Available Positions
Deputy Director
The Riders Alliance fights for reliable, affordable and world-class public transit in order to build a more just and sustainable New York. We organize subway and bus riders to build grassroots power across racial, economic, and neighborhood lines: holding our elected officials accountable, engaging the public, and taking direct action to guarantee that riders have a powerful voice in the decisions that affect us.
The Deputy Director is responsible for overseeing the campaigns, community organizing, and base building work of the Riders Alliance, and serving as a senior leader in the organization. The ideal candidate is a high-level campaigner, an experienced and creative organizer, a strong manager, and a strategic thinker capable of producing consistent, high-quality work in a fast-paced and exciting environment. As we work to radically reimagine the role and power of public transit in NYC’s recovery, it is a critical moment to expand our base and bring rider organizing to its next ground-shifting level.
The Riders Alliance has won important progress for public transit in New York, including Fair Fares, billions of dollars in new funding to fix the subway through North America’s first congestion pricing plan, and a bold reimagining of the city’s local bus service. We are now working to win billions of dollars in federal funding to rescue NYC’s transit system from immediate catastrophe due to COVID-19 and to ensure the millions of New Yorkers who rely on buses and subways every day don’t lose their service. The next Deputy Director will help to lead a participatory effort to set the course for the Riders Alliance’s next generation of powerful grassroots campaigns for better public transit.
The Deputy Director is a core part of the organization’s leadership team. They will work closely with the Executive Director to set strategic goals and actively manage a talented organizing team to build power, and engage our grassroots members in person and digitally, advocate effectively with elected officials and in the news media, and win better, more affordable transit service for millions of New Yorkers.
Core Responsibilities:
- Serve as a senior leader in the organization and as part of an executive leadership team working to plan, build, and ensure success for the staff, Board of Directors, membership, and broader Riders Alliance community;
- Oversee development, strategy, and day-to-day implementation of organizational campaigns;
- Participate in and help lead the development of strong organizational goals, planning, and strategic development;
- Manage, supervise, and coach a team of dynamic organizers to set strategic goals, win vital policy campaigns, and build a powerful organization of transit riders;
- Oversee a leadership development program to train grassroots members in critical areas, including civics, transit in NY, working with media, and community organizing;
- Manage relationships with elected officials and agency staff;
- Build and nurture relationships with partner organizations in the transit and social justice community, especially in aligning collective action on common agendas;
- Strategize, together with the Policy and Communications Director, about how to effectively work with the press to drive RA campaigns and messages in the public arena;
- Hire, train and supervise new organizers as resources permit, and manage ongoing professional development of organizing staff to embrace the development of team talent, skills, and capacity;
- Partner regularly with the Executive Director to detail the progress and status of various campaigns, and to report on such to the Board of Directors, donors, and funders.
The ideal candidate will have:
- 7-10 years of experience in community politics and/or organizing, or coalition organizations;
- Nuanced understanding of all aspects of community organizing, including managing campaigns, developing leadership in membership and staff, supervising organizers, and recruiting and retaining members;
- Demonstrated ability to supervise issue campaigns at all levels: from protecting transit funding in the state budget to as local as winning repairs at a specific subway station;
- Demonstrated ability to work at a high level in strategic and coalition partnerships, especially in creating a sense of community and common purpose among disparate organizations and leaders
- A record of executing successful campaigns in diverse settings, including in low-income communities and communities of color;
- Ability to work effectively with people of different cultures and backgrounds;
- Demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, and understanding the role inequities play in our society
- Ability to produce consistent, quality work in a fast-paced environment;
- Excitement to be part of an organization committed to create a fairer and more equitable NYC.
Additional notes:
- The Deputy Director will be part of a small team determining the future of this dynamic and growing organization. Candidates must be strong leaders, creative thinkers, and enthusiastic team players.
- The Deputy Director will be supervising staff who are themselves experienced in organizing and managing issue campaigns. Candidates must be able to support and manage staff who are relatively independent and successful in their work while still providing advice, direction, and support to help the entire time to continue to grow.
- Riders Alliance staff members are currently working remotely. This position will be remote until the organization returns safely to the office.
Job features:
- Full-time position. The position will require some evening and weekend engagements.
- Full benefits: excellent health, dental, vision, 401(k) match, paid time off.
How to apply:
- Send resume and cover letter with [Your Name – Deputy Director Application] to hr@ridersny.org.
- Applications are considered on a rolling basis; early applications are encouraged.