Job Summary
People's Budget Birmingham (PBB) is working to make participatory budgeting a cornerstone of municipal governance and to empower Birmingham residents to challenge their city government to meet this end. Our work centers on four programmatic pillars: 1) Community organizing and education; 2) Policy advocacy; 3) Research and data analysis; and 4) Litigation and defense. We envision communities where neighbors are committed to their collective liberation, where power is held and exercised at the grassroots, and where governance is accountable, accessible, and transparent to the people.
The Field & Advocacy Manager will provide programmatic and operational leadership for People’s Budget Birmingham’s grassroots policy and advocacy campaigns. They will be responsible for developing and implementing PBB’s long-term policy initiatives, building grassroots support for these initiatives, and maintaining direct relationships with grassroots supporters, community partners, and elected officials. Working in close partnership with fellow PBB staff, the Field & Advocacy Manager will ensure PBB’s organizing and advocacy work is values-aligned and responsive to community needs.
This position requires someone who excels at designing and implementing grassroots and/or political campaigns, leading long-term policy initiatives, and engaging in deep, meaningful coalition-building and community organizing. This person is committed to fostering authentic community relationships in order to create sustainable policy change and enduring community power.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Policy Advocacy & Campaign Development
● Design and co-lead PBB’s long-term policy advocacy campaigns and initiatives with fellow PBB staff
● Set policy strategy goals in collaboration with the PBB staff team, ensuring alignment with PBB's Strategic Plan
● Build and maintain relationships with values-aligned elected officials, political leaders, and community-based organizations
● Monitor city, county, and state-level bills with the potential to shape Birmingham’s city budget, or potentially reshape the structure, function, or effectiveness of local governance and community civic engagement
● Research policies to assess their potential impact on Birmingham residents and opportunities for organizing and programmatic intervention
● Collaborate with Community Organizer to identify policy priorities and concerns of Birmingham residents
● Track and evaluate policy campaign outcomes, using data and community feedback to assess impact and inform future strategy
● Develop organizing tools, training materials, and resources related to policy advocacy campaigns, including (but not limited to) policy and budget memos and campaign strategy toolkits
● Coordinate across PBB's programmatic pillars to ensure policy and program work supports and integrates with organizational priorities
● Attend relevant community meetings and local events (i.e., Neighborhood Association, Community Advisory Board, City Council, and Planning and Zoning Board, protests, fun days, etc.) and provide strategic organizing support for mission and values-aligned initiatives
Community Organizing & Education
● Engage in direct organizing work, such as canvassing, phone banking, one-on-one conversations, and other direct contacts with PBB’s grassroots base
● Work with Community Organizer to build and lead community education and outreach programs that advance PBB’s mission and strategic goals (e.g., participatory budgeting workshops)
● Collaborate with PBB staff to execute canvassing programs, conducting door-to-door and community-based outreach
Build relationships with Birmingham residents and recruit supporters and volunteers to PBB
● Identify and develop emerging community leaders and volunteers, creating pathways for residents to take on greater responsibility in PBB's work
● Help plan and coordinate major organizing events including People's Movement Assemblies, community assemblies, canvassing campaigns, and public actions
● Establish and maintain strong relationships with mission-aligned organizations, community leaders, and institutional partners through coalition-building and collaborative programming
● Stay connected to community sentiment, priorities, and concerns, ensuring PBB's organizing work remains responsive and accountable to the people we serve
Supervisory Responsibilities
● Lead and manage field organizing activities, including supervising field staff, coordinating contractors, and building organizational capacity to advance PBB's field and advocacy strategy
● Directly supervise field staff (e.g., canvassers, organizing fellows, etc.), providing coaching, feedback, and support for professional development
● Develop and evaluate performance expectations for field team members; this includes collaborating on workplans, conducting regular check-ins and annual performance reviews
● Support field staff in achieving their professional development goals, creating pathways for leadership growth and skill development
● Mentor field staff in the development of strategic organizing plans, helping them connect day-to-day work to long-term goals
● Facilitate regular field team meetings to ensure coordination, alignment, and shared learning across the team
● Recruit, onboard, and train new field staff and contractors as the organization grows
Skills and Qualifications
Values & Commitments
● Deep and demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice and pre-existing commitment to improving the material conditions of our communities
● Alignment with PBB's values: community commitment, anti-racism, anti-capitalism, anti-carceral stance, gender equity, disability justice, environmental justice, anti-colonial perspective, global solidarity, intergenerational inclusion, and accountability and reflection
Belief in participatory democracy, community control of resources, and grassroots power-building
● Commitment to centering the leadership and priorities of Black, Brown, queer, and working-class communities
● Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, one-on-one, and in a group
● Belief in leadership development of self and others and that growth relies on an individual's ability to own important projects and achieve success for themselves
● Commitment to work in a collaborative, accountable organizational culture
● Understanding of and commitment to base-building organizing approaches that prioritize long-term relationship-building and community power
● Commitment to long-term organizational development and building sustainable field infrastructure
● Commitment to executing field work in alignment with PBB's Strategic Plan while informing strategy based on community insights
Required Qualifications & Experience
● 4+ years of proven experience with grassroots base-building, policy advocacy campaigns, and building lasting relationships with diverse communities
● 3+ years of experience with ballot measure campaigns, electoral organizing, direct democracy, or issue-based initiatives
● 1+ years of experience managing staff, volunteers, or organizing teams in advocacy, campaign, or community organizing contexts
● Experience collaborating with values-aligned local or state elected officials and/or Birmingham political leaders on policy campaigns
● Demonstrated success winning concrete policy or community victories through organizing and collective action
● Ability to analyze program data and community feedback to inform strategy and improve organizing effectiveness
● Knowledge of participatory budgeting, municipal budgets, or local government advocacy (or demonstrated ability to learn quickly)
● Experience working in the Southern United States and understanding of the region's civic and political landscape is strongly preferred
● Highly organized with strong project management skills and ability to meet expectations and deadlines
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to communicate clearly with diverse audiences
Skilled at facilitating meetings, building team alignment, and navigating interpersonal dynamics
● Reliable transportation (able to get to canvas launch sites, community events, and meetings reliably)
Preferred Qualifications & Experience
● Background in popular education methodologies and curriculum development
● Experience with participatory budgeting models or democratic governance innovations
● Experience with organizing databases, CRM systems (e.g., VAN, EveryAction), and data tracking tools
● Multilingual skills, particularly Spanish
● Experience with program evaluation and using data to drive strategy
● Comfortable with public speaking and representing the organization at external events and in coalition spaces
● Lived experience as a Birmingham resident or deep familiarity with Birmingham's neighborhoods and civic landscape
● Strong preference given to those who live within the Birmingham City limits
● Connections to Birmingham's community organizing, civic, or advocacy networks
Work Environment & Expectations
● PBB has a generous benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision benefits, paid vacation and wellness leave, paid family leave, and more!
● PBB adheres to a 40-hour work week with flexible work hours, although staff are expected to be available/reachable during normal operating hours (Mon-Fri, 9am - 5pm)
● Position is remote, but employees must be based in Birmingham, AL
● Regular in-person presence required for team coordination, field organizing, community events, and organizational activities
● Frequent fieldwork including canvassing, community meetings, and grassroots relationship-building
● Some evening and weekend work required for community events, canvassing, assemblies, volunteer coordination, and major campaigns and budget season
● Physical requirements may include canvassing, setting up for events, tabling at community events, and extended periods of standing during assemblies and public hearings
● Must be able to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with shifting priorities based on organizing opportunities and community needs
Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Paid time off
- Travel reimbursement
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Birmingham, AL 35209
