Description
Michigan Senior Manager of Campaigns and Partnerships
Organization Overview
America Votes works year-round to build a more representative democracy, strengthen every American's right to vote, and win elections in key states.
America Votes leads a robust, growing coalition of more than 400 progressive organizations across the country, building coordinated plans and executing shared strategies to win elections. America Votes provides a range of services to partners, including strategic planning, advocacy and electoral campaign coordination, data tools and targeting services, and on-the-ground leadership in states.
For more than 20 years, America Votes has been the common link between many of the most influential and impactful issue and membership organizations in the country, serving as the coordination hub of the progressive community. America Votes' work has brought together a wide range of causes and built a unified coalition that has transformed how the progressive community works. Together, America Votes and its partners have engaged communities across the country to act on critical issues - from fighting for working families, to defending reproductive freedom, to protecting the environment, and more - and mobilized millions of voters.
Racial Equity Statement
As a leader of collaborative efforts to mobilize voters, protect voting rights, and win elections, America Votes is committed to advancing racial equity within our organization and across our coalition. We acknowledge the systematic racism that permeates all facets of our society, including the right to vote. America Votes is also engaging with an understanding of the ways gender, sexuality and other forms of oppression intersect with race and how those relationships impact inequities our staff, our partners, and the communities that we engage in our work face.
America Votes strives to model our commitment to racial equity through our internal and external operations, programs, and partnerships. We acknowledge the inequitable structures that continue to exist and are moving forward with a sustained commitment in time, resources and people to challenge structural racism and work towards creating a reflective organization and democracy.
Position Description
America Votes is seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Manager of Campaigns and Partnerships to manage coalition wide voter engagement programs and winning electoral campaigns.
The Senior Manager of Partnerships and Campaigns plays a key role in the advancement of the progressive movement and is responsible for supporting the coordination and alignment of electoral, organizing, and advocacy work among partners and allies, with an emphasis on direct voter contact. This person will be a critical part of the state team and be responsible for partner-facing projects such as coordinating and implementing cross-coalition voter engagement programs, developing winning electoral strategies, and fostering a sense of community across the coalition. The Senior Manager for Partnerships and Campaigns will work directly with America Votes partners and allies in the state to facilitate best practices and incorporate research-tested tactics. This position reports directly to theMichigan State Director and will manage projects that advance shared electoral and democracy goals.
The ideal candidate brings deep experience building winning advocacy and independent expenditure campaigns, deep knowledge of coalition work, and experience implementing shared strategies. They are energized by bringing out the best work in others and comfortable switching frequently between on-the-ground support and developing complex spreadsheets. A high level of discretion, political judgement, and collaboration is required.
Position Responsibilities
Partnership Management and Coordination: Build and maintain thoughtful and trusting relationships with key stakeholders, including America Votes staff, America Votes partners, and allies in our work. Support coalition coordination by gathering information, elevating critical needs, monitoring benchmarks, providing high quality technical assistance including scaling up tactics and basic use of tools like Voter Activation Network (VAN) and internal tools and identifying gaps in collective strategy. This position will support coalition growth, sustainability, and effectiveness. Maintain external communications with partners (i.e. may include weekly emails) and workgroup listservs, meeting follow-up, regular phone calls, etc. Facilitate meetings or portions of meetings. Work assignments will include in person work including 1 on 1, small group, and larger coalition meetings and support to partner programs that will vary in size.
Campaign Support: Support coalition partners through the development of campaign plans and supporting the implementation of winning strategies. Lead coalition campaign work on voter engagement programs and electoral field campaigns, including supporting the integration of best practices as well as managing coordination and universe coverage. Support program implementation by leading meetings of coalition partners, which may include work groups on election-related topics, participating in campaign activities (like canvassing). Identify key opportunities to better leverage and/or mitigate state-specific election administration law or to strengthen voting access in the state.
Project Management: Own a portfolio of projects they are responsible for managing to completion. Support the State Director in implementing America Votes' organizational goals, including REI goals. Participate in team creation of work plans and team benchmarks for success. Manage special projects to deliver on team goals. Manage information about partner plans and programs. Represent America Votes at meetings and events, including the America Votes State Summit.
