaluation and Documentation

● Database Management

QUALIFICATIONS: 

● Understanding of and commitment to SONG’s organizational mission, vision, history, theory of change, political strategy, and issues affecting the lives of LGBTQ, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, immigrant, poor & working-class, and Latinx Southern communities 

● Proven ability to work within and across multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-gendered, and intergenerational communities 

● Strong interpersonal, facilitation, conflict and crisis management skills, including ability to give and receive constructive feedback. 

● Ability to manage multiple projects with overlapping deadlines, to work independently as well as collaboratively, and to ask for help when needed. 

● Minimum of five years of proven success with grant writing, cultivation of donors, and grassroots fundraising for an organization of similar size and scope. 

● Minimum of two years of senior leadership experience. 

● Comfort with working virtually, using Zoom and other virtual workplace platforms. 

● Proficient in the use of MS Office Suite and Granthub. Experience working with information management databases such as CiviCRM. 

● Experience working in both 501 c3 and c4 organizations preferred 

● English proficiency is required, an understanding of/experience working with language justice principles and practices is a plus 

● Bilingual (Spanish) is a plus 

● Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends 

● Willingness to travel up to 1 week per month (dependent on pandemic conditions) 

● Must work and reside in the South 

COMPENSATION: Compensation for this role is set at $105,882 per year with a generous benefits package including fully paid medical insurance, wellness care and childcare support packages. In addition to organizational breaks in the summer and winter, SONG offers a generous time off policy, as well as paid parental leave and paid sabbatical. This is a permanent position, however, the starting contract agreement is for the first three months to ensure the hire is a good fit for SONG and the person hired. Meals & travel are covered for staff while on the road. 

SONG’S COMMITMENT & EXPECTATIONS OF NEW HIRES: SONG’s commitment to the new hire is, at its core, a political commitment. We believe that in order to support broad-based social justice movements for the long haul, we must continually develop new leaders and build SONG to get the work completed. Intentional and hands-on work with staff, fellows, and interns is one way we work towards these political goals. We are committed to a working exchange between SONG and new hires that are useful for both parties. 

HOW TO APPLY: Submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references to hiring@songsouth.org with the subject heading “Director of Resource Organizing position”. (E-mail applications only; no mail or phone calls, please.) Your resume and cover letter must include your current home address. While the rolling review of applications will continue until we find the right match, we strongly encourage applicants to send materials in by July 15th. Preferred start date is on or before October 1, 2024. 

SONG is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender/ gender identity/ gender expression, age, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, HIV serostatus, disability, or marital status.