Witness to Innocence Seeking to Hire Texas Field Organizer

Witness to Innocence, which, along with Journey of Hope, helped to send six death exonerees to our Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break last week, as well as sending three exonerees to last October’s 10th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty, is looking to hire three new staff members.

One of the new staff positions is as a Texas Field Organizer.

We know many people in Texas who have been working years against the death penalty with many impressive achievements, including last week’s alternative spring break. Maybe WTI will hire one of the experienced Texas organizers to be their Texas Field Organizer. They want the person to relocate to Austin, which just happens to be where some of the most experienced Texas anti-death penalty organizers already live.

Here is the description for the Texas position:

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
 

Job Title:    Texas Field Organizer  
Hours:     40 hours per week (frequent evening and weekend work
                                                                  required; irregular hours; extensive travel within the state of       
                                                                  Texas is required)
Benefits    Individual health insurance 
Reports to:    Executive Director   
Salary Level:    $32,000 per year

Supervisory Responsibilities: The Texas Field Organizer may be required to supervise interns, work study students, temporary or part-time organizers, and volunteers assigned by the executive director to the states organizing program. 

Summary: The Texas Field Organizer will be responsible for the successful operation of the Witness to Innocence (WTI) program to assist Texas anti-death penalty organizations in their efforts to reform, restrict, or repeal the death penalty and to reform the state’s criminal justice system to prevent wrongful capital convictions. 

Responsibilities:       The Texas Field Organizer will be responsible for: 

1. Organizing and coordinating WTI’s collaborative events and campaigns with Texas anti-death penalty and criminal justice organizations.    

2. Organizing and coordinating all logistical details for WTI’s collaborative events and campaigns in Texas, including assisting any WTI members participating in events or campaigns in that  state. 

3. Developing organizing and informational materials for WTI collaborative events and campaigns in Texas.  

4. Maintaining communication with key staff members and leaders from Texas anti-death penalty and criminal justice organizations.  The Texas Field Organizer will serve as a key liaison between Texas anti-death penalty and criminal justice organizations and WTI.

5. Keeping informed about political conditions related to the death penalty and related criminal justice issues in Texas  The Texas Field Organizer will be expected to report to the Executive Director about relevant death penalty and criminal justice-related developments in Texas. 

6. Attending meetings and strategy sessions in Texas related to efforts to reform, restrict, or repeal the death penalty and/or reform the criminal justice system in Texas. 

Education, Experience, and Qualifications: 

• BA in relevant field or at least three years experience in the fields of community organizing, labor organizing, issue campaign management, or political campaign management.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Basic computer skills, including knowledge of and proficiency with Microsoft office programs.
• Experience living and working in Texas will be considered a major plus.
• Ability to speak Spanish will be considered a major plus.
• Supervisory experience will be considered a major plus.
• Specific experience in managing or working for a statewide issue campaign or political campaign will be considered a major plus.
• Commitment to social justice and abolition of the death penalty is required.

Special Condition:

• The applicant must be willing to work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and occasional seven-day weeks (with compensatory time off for any irregular work hours) and also be willing to engage in frequent travel within the state of Texas.  S/he must be willing to relocate to a city in Texas, preferably Austin.

To apply, please send a resume, cover letter, three references and a writing sample to: krosenberg@witnesstoinnocence.org or to P.O. Box 34725, Philadelphia, PA 19101.  No telephone inquiries, please.

Witness to Innocence is seeking talented and experienced individuals for the following full-time positions:

* Speakers Bureau Coordinator
* States Field Organizer
* Texas Field Organizer

Please see the links below to download the job descriptions for these new positions.