Can you turn enthusiasm into action? Do you love connecting people to their power? Do you have experience working with communities and coalitions to win legislative and budget victories? Do you care about making it safer and easier for everyone to get around?
WABA is looking for a Washington, DC Organizer. This is a full-time permanent position to accelerate our efforts to pursue policy changes and infrastructure projects that make the District’s streets safer for all road users and help build out our multi-use trail network.
Position Overview
The DC Organizer engages with community members and educates key decision-makers to advance DC’s Low Stress Network: a network of protected, low-stress bike lanes and multi-use trails for walking, biking, and rolling. This work will focus on supporting community-led campaigns, monitoring and providing input on the District’s highest priority projects, and engaging with key decision-makers. WABA’s work in DC will prioritize communities with higher needs for sustainable, multimodal transportation especially in Ward 7 and Ward 8 where there is less infrastructure for walking, biking, and taking transit.
The DC Organizer will join WABA’s supportive and collaborative Advocacy Team, and report directly to the Advocacy Director. The WABA Advocacy team includes: the Advocacy Director, Regional Organizers for DC, Maryland, and Virginia, a volunteer Montgomery County Organizer, and a teammate focused on supporting coalitions and community outreach.
DC Organizer Job Responsibilities:
- (30%) Communicate with and educate relevant decision-makers and staff to encourage the development of bikeable, walkable streets and trails:
- Serve as a WABA spokesperson at public meetings on transportation projects, legislation, and the District’s operating and capital budgets.
- Draft and coordinate compelling sign-on letters and petitions.
- Research and write articles about current projects and campaigns.
- Communicate with relevant press members to ensure coverage of bike and trail issues in news media.
- (30%) Collaborate with and support advocates and community coalitions in DC to call for bikeable, walkable streets, multi-use trails, and improved transit:
- Support and help develop community-led efforts.
- Respond to inquiries from community members.
- Coordinate with and between coalition partners to advance campaigns and projects.
- Cultivate new supporters in DC through grassroots outreach, trainings, and coalition building.
- (25%) Support WABA’s engagement efforts to advance safer, more equitable transportation options in Wards 7 and 8:
- Monitor developments to infrastructure projects and policies that impact active transportation and road safety and share updates with stakeholders.
- Attend, listen, and engage with attendees at community meetings in Wards 7 or 8 and work with WABA staff to host engagement events.
- Help recruit a cohort of engaged community members and volunteers in Wards 7 & 8 to support events and outreach efforts.
- (10%) Manage the Community Outreach & Coalitions Coordinator.
- Meet regularly to provide guidance, track progress, and coordinate work plans.
- Advise on event and outreach planning, and support activities as needed.
- Support grant reporting and funder relationship building.
- (5%) Support WABA activities, such as staffing other WABA events, responding to general inbox Q&A, stuffing envelopes, loading equipment, and tidying up.
Qualifications
Consider applying if you meet 75% of these requirements. The ideal candidate will demonstrate experience or background in the following:
Core Skills:
- 2-3 years of experience in advocacy, community organizing, and/or political campaigns
- Familiarity with legislative and bureaucratic decision-making processes, particularly in DC
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
- Virtual and in-person event planning experience
- Ability to develop and manage projects from start to finish
- Demonstrated commitment to equity and social justice
- Experience building and maintaining diverse coalitions or direct experience working with underserved communities
- Technological fluency: The organizer will create and maintain spreadsheets, run reports, and communicate with our members and the public via a myriad of online organizing tools, including WordPress and Salesforce. The Advocacy Team uses Google office tools (G-Suite) and Microsoft Office tools to collaborate on work.
Useful Skills and Experience
- Familiarity with safe streets issues in Washington, DC strongly preferred
- Experience engaging with and navigating DC government agencies
- Creativity in organizing and engaging stakeholders
- Ability to quickly digest and distill complicated information
- Comfort speaking in front of large groups, leading meetings, and working with diverse stakeholders
- Spanish language proficiency or fluency is a plus
The candidate must be located in the Washington, DC area or be willing to relocate — while WABA staff work a hybrid schedule, this position will require attending regular in-person events. Occasional evening and weekend work is required.
Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time, salaried, FLSA overtime-exempt position (salary range: $56,000-$63,000).
- 32 hour workweek!
- 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance premiums.
- Vacation, sick and personal leave, including:
- Accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation starting in your first year, with additional hours after two, five, and ten years of service.
- Accrue up to 160 hours annually of paid sick time starting in your first year.
- WABA supports and promotes the health of its staff. You may use accrued sick time for unscheduled leave when not feeling well (mind or body), as well as for scheduled medical appointments.
- Paid time off for holidays, generally following the federal holiday calendar.
- Twelve weeks paid parental leave through the DC Paid Family Leave act (based on eligibility), and four weeks of additional parental leave from WABA.
- Immediate access to WABA’s 403(b) retirement program, with up to a 5% employer match after one year of service.
- Optional commuter transit benefit (pre-tax deduction).
- Optional voluntary benefits including life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability.
- Passionate, supportive colleagues who are dedicated to working together for our mission and seeing the impact of our work.
- Discounted Annual Capital Bikeshare membership
About WABA
WABA empowers people to ride bikes, build connections, and transform places. We envision a just and sustainable transportation system where walking, biking, and transit are the best ways to get around.
Visit our about page to read about our values, theory of change, and more.
WABA is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, disability, sex, or age.
How to Apply:
Submit a cover letter and resume in one PDF to Kalli Krumpos at jobs@waba.org with “DC Organizer” in the subject line. In your application materials, please help us understand your suitability for the role, how you would contribute to the diversity of WABA’s staff, and let us know where you learned about the position.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Please, no phone calls.