Title: Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategist, Gulf Coast Region
Organization: Equality Texas and Equality Texas Foundation
Position Type: Full Time
Reports to: Field Director
Location: Houston — candidate must be a resident of the Houston area or willing to relocate
Compensation: $50,000
FSLA Status: Exempt

THE POSITION:

Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategists’ primary goal is to create a community of engaged advocates who support LGBTQIA+ equality. The Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategist will be responsible for supporting, developing, and implementing grassroots campaigns that engage, educate, and mobilize volunteers to act in support of Equality Texas’ policy goals.

CANDIDATE PROFILE:

Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategists are responsible for developing relationships and working with local leaders, community members, volunteers, and lawmakers to advance LGBTQIA+ equality by supporting Equality Texas’s policy priorities and strategic plan goals. This work will include tracking local school board meetings and proposed policies, attending school board or city council meetings, conducting regional meetings with elected officials and their staff, and tabling and marching during local pride celebrations.

To be successful in this role, the Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategist needs to possess the ability to communicate and engage new and familiar faces, build local volunteer teams, and have an understanding of or interest in the current political landscape. Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategists should be comfortable working with diverse groups of people and have experience managing volunteers. The Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategist holds a degree in policy or a related field or demonstrates equivalent experience and knowledge of LGBTQ+-related policy in Texas.

This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about social justice, enjoys working with people, and is committed to making a positive impact in their community.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategist will play a critical role in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities in Texas. Responsibilities include:

• Building and maintaining relationships with community leaders, activists, and organizations to mobilize support for LGBTQIA+ rights and build partnerships for advocacy efforts.
• Organizing and leading community events, rallies, and other actions to educate and raise awareness about LGBTQIA+ issues and to advocate for policy changes.
• Working with local policymakers at the school board, city council or county commissioner levels to advance pro-LGBTQIA+ policy priorities in partnership with the Government Affairs Department.
• Developing and implementing advocacy campaigns, including coordinating with the Communications department to create messaging and materials, identify target audiences, and build grassroots support.
• Collaborating with other organizations and advocates to develop and implement joint advocacy campaigns through an intersectional lens.
• Recruiting, educating, and training volunteers and activists to support Equality Texas priorities and build a strong network of supporters.
• Conducting research on anti-LGBTQIA+ opposition activists and organizations, tracking their activities and strategies regionally, and identifying opportunities to counter their efforts.
• Tracking and troubleshooting emergent incidents happening in their region and working with other key EQTX staff members to document, follow-up, and/or mobilize local community members.
• Lead rapid response opportunities by creating strategies for mobilization and engagement within region.
• Register, staff, and march for local prides within organizing region.
• Work with local Steering Committees to assist their fundraising, volunteer recruitment, pride planning and advocacy efforts.

As a Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategist, you will have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities. You will work alongside passionate and dedicated advocates to promote equality and justice for all.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:

Equality Texas envisions a Texas where all LGBTQ+ people and their families have full equality in the hearts and minds of their fellow Texans and in all areas of the law. Headquartered in Austin, Equality Texas is dedicated to securing full legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration. With tens of thousands of members across the state, Equality Texas is the state’s leading state-wide organizing and advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ Texans.

Today’s Equality Texas is comprised of two nonprofit organizations:

• Equality Texas Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides educational programming on LGBTQ+ issues and conducts campaigns to build public support for equal rights, and
• Equality Texas, a 501(c)4 organization that conducts direct lobbying and advocacy efforts to advance pro-LGBTQ+ legislation and candidates and to defeat anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

Each organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors; these Boards have 33 members in total who represent a cross-section of LGBTQ community, business, and philanthropic leaders and allies.

Equality Texas values the leadership of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals, and strongly encourages people of all traditionally underrepresented identities to apply.

No applicant will be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please email your resume and cover letter detailing how your experience prepares you to assume the responsibilities and expectations of the Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategist, Gulf Coast Region role at Equality Texas to jobs@equalitytexas.org with subject line: EQTX Community Engagement and Advocacy Strategist.