Director, Los Deliveristas Unidos

Worker’s Justice Project (WJP) www.workersjustice.org was founded in 2010 to address the racial and economic injustices that low-wage immigrant workers face in New York City by building collective power to win institutional change. WJP runs two long-standing worker’s centers in Brooklyn. We promote justice and opportunity for low-wage immigrant workers in New York City by pushing for systematic enforcement and expansion of workplace protections, which include labor and occupational health and safety standards while advocating for industry-specific efforts to improve working conditions. WJP also offers skills-building training to workers in health & safety and industry-specific areas, and we educate immigrant communities about their rights in the workplace and how to exercise those rights.

Los Deliveristas Unidos (LDU) organizes and advocates for app-based delivery workers in New York City. NYC’s 65,000 app-based delivery workers transport billions of dollars of goods each year yet do not benefit from minimum wage or workplace safety protections because they are classified as independent contractors. LDU is innovating models to ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, bike and micro-mobility infrastructure, education, and pathways to unionization for these workers who power this growing segment of NYC’s economy.

WJP is a fiscally sponsored project of TSNE (www.tsne.org).

The Director, LDU will work to strengthen and lead WJP’s LDU team to build power for low-wage, immigrant workers in the app delivery industry. The director will oversee and manage all aspects of the LDU/deliveristas division, including health and safety, workforce development, and organizing programs that are core to fighting and winning stronger worker protections in the app-based delivery industry. The director will work directly with the WJP leadership team and LDU division team to strengthen and expand WJP’s membership, win concrete, transformative workplace campaign victories, build a culture of safety in the workplace, and contribute to long-term movement building in New York City and beyond.

Essential Functions

Team/Staff Management

• In partnership with the Executive Director, build a dedicated team of organizers to advance LDU’s goals;
• Support in the hiring, training, onboarding, supervision and mentoring of staff for the LDU Team;
• Ensure the LDU Team sets and meets the program goals at the highest standards;
• Hold regular weekly/biweekly one-on-ones with the LDU Team;
• Hold weekly meetings with the LDU Team
• Develop and periodically assess individual team member goals and work plans,and identify and provide ongoing staff development in the form of individual and team tools, resources, and training.
• Collaborate with the executive and deputy directors to create a harmonious, sustainable, and effective work environment by developing trusting, genuine, and respectful relationships with all team members;
• Serve as the main motivator and mentor for the organizing team and member leaders.

 Community Organizing, Base Building and Leadership Development

• Support the strategic vision of WJP and LDU and propose, develop, refine and execute an organizing and base-building plan for LDU’s work of organizing 65,000 app-based delivery workers in NYC;
• Conduct and supervise weekly street outreach and events targeting Deliveristas in all five boroughs of NYC;
• Train LDU staff on the fundamentals of community organizing, including one-on-one relational meetings, power mapping, direct public action (such as rallies and protests), leadership development, group management/facilitation and outreach, and recruitment;
• Recruit, train and support a cohort of Deliverista member-leaders for LDU;
• Support LDU leaders to become spokespeople for the Deliverista movement with media, government officials and the general public, with guidance from the Director of Development and Communications;
• In collaboration with the Executive Director, design and implement a strategic plan for LDU’s campaign.
• In collaboration with WJP’s board and leadership team, develop and maintain evaluation tools to assess the impact of the programs and services offered at the center, with support from the LDU Team staff;
• Develop and submit regular programmatic reports to organizational management and funders;

 Policy and Advocacy Support

• Collaborate with the Executive Director to support her leadership in LDU-related policy and advocacy work, including:
  • Regularly convene LDU leaders to assess Deliveristas’ needs as workers and identify policy and advocacy goals to meet those needs;
  • Develop city and state policy and advocacy campaigns to advance LDU’s goals with support from the LDU Team staff;
  • Regularly meet with the WJP Advisory Board and other industry and labor experts to inform policy and advocacy priorities and goals;
  • Develop and maintain relationships with key local officials including City Councilmembers, community board members, Borough Presidents, the Mayor’s office, city agencies (especially DCWP), state elected officials and other stakeholders;
  • Participate and represent WJP at stakeholder meetings related to LDU campaigns and priorities;
  • Develop and execute state and local campaign strategies, creating plans and timelines for campaigns, and ensuring proper execution of campaigns;
  • Coordinate the efforts of WJP’s PR and lobbying firms to advance WJP’s policy and advocacy goals;
  • Develop and manage relationships with strategic allies involved in LDU campaigns, including ally organizations, unions, civic organizations and other supportive entities.

