Update

This position has been filled. Thank you for your interest in working at WSCO! Check our job openings page for any future opportunities.

Who we are

The West Side Community Organization (WSCO) organizes the people of St. Paul's West Side to build collective power, and advance justice and racial equity in our neighborhood. We envision a just, united, self-reliant West Side where all of our people are connected, safe, healthy and successful. We are a nonprofit organization that also serves as the planning council for Saint Paul District 3.  At WSCO, we find ourselves in a season of organizational growth that will allow us to deepen our impact as we organize for housing justice, equity in land use & development, health and environmental justice, and community care. 

Where we’re at

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the most powerful neighborhood organizations in the country. We’ve just won the strongest rent stabilization policy in the country as part of the Housing Equity Now coalition. This year, we’ve set our sights on organizing a tenant’s union and moving towards  more dignified, equitable, accessible housing. We want to address the root causes of housing inequities by pursuing cooperative ownership models, working with land trusts, and researching other models. We’re looking for an organizer to bring this bold vision for the future of our neighborhood to life.

The opportunity

The West Side Community Organization (WSCO) is seeking two full-time Housing Justice Community Organizers to join our team. The Housing Justice Organizers will work closely as a team, together with our Lead Organizer, community leaders, and West Side residents, as well as other WSCO staff and board members. Their work in 2022 will center around building a base of West Side tenants who lead and drive our housing justice work, build long-term power through building the first ever West Side Tenants Union and exploring cooperative housing models that resonate with our base of tenant leaders. Candidates should share WSCO’s vision of a just and joyful West Side where everyone is guaranteed safe, dignified, and truly affordable housing without fear of displacement.    

Position summary 

• Reports to: The Community Organizer reports to the Lead Organizer
• Compensation: $48,000 annually. This is a salaried, exempt position 
• Benefits: Full health care, paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays. In addition to vacation time, all staff get two weeks paid time off at the end of the year when our office is closed.
• Schedule:  40 hours per week, some evenings and weekends required
• Location: Hybrid (both remote and in-person). Applicants should  live in the Twin Cities metro area, and be able to attend in-person meetings, events, etc. on St. Paul’s West Side)

What you’ll do

Outreach, Engagement & Relationship Building 

• Organize West Side resident renters on issues directly affecting their quality of life
• Canvass and Engage impacted  West Side tenants, solicit ideas, cultivate leaders, and develop community-led campaigns utilizing a variety of strategies (doorknocking, phone calls, texting, emailing, flyering, digital engagement, etc.)
• Hold regular one-on-one conversations with West Siders to deepen relationships, identify community leaders, and build the tenant WSCO base 
• Identify potential neighborhood tenant leaders and support them in increasing their leadership and expanding their skills through training and propositions
• Build and maintain a base of engaged West Side tenants representative of West Siders most impacted by housing injustice on the West Side, who can lead WSCO housing campaigns. 
• Facilitate accessible and participatory community meetings online and in person
• Promote and engage residents in all aspects of our work
• Represent WSCO and the West Side in community meetings to network and build alliances with other community-based groups
• Organize actions as determined by our housing justice strategy. Actions could include: community meetings, press events, letter-to-the editor campaigns, and direct action.
• Conduct meetings, actions, and other campaign strategies with tenants and with building management, and connecting tenants with legal and other resources 
• Ensure that the West Side’s diverse races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, classes and abilities are represented in organizational planning, activities and decisionmaking 
• Participate in event planning, set up & take down

Research 

• Learn about emerging community issues and community strengths through research, surveys, conversations, and listening sessions, and share knowledge with coworkers and community members
• Learn about local history and current policies related to housing and related issues and communicate this in accessible ways to the community 
• Research and establish connections with resource providers to share with the community. 

Administrative 

• Administrative tasks including limited note taking and data entry, as well as filling out timesheets, printing, copying, etc. 
• Share written summaries and photos/videos of activities with our communications team

Organizational responsibilities

• Enthusiastically promote WSCO’s goals and have a deep investment in our mission
• Represent WSCO and participate in community events  
• Build strategic relationships and alliances with the broader community
• Participate in all-hands-on-deck events (such as monthly Voices Forums and our Annual Meeting) 
• Support the growth and stability of WSCO by helping with fundraising activities
• Compliance with all organizational policies and procedures

Who we’re looking for 

Required experience & skills 

• Experience in community organizing with people from diverse cultural and socioeconomic groups (minimum 1 year experience)
• A demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice and an understanding of the intersections of racial, gender, and economic justice.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Enthusiastic about connecting with West Siders door-to-door and on the phones.
• Proficiency using a computer and cell phone
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple tasks 
• This position requires frequent travel across St. Paul’s West Side neighborhood and occasional travel within the Twin Cities metro. Reliable transportation is required (whether by public transport, biking, etc), but is preferably via a personal vehicle with a valid driver’s license.
• There is no minimum education requirement for this position.

Desired experience (not required)

• Lived experience or professional experience related to housing justice
• Technical experience with (or ability to learn) Zoom and Google apps (Gmail, Google Drive, etc.)
• Ability to speak a language other than English (especially Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Oromo, or Karen)

Other desired candidate qualifications

• Ability to communicate needs and ask for support when faced with challenges
• Engage productively and respectfully with coworkers and community members, is a proactive problem-solver, and contributes to a positive and healthy shared work environment​. Commitment to a team, and a model of shared power
• Confidence in initiating conversations with community members about their stories, and a willingness to be bold in conversations with strangers and volunteers
• Flexibility in navigating change (organizationally and in the organizing landscape)

Application process

• We are no longer accepting applications for this position.

Working environment

Work is performed in both a home office and in-person office environment. Our office is at 209 Page St. West, in Saint Paul. It is ADA accessible and has an elevator; offices are on the main floor. This role may require occasionally lifting articles like file boxes or heavier materials with help from others and/or lifting and carrying light objects frequently. The role requires sitting most of the time with long periods of computer work and phone usage. Occasional walking and standing may be required, such as canvassing neighbors door to door. Occasionally, working hours may fall outside normal business hours, and may include evenings and weekends. Reasonable accommodations will be made for staff as required by law.