Program and Campaign Technical Assistance: Working with the State Director, state team, and national team, support partner usage of voter engagement tools including VAN or direct voter contact tools like Scale to Win. Work with staff, partners, vendors, consultants, and others on supporting the use of voter contact data in coalition programs. Ensure consistent support and access to best practice and data training and facilitate trouble shooting for the implementation of various campaign tools.
Voting Rights and Election Administration Leadership: Coordinate and align America Votes partner programs seeking to protect the vote and engage voters in their rights; this will include identifying gaps in current strategies, as well as cultivating trusted relationships with key election officials to gather necessary information to inform the overall program.
Capacity Building: Collaborates with other departments to provide training and resources for partner organizations. Develop or co-develop capacity-building opportunities for partners and work with the state team to assess program gaps and overlaps to maximize program impact for both issue and electoral efforts. Work with the state data director to support data needs of partner programs. The portfolio may include some grant management. Assist and lead in planning and implementation of meetings and events with partners and other stakeholders - including both AV led and stakeholder led.
Other responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
Professional Experience: At least 3-5 years of experience in progressive political campaigns, progressive non-profits or similar organizations or similar transferable experience. At least one cycle of experience with campaign field operations including canvass operations. Ideal candidates will have at least 3 years experience managing voter engagement programs including expertise in direct voter contact tactics like paid canvass, mail, and phone programs.
Relationship-building: Enthusiasm for building strong, trusting relationships with a diverse set of partners and allies over the long term; ability to build consensus, negotiate, and strategically disagree within a highly collaborative environment, Demonstrated ability to to practice confidentiality, discretion, and legal compliance in the work.
Entrepreneurial and Innovative: A general curiosity in how to strengthen traditional campaign tactics and programs-driving program innovations. Resilience in the face of set-backs and ability to pivot, often on short notice.
Tools: Familiarity with various data tools (i.e. VAN) with a deeper understanding how various tools can drive, align, and/or improve plans and programs. Proficient in Microsoft Office / Google Drive with emphasis on using Google Slides and Google Sheets. Must have the ability to manage a high volume of campaign data as well as create informational decks/slideshows.
Plan Writing: Experience developing advocacy or electoral campaign plans and strategies
Campaign Experience: Proven track record of leading programmatic work through a lens of racial equity. Familiarity with early vote, vote by mail, and voter mobilization programs. Understanding of common voter contact methods like canvass, mail, and phone programs and applying those to persuasion and mobilization efforts, including early vote.
Approach: Ability to work independently and to drive and manage own workload; ability to manage several tasks/projects concurrently and prioritize work effectively. Ability to travel within the state (as needed); ability to work irregular campaign style hours, especially during the peak months of the electoral cycle. Candidates should have a spirit of service and curiosity, along with a diplomatic approach to problem-solving in work with outside partners and while working independently or on a team.
Nice-to-have Qualifications: Skills and qualities that are a plus, but not a requirement:
Michigan/Battleground Experience: Experience working on advocacy and/or electoral campaigns in the state of Michigan or a similar competitive environment. Ideal candidates will have experience with data and targeting, using data to inform organizing and electoral campaign strategies. Familiarity with demographic specific programs like young voter/campus programs is a plus.
Election Administration/Protection Program Experience: Familiarity with state election administration laws and programs to educate and engage voters about their rights.
Location
This position is based in Michigan with a strong preference for SE Michigan (Detroit area), Lansing and travel around the state is expected with this position. Some national travel may be expected and reasonable access to an airport is required.
Compensation
The salary for this position will be between $70,000 and $75,000 and depend upon the applicant's experience. America Votes offers a competitive benefits package covering 100% of employee medical, dental, & vision insurance premiums, life insurance, long term disability coverage, monthly cell phone reimbursement, personal professional development funds, parental leave, and 401 (K) after four months of continuous service with the organization. America Votes provides a generous paid time off policy with paid vacation, unlimited sick and safe leave, paid personal days, at least 10 Federal paid holidays including Juneteenth, as well as paid organizational time off from at least December 23 to January 1. If represented byThe position is represented by the America Votes Workers Union.
To Apply
Please submit a copy of your resume, a cover letter and three references to the application form.
Please note that only applications received through the application form will be considered; please do not email us your application materials.
America Votes is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. America Votes does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected category under local, state or federal law. People of color, LGBTQ candidates, individuals with disabilities, and neurodivergent individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.
