SEIU Local 509
 

Community and Advocacy Organizer

Based in Marlborough, MA

 

ABOUT SEIU LOCAL 509
SEIU Local 509 is a fast-growing, progressive union representing over 28,000 state workers, human service workers, higher education faculty and family child care providers in Massachusetts. This position is part of the Local’s communications department. In the current political environment, the union has a steadfast vision to increase participation and power among its rank-and-file membership.

SEIU Local 509 is part of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the largest and fastest-growing labor unions in the United States.

JOB DESCRIPTION
As a Community and Advocacy Organizer, you will support Local 509 in building sustainable relationships with community allies to help support labor-organizing campaigns and forge long-term partnerships within the communities where our members work and live. 

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter who instinctively takes initiative and proactively identifies opportunities for impact. This role is for a dynamic individual who excels at forging collaborative relationships with a wide range of grassroots groups and creating and executing comprehensive work plans.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify potential allies among labor, religious, ethnic, immigrant, advocacy, patient/client, disability, environmental, senior, neighborhood, and other appropriate community organizations and leaders;
• Develop relationships with potential allies, educate them on SEIU Local 509 campaigns and objectives, and organize them to support those campaigns and objectives;
• Attend meetings of allied community organizations when appropriate to maintain effective relationships and build support for union campaigns;
• Identify opportunities for Common Good organizing;
• Coordinate SEIU Local 509’s participation in activities in support of community allies;
• Maintain database and other records on community organizations and leaders in the area;
• Track 509 member activity in community organizations that may be potential allies;
• Develop, recruit, and train 509 members to represent the union in community organizations effectively;
• Develop expertise in trends and changes within the Massachusetts Human Services System and its stakeholders.
• Effectively communicate the interests of union members to community organizations and vice versa

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
The ideal candidate will bring previous experience in community organizing within a labor union context. While no one candidate will possess every quality outlined for this position, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional skills and personal attributes:

• Full-time paid experience in community organizing;
• Familiarity with the operations and ecosystem of the human services sector;
• High-level ability to communicate orally and in writing;
• Ability to establish, maintain rapport, and work in mutually beneficial coalitions with widely varied ethnic, social, and philosophical groups;
• Ability to work under pressure and with minimal supervision;
• Ability to plan strategically, follow a plan, and be accountable to a team in carrying out a plan;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a diverse team;
• Dedication to building power for workers and a willingness to participate in a wide field of activities towards that objective;
• Freedom and willingness to work irregular and long hours and attend required evening and weekend meetings;
• Strong planning, time-management, and problem-solving skills;
• Bilingual skills in English and another language such as Hausa, Swahili, Spanish, or Haitian Creole are preferred but not required

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• This is a full-time position that often requires long and irregular hours, including some nights, weekends, and holidays;
• This position requires travel within the state of Massachusetts;
• This job requires the ability to work both independently and in collaboration with a diverse team of other staff members;
• A valid driver’s license and a car with insurance are required;
• While some aspects of the job can be performed from home, this is NOT a remote job and in-person work is mandatory

SUPERVISION:
Works under the supervision of the organizing director (or their designee) who reviews work for effectiveness, timeliness, scope, and accuracy per the needs of the campaign. Works collaboratively across departments with Communications, Political, Field Teams, etc. 

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS & LOCATION
This is a full-time bargaining unit position based in Marlborough, MA, with some flexibility for local remote work. The salary range for this position is $88,426 – $100,172 depending on experience. Benefits include, at no cost to the employee: health insurance with FSA and HRA, dental insurance, short and long-term disability, a pension, an optional 401k, and generous paid time off.

Must have a driver's license, vehicle registration, and/or intent to purchase a vehicle. Our main office is located in Marlborough, MA, and the position will require travel around the state.

SEIU Local 509 requires new employees to have a record of COVID-19 vaccination or a valid accommodation at the time of hire.

HOW TO APPLY
To apply to this position, please submit an updated résumé and a thoughtfully written cover letter to jobapplication@seiu509.org and indicate “Community and Advocacy Organizer” in the subject line. The application deadline is September 30, 2025.

Candidates who advance should expect initial in-person interviews at our Marlborough, MA headquarters beginning in late September to early October, followed by a second round interview and a final interview with union leadership. The expected start date is late Fall 2025.

We want to interview the best candidates for our organization. If you think you have the skills to fill the role and serve our mission, even if you don’t meet every qualification in the list, please consider applying. We review all applications thoroughly and are open to considering candidates from many different backgrounds.

If you would like to request accommodation during the interview process, please email mconway@seiu509.org. Accommodation requests will be handled confidentially. Please do not send inquiries about the status of your application.

SEIU Local 509 is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status. SEIU Local 509 is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and we are committed to making special accommodations for your interview or work as a member of our team.