Illinois Nurses Association
 

Director of Organizing

Based out of INA’s Chicago office
(Primary assignment location is in Chicago, Illinois)

 

Job Title: Director of Organizing 
FLSA Status: Exempt 
Effective Date: February 12, 2026
Last Revised: February 12, 2026 

Summary 
Join the Illinois Nurses Association, a democratic independent nurses’ union, and be part of a team working to bring justice to healthcare workplaces across the state. INA is hiring a Director of Organizing to oversee organizing efforts to build power for healthcare workers and transform healthcare in Illinois. Working under the direction of INA leadership, the Director of Organizing will direct and carry out organizing campaigns to strengthen our current members’ contracts and bring new members into our organization. The Director of Organizing must be motivated, organized and willing to work hard to win justice. 

Working under the direction of the Executive Director, the Director of Organizing will develop and implement all activities within and related to the union’s internal and external organizing and representation. The Director of Organizing is responsible for overseeing internal and external union campaigns and directing the Organizers, Staff Specialists and other field staff in carrying out their roles in those campaigns. 

Duties and Responsibilities 
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned: 

• Under the direction of the Executive Director, design and implement campaigns to recruit and develop leaders and members and win victories on key organizing, contract, political, workplace, and community fights
  • Work with Executive Director, staff, officers, and member leaders to build a strong unionwide workplace leadership structure
  • Play a lead role in campaign, unit, and statewide planning
  • Take leadership on high priority issue campaigns and strategic initiatives
  • Attend weekly meetings to plan and evaluate progress
  • Plan and steer new organizing drives, develop organizing committees, and anchor comprehensive campaign elements
    • Assess and evaluate potential organizing targets; initiate direct contact with unorganized workers, identify and develop leadership, conduct house visits, map out workplaces, carry out the strategy of the INA’s organizing campaigns, and work closely with INA leadership to conduct organizing drives and representation elections. 
    • Oversee new organizing campaigns, directing staff and supporting volunteer member organizers and ensure compliance with INA policies on new organizing.
  • Assist in all aspects of organizing campaigns in all areas of the state including: internal organizing to build member power, contract and strike campaigns, and new organizing drives.
• Manage internal organizing staff, training, and evaluating staff on implementing a rigorous model for membership, leadership, development, education and driving key fights of the union
  • Engage in the day-to-day work of field staff 
  • Train staff organizers on key skills such as organizing conversations, assessments, leadership development, and campaign planning and implementation, including modeling those skills in hands on organizing work
  • Hold thorough 1:1s and team meetings to review staff priorities, goals, turf, leaders, and progress
  • Communicate objectives, strategic plans and goals to staff and leaders
  • Coordinate communications strategy and process with communications and field staff
  • Develop and implement support plans for performance improvement
  • Manage performance and issue progressive discipline in conjunction with Executive Director when deemed necessary
  • Create and/or direct the creation of field campaign materials for final approval by the legal staff; subsequently manage the distribution and use of field campaign materials
  • Track membership engagement metrics as key performance indicators
  • Develop and implement staff training programs
  • Assessment and implementation, manage contact lists, manage field calls
  • Identify and develop leadership roles for INA activists
  • Assist in the development and implementation of educational activities such as the INA Membership Assembly and any other programming to be developed. 
  • Develop and conduct retreats, educational sessions, planning sessions, or leadership development sessions for existing local units. 
• Oversee the development and management of the basic infrastructure of the INA field program and ensure day to day operations
  • In conjunction with the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, ensure the creation and management of processes, lists, charts, and databases related to current membership and potential new organizing opportunities 
  • Maintain a current knowledge of healthcare, labor and legal trends relevant to labor relations with a focus on how it may affect INA representational and organizing work
  • Oversee the maintenance and development of all organizing and representational tools to be used by INA field staff
  • Prepare written materials as directed for distribution such as newsletter articles, reports and educational materials. 
• Under the direction of the Executive Director engage in appropriate reporting to the INA elected leadership
  • Attend and participate as directed in INA Board meetings and conference calls. 
  • Gather reports from all relevant staff to ensure INA elected leadership full awareness of organizing and representation across the union 
• Perform other duties or tasks as assigned. 

Qualifications: 

1. Minimum of 5 years organizing experience in a labor context, including external and internal organizing experience, strike experience, and experience leading a contract campaign.
2. Experience handling representational matters, including Weingarten representation and grievances. 
3. Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate labor union members and potential members. 
4. Interpersonal communication skills necessary to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing, to a wide variety of individuals and audiences, particularly when describing or explaining collective bargaining and labor relations information. 
5. Proven ability to create and carry out a strategic plan to organize new Union members. 
6. Proven ability to organize and lead effective meetings and trainings for field staff, members and prospective members. 
7. Ability to lead staff, including: training on organizing best practices and strategies, list building, leading worker meetings, debriefing meetings with members or potential members, use of roleplays.
8. Capable of fostering a collaborative and cohesive work environment, including a willingness to consider and incorporate suggestions of staff and members.
9. Previous experience with the use of databases and other computer hardware and software, including Microsoft Office and Outlook in the performance of work-related tasks. 
10. Analytical skills necessary to accurately understand, interpret, and act on moderately complex information and data. 
11. Ability to work cooperatively with a wide variety of individuals from different backgrounds and cultures, consistently demonstrate a supportive, helpful approach when working with others, and consistently demonstrate the flexibility to lead or follow as various situations demand. 
12. Demonstrated ability to adapt and respond to rapidly changing situations and dynamics, and make adjustments to plans and campaigns as needed. 
13. Strong commitment to the labor movement. 
14. Strong writing, research and communication skills. 
15. Ability to understand and apply established standards and policies and utilize sound reasoning to quickly and effectively resolve problems. 
16. Ability to operate standard office equipment such as a telephone, copier, fax machine, postage machine, computer and computer printer. 
17. Ability to focus attention on detailed tasks and activities, manage and coordinate a variety of tasks, and effectively prioritize work for maximum efficiency and productivity. 
18. Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, and reach while performing daily duties. Ability to lift and/or carry up to twenty pounds. 
19. Self-motivated and willing to work long and irregular hours. 
20. Must have a valid driver’s license and a vehicle. 

Work Environment 

1. Normal office environment. 
2. Routine travel via automobile, train, or airplane. 

Pay and benefits are competitive. 

People of color and women, LGBTQ and healthcare professionals are encouraged to apply. 

TO APPLY: 
Please submit résumé and cover letter to Christian Del Rio (cdelrio@illinoisnurses.com) and say you found this job on unionjobs.com. Please put “Director of Organizing Position” in the subject line.