Reclaim Philadelphia is a member-led basebuilding organization that builds community power to reclaim government for the people and advance economic, racial, and gender justice. Since its founding in 2016, Reclaim has significantly changed the political landscape in Philadelphia, contributing to a series of previously unimaginable electoral victories and subsequent policy and legislative wins.
Reclaim is seeking an Executive Director to lead the organization, working closely with the member-led and elected board (which we call the Citywide Committee) and active network of volunteers to build organizational capacity; grow and expand the organization’s resources, staff, and infrastructure; broaden and strengthen our multiracial grassroots base through neighborhood chapters across the city; and mobilize that base to win issues and elections.
Working closely with the Citywide Committee, staff, and member leaders, the Executive Director will be responsible for building the strong organizational foundation Reclaim needs to grow its impact and its base. The Executive Director will oversee the creation and implementation of a new strategic plan; take responsibility for the organization’s financial health, administration, and internal operations; and support staff and members in implementing our political and organizing goals. The Executive Director will also build, maintain, and strengthen relationships with partner organizations and elected officials, and help define Reclaim’s role as part of a broader left-progressive movement in Philadelphia and beyond.
Key Responsibilities:
- Organizational and political strategy: Partner with the Citywide Committee and staff to translate Reclaim’s political priorities into organizational plans, budgets, staffing, and infrastructure..
- Finance and administration: Oversee budgeting, financial management, reporting, compliance, contracts, payroll administration, and other core administrative functions. Manage and grow an operating budget in the range of $500K, develop and build consensus around fundraising and spending plans, and implement back-office systems for HR, compliance, finances, and accounting.
- Resource generation: Execute and grow Reclaim’s fundraising strategy, including grants, major donors, grassroots fundraising, and member dues in alignment with campaign development. Integrate resource generation into all aspects of our organizing.
- People leadership: Supervise, mentor, and develop staff and member leaders in their organizing work; establish clear roles, priorities, and systems of accountability.
- Governance: Support the Citywide Committee with timely financial and organizational information and ensure strong communication and accountability between Reclaim’s staff and elected member leadership.
- External relationships: Develop and maintain relationships with funders, organizational and elected partners, labor, community organizations, and others important to Reclaim’s work and sustainability.
What Success Looks Like:
- Grow the base and membership.
- Grow the staff. Secure the necessary funds to hire additional staff organizers.
- Strengthen the structures. Develop, review, and evaluate all of Reclaim’s internal systems and structures, as well as campaigns, partnerships, and coalitions. Work with the Citywide Committee to establish goals for the year and systems to demonstrate and report on progress toward those goals.
Qualifications
We are looking for someone who:
- Shares Reclaim’s values, believes in our theory of change, and is committed to building multiracial working-class power and solidarity.
- Is creative, kind, respectful, positive, and organized.
- Has experience with some combination of the following organizing methodologies: basebuilding and relational organizing, distributed organizing, leadership development, electoral campaign management, issue campaign development, coalition building.
- Has demonstrated success in resource development and cultivating donor/ investor relationships.
- Has a demonstrated commitment to building powerful relationships across lines of race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, ability, and ideology.
- Has substantial experience managing teams, as well as experience managing an organization’s finances, operations, and administration; experience with multi-entity organizations a plus.
- Can create and implement short- and long-term strategy; can work quickly and efficiently to get things done in the short term while building for the long term.
- Is comfortable with learning and adapting to new technologies.
- Has experience working effectively with boards, volunteer leaders, or other governing bodies.
- Has a developed practice of collaborative communication, relationship-building, and conflict resolution skills and techniques.
- Has an understanding of Philadelphia’s political and organizing landscape, or a willingness and ability to learn it quickly!
In addition, ideal candidates would have:
- Knowledge and experience working in and across 501c3s, 501c4s, and PACs.
- Deep public relationships in Philadelphia.
- Background in broad-based community organizing and base-building.
- Relationships and experience in the local and regional fundraising world.