YIMBY Action and Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) are seeking a detail-oriented and organized Chapter Operations Associate with strong customer service skills and a knack for databases to help grow the pro-housing movement.
YIMBY Action and Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) are affiliated 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that work together to advance policy change that will increase the supply of housing in high-opportunity cities and towns. We advocate to increase the supply of all types of housing, including market-rate, subsidized affordable, and public housing. Our organizations envision an integrated and environmentally sustainable society where every person has access to a safe, affordable home near jobs, services, and opportunity.
YIMBY Action Chapters are the heart of the YIMBY Action model. Chapters are groups of volunteers who believe in abundant housing and take action to advance the pro-housing fight through grassroots lobbying, electoral volunteerism, coalition-building, narrative change, and grassroots legal enforcement. Chapters are typically organized geographically (e.g. Peninsula for Everyone, Grow the Richmond), although we also have issue-based chapters (e.g. Urban Environmentalists, Streets for People). Chapters are managed and coordinated by volunteer Chapter Leads, or in some cases, regional staff. YIMBY Action currently has approximately 50 formal chapters. Chapters vary considerably in current group size, type and range of primary activities, and structure of their Leads cohort.
The Chapter Operations Associate will be one of the first lines of contact for new Chapters and Leads, onboarding new Chapters and Leads to YIMBY Action tech tools and resources, and ensuring they are accurately logged in our databases. The Chapter Operations Associate will also lead on tech support for Leads, including answering Leads’ tech questions and helping to develop training and resources for Leads on tech tools. Finally, the Chapter Operations Associate will own, maintain, and update the key databases that are the backbone of our chapter work, including our Chapters database and our Chapters dashboard.
This is an early career role ideal for someone who is excited about customer service, learning new tech tools, staying on top of databases, and eager to apply their aptitudes to advance the YIMBY mission.
What we're looking for
Responsibilities
Tech Support to Chapters (40%)
- Set up tech tools for ease of access and use by chapters
- Ensure all chapter websites are migrated to newest platform: support chapters in using website features
- Maintain and manage the Lead’s Library, ensuring that all YIMBY Action resources are available in the Library or the Lead’s Drive
- Serve as the primary staff contact for access to and assistance with Leads’ resources, tools, and trainings
- Provide ongoing tech training to Leads, as directed by National Organizing Director and YIMBY Action Executive Director. This may include:
- Office hours/Leads’ lounge
- Drip campaigns & bite-sized pieces of knowledge for key tech tools
- Tech training segments on All Leads Meetings
- Leads’ orientation on Action Network
- Support chapters in utilizing paid ads by providing basic training and templates
- Support organizing team in content development to help Leads understand tech tools
- Monitor utilization of tools; make recommendations to Organizing team about tools that chapters need more or less of
Chapter and Leads Onboarding (30%)
- Maintain database of prospective chapters and assist chapter sales staff in keeping track of prospects
- Ensure chapter prospects receive key materials, such as Chapter Agreement, and document chapter progress as they move through the process of becoming an official chapter
- Set up tech tools for new chapters, including Action Network, chapter website, chapter Zooms, 1password, chapter Canva access, and other key tools
- Review and process Leads’ Interest Forms submittals and Applications
- Oversee onboarding of Leads:
- Provide a welcoming first line of contact to new Leads
- Transition Leads in staffed chapters to be onboarded by Chapter Manager/Organizer
- Directly onboard Leads in unstaffed chapters, including providing an overview of tech tools and setting Leads up with access to tech tools
- Maintain the Leads’ information in the YIMBY Action Chapters database
Chapter Data and Organizing Team Support (30%)
- Maintain a dashboard of chapter progress to goals. Provide monthly reports to staff.
- Support National Organizing Director in ongoing housekeeping to ensure accurate data, including supporting data entry to Policy Tracker, housing projects database, Coalition Database, op-eds, etc.
- Continually optimize the chapter dashboard to support accurate data entry and useful reporting
- Oversee regular Leads surveys to ensure Leads give feedback.
- Oversee endorsements database and support Chapter Managers in helping chapters with their endorsements, including helping to organizing their data, helping to create graphics, and working with them to tee up communications to candidates
- Support Organizing and Policy teams in scheduling key working groups and committees.
- Coordinate logistics for working groups and committees, including Zoom setup and follow-up for virtual events and venue logistics, food arrangements, invitations, name tags, signage, and follow-up activities for in-person events.
- Communicate meeting details, assemble and edit meeting agendas and materials.
- Attend meetings, take notes and follow up on action items as necessary.
- Provide other administrative support for the Organizing Team as needed.
Qualifications
We believe a variety of different work, school, volunteer, or community experiences could make you a good fit for this job. We welcome candidates from nontraditional backgrounds.
You are our ideal Chapter Operations Associate if you are:
- Deeply excited about the YIMBY mission and vision. You have a passion for more housing and shelter of every type including market-rate housing, subsidized affordable housing, and public housing.
- Have an exceptional ability to carefully manage many tasks at once and relentlessly prioritize; a knack for keeping a project going and not dropping balls. Passionate about task management tools. Very, very organized and disciplined.
- Quick to pick up and master tech systems: You are able to learn new tech systems and tools quickly and can effectively teach others to learn them, too.
- Proficient in Airtable, or you’ve worked with similar database systems and are able to pick up Airtable quickly.
- Excellent customer service skills. Very comfortable with different communications styles and channels. You should be comfortable on the phone, text, email, slack, and in person.
- Experience teaching and coaching others to use tech systems effectively.
- Able to collaborate across diverse communities and engage people with diverse identities, perspectives, and backgrounds.
Benefits
- Up to 100% employer funded comprehensive medical coverage
- 401k enrollment opportunities
- 3 weeks of paid vacation plus another 20 paid holidays
- Paid sick time
- Paid family & disability leave
- Significant professional development opportunities, including paid professional development stipend
- Flexible work hours within a 40 hour work week
- Membership in YIMBY Action nationwide activist network and vibrant 3,700+ member Slack community
- Access to YIMBY Action network of elected officials, journalists, and business leaders
