Westchester Organizing Coordinator

About Open New York

Open New York (ONY) is a statewide nonprofit fighting for a New York that makes room for every New Yorker. We engage residents from Westchester to Windsor Terrace, building a powerful coalition of advocates for housing affordability. We know that New York's housing crisis is not an accident: restrictive zoning laws block new homes, drive rents to record highs, and push longtime residents out.

Renters lose their leverage, and homeowners get stuck. Since 2017, we've organized thousands of members across the state—and been at the center of major policy wins like City of Yes, pro-housing ballot measures, and statewide environmental review reform. We advocate for more housing of every kind, because more homes mean more opportunity for every New Yorker.

Open New York is seeking a dynamic Organizing Coordinator to develop our Westchester chapter. This role is perfect for a skilled community builder who thrives on bringing people together, growing grassroots membership, and advancing bold housing policy. The Coordinator will recruit and engage volunteers, organize events and trainings, and represent Open New York at civic and legislative gatherings.

In collaboration with the Director of Organizing and our team of Organizing Coordinators, manage day-to-day operations of ONY’s Westchester chapters, including:
Oversee a robust volunteer recruitment program to grow Open New York’s membership in Westchester, focusing on both traditional and unconventional ways to connect our work to many audiences Welcome new members to the organization and lead regular, new member orientations and trainings. Organize regular member events, including frequent social events, and assist members in organizing their own meetups Personally engage with Westchester members at all activity levels, from daily users of our Slack to infrequent members who attend one community meeting a year, to deepen connections with the organization.

Design and execute strategic plans for ONY’s Westchester chapters, in collaboration with each member-leaders, and facilitate member-leaders’ advocacy development. Plan and oversee a robust volunteer recruitment program to grow ONY’s membership, focusing on both traditional and unconventional ways to connect our work to many audiences, including high school students, seniors, and more. Track and report on member engagement to ensure that ONY is growing its Westchester membership effectively and keeping members involved, and engage with any members who become less active to identify potential concerns Regularly attend important civic meetings and other participatory events throughout Westchester Help to plan and execute canvassing events for ONY’s endorsed elected officials.

• Three to five years of professional experience with a preference for community engagement and/or organizing experience
• A creative mindset who is a self-starter with a high-level of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills
• A demonstrated ability to rally a group from all different backgrounds around a set of objectives or goals
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to create clear, concise, and compelling narratives that drive member engagement
• Experience at a grassroots membership organization with hundreds of members
• A demonstrated ability to host focus groups, teach-ins, rallies, webinars, community meetings and to deliver testimony
• Strong workflow, time-management and organizational skills
• Experience moderating forums such as subreddits, Slacks, or Discord Servers
• Flexible, creative and critical thinking skills that enable them to think of many ways to reach goals
• A team player mentality
• Passion for Open New…