POSITION TITLE:                       Field Staff

REQ NUMBER:                            2023-03

DEPARTMENT:                              Field Services

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR:           Manager of Field and Organizing

EMPLOYEE GROUP: TEMPO

LOCATION:                                  St. Cloud

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:            One (1) year

FLSA/GRADE LEVEL: Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Director of Field Services, the Field Staff will support union leaders and members to build and maintain strong locals and a strong union. A Field Staff works with locals to develop and implement programs and activities related to membership growth, collective bargaining, member rights, organizing, professional issues, racial equity and social justice, political action, and community partnerships. In addition, a Field Staff engages members through leadership identification, member training, and skills development. A Field Staff actively promotes membership in and engagement with Education Minnesota, the National Education Association (NEA), and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Education Minnesota is a member-led labor union that has identified racial equity and social justice as primary organizational goals. All staff are expected to participate, individually and collectively, in ongoing training, discussions, and activities to advance these goals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide advice, training, and professional assistance to members and locals, including the following and other such duties as assigned: 

• Organizing –
• Support locals in the development and implementation of organizing plans, leaders and members in the tactics of organizing and mobilizing, advising locals on organizing goals and strategies, and supporting worksite organizing infrastructure.
• Engage members and leaders in 1:1 conversations to assess members, identify issues, and identify potential leaders.

• Membership Promotion –
• Work with leaders and members to develop and successfully implement on-going programs of membership promotion, recruitment, and retention.
• Recruit participants for Education Minnesota events, trainings, and conferences.
• Assist in organizing unorganized education employees.
• Collective Bargaining –
• Support locals in all stages of the bargaining process, including serving on local negotiations teams as needed.
• Coordinate assistance to local negotiators from the Negotiations Department and other areas of Education Minnesota, NEA and AFT.
• Member Rights –
• Strive to guarantee members’ rights through a variety of means.
• Train local leaders in principles of member rights advocacy, through the recognition and processing of grievances as well as through organizing and mobilizing.
• Prepare for and represent members and locals in investigations, grievance proceedings, hearings, arbitration sessions, and other settings.
• Racial Equity and Social Justice –
• Apply an anti-racist lens to local, leader, and member interactions and support.
• Promote and support local engagement with racial equity and social justice issues.
• Use a variety of tools and opportunities—including but not limited to equity audits, the racial equity advocate program, equity and anti-racism trainings—to advance racial equity in public education.
• Communications –
• Provide guidance in developing internal communications plans that encourage consistent, multi-faceted connections among members and leaders.
• Support the development and implementation of external communications plans.
• Legislative and Political Action –
• Encourage and support local lobbying and political action programs.
• Coordinate communication between members and legislators.
• Develop members’ skills to work effectively in political campaigns.
• Participate in Education Minnesota campaign activities.   
• Education Issues –
• Provide relevant, timely information to leaders and members on issues related to education and professional development.
• Train members using adult-learning best practices.
• Staff Skills for Workplace Success –
• Communicate regularly and work collaboratively with colleagues and supervisors.
• Participate in collaborative staff teams on a variety of topics.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Experience including, but not limited to, education issues, collective bargaining, political and legislative action, grievance processing, local and member training, member consultation skills and experience in working with elected leaders at all levels is desirable.
• Understanding of organizing principles, labor relations and experience in a union environment.
• Ability to collaborate with others in a team environment.
• Excellent communication skills, including writing, speaking and making presentations.
• Experience in working with confidential and sensitive information.
• Skill in strategic thinking and problem-solving, including the ability to identify and appropriately evaluate alternatives.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Valid driver’s license.
• Reliable transportation.
• Must have an active personal credit card.
• Must be willing to maintain residency within the assignment area.
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination (vaccination card). If you have a medical exemption you will be asked to provide a written waiver from your medical provider. If you have a religious objections you will be asked to provide documentation stating your religious objection.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Previous education and union work experiences.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION:

Maintain confidential information related to the organization, members and potential members, and staff.

MACHINES AND/OR TOOLS OPERATED:

• Personal computer
• Word processing, spreadsheet and database software
• Internet and browser software
• Smartphone

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Work is in a general office environment.  Employee is required to: talk and hear; frequently stand, walk and repetitively use hands dexterously (use fingers to handle, feel), reach with hands and arms, bend and physically, lift and carry up to 10 pounds; occasionally lift up to 50 pounds and infrequently travel by various conveyances (e.g., air, rail, auto).

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Some travel with overnights stays
• Frequent evening and weekend work required.

EDUCATION MINNESOTA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Education Minnesota is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where diversity is valued, supported and celebrated to benefit applicants, employees, members and students. All employment decisions are based on qualifications; merit and business need with preference given to people of color.

POSTING DEADLINE: For consideration, apply online and include a resume no later than midnight of Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Apply using this link:
https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=faa82ad6-58ce-4071-80c8-3e481e725e0a&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=462439&source=CC2&lang=en_US