National Chapter Manager

YIMBY Action and Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) are seeking an exceptionally organized and highly relational National Chapter Manager to help us grow the pro-housing movement by motivating and coordinating YIMBY Action’s chapters and volunteer leaders across the country. The right candidate will be extremely organized and a great project manager, while also bringing strong facilitation, coaching, and relationship-building skills. This role is part of YIMBY Action’s Organizing Team, reporting to the Chief of Staff.

YIMBY Action and Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) are affiliated 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations working together to advance policy change that will increase the supply of housing in high-opportunity cities and towns. We envision an integrated society where every person has access to a safe, affordable home near jobs, services, and opportunity.

What we're looking for

The Chapter Manager will grow the pro-housing movement by managing and supporting volunteer leaders (“Leads”) in a portfolio of chapters. The Chapter Manager will provide facilitation and coaching to help the Leads team identify chapter goals and strategies, and provide administrative and relationship-building capacity to execute on goals and strategies. The Chapter Manager will meet regularly (through Zoom and phone calls) with their chapters.

YIMBY Action's paid organizers are part of a system that moves people. We build people up as political organizers in the service of getting more new housing built. It’s our job to shape our volunteers and help them grow, not simply to give them the tools they ask for or perform the services they request.

Responsibilities

Volunteer Coaching, Goal-Setting, and Recruitment (55%)

• Communicate regularly and meet at least twice-per-year with Leads in portfolio chapters to set chapter growth and development goals. Ensure goals and strategies are informed by YIMBY Action national organizing best practices and the Theory of Change. Ensure chapters have strong plans to execute on growth activities, including:
  • Events, membership drives, and digital campaigns.
  • Regular member meetings and social events to keep membership trained and engaged.
  • 1-on-1s with new activists to welcome them to the movement and support their inclusion.
  • 1-on-1s with potential new Leads.
  • Setting agendas for meetings
  • Consistent data collection and record-keeping of chapter activities
• Ensure chapters have strong plans to execute key regional campaigns (determined by Leads), as well as statewide and national campaigns (determined by national staff in collaboration with Leads). Expected key campaigns include:
  • Endorsements - regional endorsement process including endorsement votes, publicizing endorsements, and volunteering for endorsed candidates’ campaigns.
  • Legislative and policy activation - mobilizing members for strong federal, state, and local pro-housing legislation, as well as local pro-housing policy.
  • Housing proposal advocacy - drive members to support housing proposals at hearings and through petitions.
  • Coalition building - helping chapters identify local coalition growth opportunities and potential additions to YIMBY Action’s Partner program.
• Through regular meetings, ongoing Slack/email/text follow-up, and other check-ins as needed, provide ongoing coaching and support to Leads in implementing tactics and tools that will help them grow and effectively organize their chapters. Teach, model, and continually reinforce key concepts, including:
  • Continually growing people power as a key goal of each chapter (list and membership). Help them connect the dots between base-building and their political power.
  • Continually asking/inviting people to do more as a way to build engagement
  • Handing out “half-baked” projects as a way to build engagement
  • Cultivating an equity lens that invites new people in and to leadership
  • Maintaining a “big tent” regarding political ideologies
  • Strategic decision-making that focuses Leads/chapters on high-impact political activities
• Help recruit new Leads in portfolio chapters by identifying high-potential members and conducting 1-on-1s with potential new Leads.
• Add value to chapter activities by providing structure, motivational communication, and resources to help Leads grow their political influence; connecting chapters to staff and other chapters.
• Identify which types of movement-growing activities would be fun & rewarding for which Leads, then support them as they perform these activities.

Administrative Support and Volunteer Training (40%)

• Provide administrative support for growth initiatives and campaigns (using discretion based on capacity). This might include:
  • Helping schedule meetings.
  • Assembling meeting and event agendas and materials.
  • Pushing chapter Leads to leverage the chapter budget in support of broad goals and campaigns.
  • Providing YIMBY Action guides, templates, and trainings to Leads for their prospective actions.
• Collaborate with YIMBY Action’s Chapter Systems Manager to identify key tech needs for chapters and give feedback on tech usage and tool implementation. Troubleshoot tech issues and answer Leads’ questions about organizing tools and resources; identify and contact additional support when necessary.
• Update and maintain national staff databases of policy, partner, coalition, and housing proposal efforts.
• Learn, schedule, and deliver YIMBY Action core training modules to Leads; facilitate engaging and interactive training sessions.

Special Project Support (5%)

• The National Chapter Manager will assist in the execution or development of ad hoc projects taken on by YIMBY Action. These can take the form of cross-department cooperation or national events.

Metrics

Measurables of success for this position may include:

• # of active Leads
  • diversity of Leads
• # of pro-housing policies and housing proposals chapters are working on
• # of organizing activities chapters host (petitions, events, op-eds, etc.)
• # of active chapters
• # of chapter prospecting conversations
• # of Leads who engaged with YIMBY Action training modules

Qualifications

We believe a variety of different work, school, volunteer, or community experiences could make you a good fit for this job. We welcome candidates from nontraditional backgrounds.

REQUIRED

• Deeply excited about the YIMBY mission and vision - you have a passion for more housing and shelter of every type including market-rate housing, subsidized affordable housing, and public housing.
• Demonstrated ability in project management - high-level skill set in keeping track of complex processes and deadlines across a large portfolio of clients, while teeing up different team members to execute complex projects. Comfortable working with disorganized people and creating order in chaos.
• Experience managing volunteers - a track record of success driving volunteers to high levels of performance and engagement.
• Quick execution - comfortable in a fast-paced workplace and can efficiently execute a large volume of tasks.
• High-level communication and technical skills - very comfortable with different communications styles and channels, including phone, text, email, Slack, and in-person. Comfortable with technology and able to problem-solve a variety of technical tools and programs.
• Collaboration-first mentality - ability to collaborate across diverse communities and engage people with diverse identities, perspectives, and backgrounds. Experience working in a cross-functional team.
• Self-motivated leader - able to work in a self-directed, self-motivated capacity; can identify problems, find solutions, and move projects forward without relying on others to keep you focused.

PREFERRED

• 3+ years of directly relevant work or volunteer experience.
• Knowledge of/previous experience in housing activism.
• Community organizing and/or political activism experience.
• Experience managing or working within a chapter model organization.

Benefits

• Up to 100% employer funded comprehensive medical coverage
• 401k enrollment opportunities
• 3 weeks of paid vacation plus another 20 paid holidays
• Paid sick time
• Paid family & disability leave
• Significant professional development opportunities, including paid professional development stipend
• Flexible work hours within a 40 hour work week
• Membership in YIMBY Action nationwide activist network and vibrant 3,700+ member Slack community
• Access to YIMBY Action network of elected officials, journalists, and business leaders