Student PIRGs' New Voters Project Lead Organizer

Something big is happening in our democracy - young people are voting. Already in this year’s Presidential primary contests, young voters have been turning out in record numbers. Youth voter turnout more than tripled in the Iowa caucuses, and increased by 25 percent in New Hampshire, with 53,000 more 18-29 year olds voting than did in 2004. These historic increases echo the surge in youth voter turnout in the last three election cycles.

2008 could be a big year for the youth vote and the Student PIRGs are working hard to make sure that it is. Young voters (18-31 year olds) now make up nearly one-quarter of the electorate and as such we have the potential to make the politicians pay attention to us. And we have the potential to make big impacts on issues like global warming, college affordability, health care and financial security. 

In order to boost the level of engagement of young people, the Student PIRGs plan to run a major nonpartisan youth voter turnout effort in the 2008 Presidential election.  The project will combine voter registration, list building, issue organizing and grassroots Get Out the Vote (GOTV) strategies at 100 to 150 target college campuses to turn out 18-29 year olds who are eligible to vote in the 2008 election.

If you’re tired of just talking about change and you want to make a difference, apply for a position with the Student PIRGs to get out the youth vote in 2008.

Job Description

The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project Lead Organizers are responsible for working with 15-30 colleges in several states to:

• Establish good relationships with campus administrators and faculty;
• Establish a for-credit internship program on campus;
• Establish working relationships with the student government, student groups, athletic departments/teams and other campus leaders;
• Develop good relationships with the local voting registrars to help boost youth voter turnout;
• Recruit students and develop leaders to run voter registration and Get Out of the Vote drives on campus;
• Work with local chapters of national coalition partners where appropriate; 
• Meet with local and state candidates and party officials to introduce the project, and to encourage all parties and candidates to make youth a priority in their campaigns;
• Oversee several Student PIRGs' New Voters Project Campus Organizers.  

Salary & Training
Salary for this position is commensurate with the relevant professional experience and/or advanced degrees that a candidate has. In addition, full-time staff can opt into our state health care coverage, are eligible for paid sick and vacation days, and can apply for our college loan assistance program. Our staff accrue two weeks of vacation by the end of their first year and three weeks by the end of their second year. Staff are also eligible to join our 401(k) program in their second year.

Locations
Nationwide

Qualifications
We seek applicants who possess a strong commitment to young voter mobilization.  We also seek candidates with at least two to three years of organizing experience.  The successful candidate will also bring all or most of the following skills and attributes to the position: strong verbal and interpersonal skills; a team orientation that combines collegiality and creativity to drive and motivate others; and either experience overseeing staff, or after several months of being on staff, the ability to oversee staff.

We are looking for a commitment through June of 2009.

Application
To apply, e-mail your cover letter and resume to Leighanne Cole at lcole@studentpirgs.org.  Please include a note on how you heard about the position. We'll carefully consider your application and if we think you may be a good fit, we'll be in touch.

The Student PIRGs are an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, handicap, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or veteran status.