Community Organizer

Friends of the Boundary Waters

CLASSIFICATION: Full time
REPORTS TO: Government Relations Director
LOCATION: Saint Paul, MN 

SUMMARY

Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness is seeking a full-time Community Organizer to plan and implement our in-person and digital organizing in Minnesota and organize our supporters to ensure permanent protection of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. You will lead our organizing efforts and planning to ensure our supporters participate in public events, presentations, and legislative and electoral advocacy. This position will plan and coordinate digital and in person outreach and organizing including fundraising for our political work. You will recruit, organize, and train volunteers and increase their affinity and engagement with the organization and our advocacy efforts. This position will also provide support for ensuring the success of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Action Network, which is an affiliate of the Friends that provides enhanced advocacy, including political outreach.  You will play a key role in growing Friend’s organizing capacity—building power in communities through relationship-based engagement, strategic campaigns, and on-the-ground action. You’ll also contribute to activist training and coaching systems to develop a bench of organizers and citizen leaders. 

The BWCA is facing an imminent threat at the federal level to open the headwaters of the BWCA to sulfide mining.  This threat could irreversibly change the wilderness character of the BWCA.  We are building a movement to ensure our elected leaders permanently protect the wilderness.  We need to meet the moment now by harnessing the energy in the community to protect the clean water and wilderness of the BWCA.  We’re looking for a Community Organizer who can bring this vision to life — someone ready to build, strategize, and organize for clean water and wilderness protection.

PRIMARY RELATIONSHIPS

  • Reports directly to the Government Relations Director.
  • Works effectively with other departments within the Friends, including Communications, Development, Operations, Education, and the Executive Director.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizing, Engagement & Relationship Building

  • Organize campaigns to support advocacy efforts at the State Capitol and U.S. Capitol.
  • Build and maintain a strong base of clean water and BWCA supporters who care deeply about the wilderness, through one-on-one conversations, outreach, and leadership development.
  • Engage activists through community organizing strategies—including press events, door knocking, phone banking, texting, emailing, flyering, direct actions, and more.
  • Identify and cultivate community leaders—engaging them and supporting their long-term engagement and growth.
  • Facilitate community meetings, both online and in person, that promote Friends’ campaigns and initiatives.
  • Represent Friends in community meetings and coalitions, build partnerships at the local and national level, and contribute to broader advocacy efforts across campaign areas.
  • Conduct strategic meetings with residents, campaign stakeholders, and power holders; connect community members to actions and solutions that will protect the BWCA.
  • Assist managing the Citizen Action Network program, including developing a system of incentives to recruit and retain volunteers and activists, maintaining volunteer notes in the database and, regularly surveying the network and other staff to assess needs.

Administrative

  • Share written summaries, photos, and videos of organizing activities with communications team for outreach and documentation purposes.
  • Support event planning and logistics, including setup and takedown for community events as needed.
  • Perform essential administrative tasks including thorough note-taking, data entry, timesheet completion, printing, and copying.

Organizational Responsibilities

  • Enthusiastically promote Friends’ goals and have a deep investment in our mission
  • Represent Friends and participate in community events.
  • Participate in all-hands-on-deck events such as Boundary Waters Day at the Capitol and the Minnesota State Fair.
  • Support the growth and stability of the Friends by participating in fundraising activities, team building activities and sharing your knowledge with the team.
  • Adhere to all organizational policies and procedures, maintaining accountability, transparency, and compliance in all aspects of your work.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • A range of 2-5 years of experience in community organizing, including experience recruiting, training, and managing volunteers and activists
  • Proficiency with technology, including Zoom, Gmail, Google Drive, and general computer and mobile device use
  • Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly to a range of audiences
  • Ability to adapt quickly and think creatively
  • Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities 
  • Friendly, enthusiastic and positive attitude
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Willingness to work evenings and weekends
  • Willingness and ability to travel by car
  • Political/electoral campaign experience is a plus
  • Experience at the State or U.S. Capitol a plus
  • Passion for preserving the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its ecosystem 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

  • $55,000 – $65,000 per year
  • Paid vacation and sick leave, health and dental insurance, and a 403(b)-retirement plan.
  • In addition to paid vacation and sick leave, Friends provides a $600 stipend and five additional paid vacation days to each employee to take time off and recharge in the Boundary Waters.
  • Flexible working hours and hybrid in-person/remote working options
  • We encourage life-long learning and ongoing professional development. 

TO APPLY

Submit a cover letter, resume, and three references: 

Bree Sikorski
Operations Director
bree@friends-bwca.org

In the subject line of any electronic communication, please put “Community Organizer.”

Applications will be accepted until June 27, 2025.

At Friends, we have a clear vision to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay, and do their best work. Friends is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. 

Apply