General Organizational Management

• Interface/coordinate with fiscal and operations managers on matters related to the LDU program.

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

Organizing and Advocacy

• Deep familiarity and experience with racial, economic, worker, social justice, and community organizations that conduct organizing and campaign-oriented work including, but not limited to, one-on-one relational meetings, power mapping, direct action, training, group management/facilitation and outreach, and recruitment.
• Experience with membership development, retention and base building, including supervision of staff working with members;
• Significant organizing experience working within a not-for-profit social justice organization or union;
• Substantive knowledge of the issues and policy challenges facing diverse immigrant worker communities throughout New York City and State;
• Experience building strategic plans that drive campaigns and organizing efforts, with the ability to lead others towards accomplishing goals;
• A strong track record of winning concrete campaign victories, mobilizing large numbers of people into action, power analysis, campaign development, and building community leadership;
• Experience working with elected officials, civic organizations, community leaders and other stakeholders to advance a policy and advocacy agenda;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish with the ability to communicate to diverse audiences. This role will require varied modes of writing, including flyers, training curriculum, and reports to funders;
• Prior experience working for a Worker Center, Union or worker-focused organization strongly preferred.

General

• At least 6 years of experience working with community or labor organizations;
• At least 3 years supervising staff and leading a team;
• An understanding of WJP’s mission and commitment to building the power of immigrant workers and their communities;
• Familiarity with the Latin@ immigrant community and their issues both in and outside of the workplace;
• A commitment to social, racial, and economic justice and a deep understanding of the challenges facing low-wage workers, immigrant communities, communities of color, and people at the intersections of the above communities;
• Very strong verbal and written communications skills in English and Spanish at the native or near-native level are required;
• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience working with immigrant worker communities;
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively to move the work and solve problems;
• Proven capacity for management and supervision of staff and consultants and at least 2-5 years of supervisory experience;
• Ability to work independently and within a team;
• Dedication and ability to work a flexible schedule including early mornings, evenings, and/or weekends as needed;
• Strong work ethic and time management skills, as well as experience with project management.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those for this position. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Work is performed in an office environment and in close proximity to other workers.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to:

• There may be a need to lift and/or move materials or equipment.
• Able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions.
• Able to commute using the NYC public transportation system.
• Able to work in an open office space.
• Able to work a flexible schedule including early mornings, evenings, and/or weekends as needed.
• Reach; traverse; sit or stand (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend; and position self (to) move.
• Extended periods of time in front of a computer screen is an essential aspect of the position.
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards.
• Likelihood of personal injury would be relatively slight.

Compensation and Benefits

Location:Work will be primarily performed in the community, within NYC’s five boroughs, at the Williamsburg Worker Center/Hub on-site and occasionally at the Sunset Park Worker Center/Hub and will travel periodically. This position is not eligible for remote work.

Schedule: This role requires the ability to work regular business hours and on early mornings, evenings, and weekends, as needed.

Compensation: The salary range for this position is $80,000 - $98,000/yr and is commensurate with experience.

Benefits: This position is eligible for a full benefits package including:

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): twelve paid holidays, three weeks of vacation, one week of personal holiday, and ability to accrue up to 487.5 hours of health leave time for benefited staff;
• 80% Employer-paid, offering some $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim along with several low-deductible plans;
• Low-cost Guardian Dental and Vision;
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care;
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance;
• Employer-paid Pension through TIAA;
• ...and more!

TSNE/WJP strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Middle Eastern and North African, Bilingual and/or Bicultural candidates, and LGBTQ2SIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles, and lived experiences of each individual that enrich and strengthen our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. TSNE/WJP prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed, color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Regardless of any class’ protection under the law or lack thereof, TSNE/WJP celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees. It is represented in our workplace culture, and it is who we are.

TSNE/WJP's EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.