Forward Montana (FMT) is seeking a full-time Civic Education Organizer to manage and scale our statewide high school leadership development and civic education programs – supporting the next generation to make direct change in their local communities and develop personal and professional skills as civic leaders.
The ideal candidate is someone who can uplift the vision and values of young people and understands the importance of leadership development. Applicants should be self-starters -- able to propose new ideas, contribute to and lead high school programs that support high school students and educators. You’re not afraid to experiment and try new things! Applicants should have a proven ability (or interest) in building reciprocal relationships with high school-aged people, educators, administrators, education-focused organizations, and other stakeholders across the state. Applicants should have a passion for making change, be creative AF, have a sense of humor, and not be afraid to learn the newest TikTok dance.
Applicants should be committed to supporting and growing our tried and true high school programs while staying flexible with an eye towards new opportunities. All staff at Forward Montana are expected to participate in field efforts during election season (like making phone calls and knocking on doors).
Who We Are
Forward Montana, founded in 2004, is the state's largest youth-led, youth-focused civic engagement organization. We strive to transform government and communities to be just, sustainable, and equitable while working toward a future where Montana celebrates and reflects the diversity of our generation. We support young people to build power with and for each other to create lasting change.
The Civic Education Organizer reports to the Special Program Manager and is responsible for the following:
Uphold and supervise High School Fellowship, club chapters, Youth Advisory Council meetings, and other leadership development experiences and trainings, including the facilitation of our civics curriculum with the support of the Special Programs Manager;
Expand our high school programs with new opportunities for students to engage with our programming and into new geographic areas of the state;
Commitment to growth and evaluation of the success of the high school programs utilizing data-driven strategies – and the ability to change course depending on what you learn;
Develop and maintain relationships with high school-aged people, fellows, local and statewide organizations, and other partners;
Seek out opportunities for collaboration and engagement with high school-aged people across all programs and meet them where they’re at;
Must be comfortable training and supervising ten to fifteen high school-aged fellows remotely across the state;
Plan and facilitate statewide (and remote) events including, but not limited to, our peer-led voter registration drive in high schools (Democracy Day) and other community-building events for high school-aged students;
Coordinate and supervise the end-to-end details of in-person camps and retreats for high school fellows.
Relationship-building: You have experience developing and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with a diverse group of young people. You’re committed to leadership development & ensuring the needs of high school-aged people are reflected across all of FMT’s programs. You understand the importance of growing and scaling our programs to new communities. You can maintain a robust network of high school-aged people, educators, and partners statewide and ensure there are consistent opportunities to interact and engage with FMT through facilitation of trainings, 1:1 meetings, events (both virtual & in-person), civic holidays, and participation in our statewide events. You’re comfortable hiring, managing, and training peers and young people.
Drive to achieve results while being creative and innovative AF: You have a track record of accomplishing ambitious goals and getting results even when there are obstacles (think: high school students' hectic schedules or an unresponsive educator). You set a high bar and meet it, because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to anticipate hurdles and come up with pragmatic solutions. You’re not afraid to make a cold call (or 20), drive to a high school to support them with a voter registration event, wear a costume, participate in the latest social media trend, and are committed to making new connections. You know how to ask for help and act as an advocate for high school students, all the dang time.
Actively Anti-Racist: You are committed to actively contributing to a more equitable and inclusive FMT by facilitating conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice with interns, fellows, members, and within staff. You’re committed to amplifying young voices to advocate for a more just Montana. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye towards continuous learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.
Experience working with high school-aged students or in an education setting is preferred, but is not a requirement. We understand that the right candidate may have experience in different areas. If you don’t meet all the requirements above but have an interest in learning, we encourage you to apply.
If you were the Civic Education Organizer right now, you would be:
Facilitating civics curriculum for a high school class on telling your ‘story of self’ so that students can tell their stories and provide public comment on issues impacting their lives.
Planning and facilitating a Zoom call for 10-15 high school fellows from around the state on organizing 101 while providing guiding questions, guest speakers, and other engaging content.
Supporting a high school fellow in writing an LTE or OpEd about the importance of registering to vote and engaging with their local school board.
Putting together and mailing voter registration packages for schools across the state who are participating in Democracy Days, training students and educators on best practices for collecting and processing voter registration, and building all the stoke for the upcoming event.
Supporting high school Civics Under the Big Sky Club chapters across the state with their meetings and projects.
Finding new students, educators, and organizations to connect with in our work.
Forward Montana is an equal opportunity employer, and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by our issues and work. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ2S+ people, women, and people with disabilities to apply.
Logistics
This is a non-exempt, salaried position at $50,500/year. Forward Montana also offers the following benefits:
100% employer-paid Health Insurance, Life Insurance, and Employee Assistance Program
Opt-in employee-paid Dental and Vision Insurance
Retirement plan with a 3% match
Technology and wellness reimbursements
Professional development funds
Generous paid time off policy through which staff accrue 4 weeks of annual leave per year
Nine paid holidays and winter break
Paid family leave
Please send a resume and one-page cover letter stating your interest in the position, why building power with high school students is critical to securing a just and vibrant future for Montana, and what skill sets you’d be excited to grow & develop in this position.
If a cover letter isn’t your style, try something creative! We’re less concerned with the perfect cover letter and more interested in getting to know you, your passions, and what you’d bring to the position -- slideshows, videos, graphics/visuals, portfolios, or just a more casual tone cover letter are all welcome.
If you have any questions or need support, please reach out to Sylvia Luceno, Special Programs Manager at
sylvia@forwardmontana.org
.Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with a priority application deadline of August 8th and a preferred start date of August 31st.