Employment & Volunteer Opportunities

Director of Impact and Capacity Building

New York City, Atlanta, Philadelphia or Washington, DC (currently remote/hybrid)

INTRODUCTION

African Communities Together (ACT), an organization of African immigrants fighting for civil rights, opportunity, and a better life for our families here in the U.S. and worldwide, is seeking applications and nominations for the position of Director of Impact and Capacity Building. With current chapters in New York City and Washington, DC, ACT works to support and empower African immigrants to integrate socially, advance economically, and engage civically. It connects African immigrants to services, develops members into grassroot leaders, and drives action to make social change.

ACT’s African immigrant membership comes from a diverse range of nationalities, cultures, and languages, is religiously diverse, majority women, and predominantly working-class and low income. ACT has three strategic focus areas, that include:

  • Providing services. ACT helps African immigrants find free or low-cost assistance with immigration, jobs, and other needs. Each year it helps hundreds of African immigrants with free, high-quality immigration legal services and provides free referrals to trustworthy nonprofit and government agency partners. ACT’s staff and volunteers speak multiple languages and actively outreach to underserved African communities.

  • Developing leaders. Through its Monthly Membership Meetings, Leadership Committees, and trainings, ACT gives African immigrants the tools and information they need to become leaders on the issues that matter to them. Members engage with civic and political leaders, participate in political education, and plan ACT campaigns and actions.

  • Creating change. ACT mobilizes African immigrant communities to speak out on the issues that affect our lives and the lives of our families. It works on the local, state, national, and international level on issues including fair immigration reform, jobs in the African community, and language access.

Since its founding in 2012, ACT has connected thousands of African immigrants to critical services, developed hundreds of new grassroots leaders, and driven major policy changes at the local, state, and federal level. Among its most significant accomplishments are helping pass and extend the Liberian Refugee and Immigration Fairness program, raising wages for predominantly African immigrant workers at DC airports, defending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in court, expanding language access in New York, and suing to overturn a regulation that blocked access to the Diversity Visa program.

THE OPPORTUNITY

ACT is at an exciting inflection point of growth and expansion and seeking its first-ever Director of Impact and Capacity Building. We are seeking an insightful systems thinker who will serve as an institutional leader and a thought partner for ACT’s leadership team, and an exceptional program and project manager who will work collaboratively with staff and key stakeholders, including movement partners, community leaders, allies, donors, and board members to advance ACT’s priorities. The Director will work with both program and operational staff to lead a range of activities including data analysis, program development, process improvement, program evaluation, capacity building, and cross-organizational learning. They will be a creative and strategic thinker, adept at improving and operationalizing processes, a quick learner, and a team player committed to strengthening ACT’s organizational culture and ensuring that ACT performs at a high level to better serve and empower its members and communities. This role will report directly to the Executive Director and can expect to engage around the following core opportunities and challenges:

Program Development

The Director will support and drive development of programs-including direct service programs, community outreach and education programs, organizing and leadership development programs, and advocacy programs- across their entire life cycle, from the concept stage, to identification of goals and impact, through growth and improvement, and, where necessary, towards wind-down or spin-off. They will work with the Executive Director and program directors to co-create systems and structures that quantify ACT’s impact, develop key performance indicators, and align resources to maximize impact.

Program Measurement and Evaluation

The Director will partner with the Executive Director and program directors to assess how effectively ACT’s programs are advancing its goals and how aligned they are with ACT’s theory of change. They will work with ACT leadership, program, and administrative staff to develop metrics, create data collection systems and tools, collect feedback, analyze quantitative and qualitative data, and develop and implement process improvement recommendations. Working with ACT’s program, development, and communications staff, they will help communicate our impact to key stakeholders, including ACT members, communities, funders, and partners. They will lead ACT’s data collection, data management, and data evaluation, guiding the organization’s use of data tools (CRM, case management software, etc.) and systems.

Professional Development and Capacity Building

The Director will collaborate with the Executive Director, program directors, managers, human resources, and other staff to help develop the capacity of ACT’s staff team to advance ACT’s mission. They will help identify professional development needs, organize trainings and resources, improve and align performance evaluation tools, and contribute to organizational planning, learning, and culture-building.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

  • A passion for ACT’s mission and demonstrated commitment to racial justice, immigrant justice, and grassroots leadership.

  • An analytical problem-solver who is solutions oriented, able to connect dots across programs and initiatives, and identify systems and processes in need of adjustments.

  • Experience with planning, managing, and executing complex projects and the ability to work on multiple projects independently and collaboratively to achieve objectives.

  • Experience guiding collaborative decision-making processes involving diverse stakeholders, including directly affected community members, staff and board, and external partners, and synthesizing insights from qualitative and quantitative evidence.

  • Commitment to empowerment and professional development of staff is required, management and supervision experience is strongly preferred.

  • A natural orientation towards collaboration and a commitment to personal and professional continuous improvement.

  • Effective and experienced communicator who synthesizes and conveys ideas clearly to a wide audience.

  • Experience with data collection and management, and sophistication with data management tools, including CRM software and databases.

  • Professional and/or lived experience with communities of color and immigrant communities is required. Experience working with African immigrant communities is highly desirable.

  • The ability to succeed in a “startup” entrepreneurial environment with accountability to goals, the ability to work independently, take on multiple roles, and prioritize. Ability to work evenings, weekends, and irregular hours when the work requires it.

    The position is full-time and salaried. Salary range is targeted between $90,000 – $100,000, dependent on experience. Benefits include employer-paid health care, pension contribution, and professional development.

    TO APPLY

    More information about African Communities Together may be found at: https://africans.us

    This search is being led by Julian Jackson and Chaz Chapman of NPAG. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s website.

    African Communities Together is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

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West and Central African Community/Clergy Organizer- Washington, D.C. (Contractor)

ACT is hiring an organizer who will be principally responsible for:

  • Recruiting African immigrant clergy and community leaders to participate in and support the programs of ACT, including but not limited to hosting immigration legal Know Your Rights presentations and clinics.
  • Supporting African immigrant workers who are organizing for economic justice and improved wages, and participating in nonpartisan advocacy around immigration reform.
  • Contacting clergy and association leaders, recruiting leaders’ participation in events and advocacy, soliciting invitations to host events, and participating in public events as a community leader.
  • The position is independent contract position, compensated based on experience.

Essential Qualifications:

  • Fluency in either French or a widely spoken African language.
  • At least 2-5 years of experience working with African immigrant members, clients, or constituents in organizing, activism, advocacy, or direct service.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Experience working in a professional office environment, including familiarity with computers, email, internet, and databases.
  • Ability to succeed in a “startup” community organization environment, including accountability to goals, a sense of drive and urgency, and the ability to work independently, take on multiple roles, and prioritize. Ability to work evenings, weekends, and long or irregular hours when the work requires it.
  • Position is a “field” outreach position that requires regular local travel and moderate physical activity.
  • Alignment with ACT’s mission and values.

To Apply:

Please email a resume or CV along with a cover letter describing your interest in the position to hiring@africans.us.

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To be considered for opportunities in the future, you may send a resume at any time to hiring@africans.us.

Interested in volunteering with ACT? Please email info@africans.us, click here to sign up online, or call our office at (347) 746-2281.

 

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