Senior Community Organizer

The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law organization. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has been transformative — to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.

LDF’s litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education programs in the substantive areas of criminal justice, economic justice, education, and political participation seek to ensure the fundamental and basic human rights of all people to quality education, economic opportunity, the right to vote and fully participate in democracy, and the right to a fair and just judicial system. LDF continues to make an impact in the area of public service and was recognized by Fast Company as one of its 2023 Brands That Matter under its public service category.

LDF operates in a hybrid work environment where employees are expected to be in the office a minimum of two days per week with occasional travel to other regions for conferences, community events, and staff retreats. The role may require travel up to 50% of the time.  

The Senior Community Organizer plays a critical leadership role on the Community Organizing team, helping to drive strategic campaigns across LDF’s four core issue areas. This individual will supervise campaign organizing staff, design and implement multi-state field operations, and build the long-term power and capacity of directly impacted communities. The role requires deep organizing experience, creative strategy development, and a commitment to racial justice and Black liberation.

The Senior Community Organizer reports to the Director of Community Organizing and Deputy Director of Community Organizing.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage a team of community organizers and fellows, providing supervision, coaching, and professional development.
• Design and implement issue-based and geographically targeted field strategies to advance campaign goals in voting rights, criminal justice, economic justice, and education equity.
• Develop multi-year strategic organizing plans in partnership with Litigation, Policy, Strategic Initiatives, Thurgood Marshall Institute, and Communications and Marketing departments.
• Conduct in-depth landscape analyses, power mapping, and data collection to inform organizing priorities and opportunities.
• Build and support grassroots leadership among impacted communities through trainings, mentorship, and campaign engagement.
• Lead and support coalition-building efforts with allied local, regional, and national organizations.
• Supervise and evaluate campaign progress, data management, and metrics tracking to ensure program goals are met.
• Oversee the development and execution of public education campaigns, town halls, canvassing operations, voter engagement efforts, and mobilization events.
• Represent LDF in high-level advocacy meetings, media engagements, and national convenings.
• Coordinate rapid response strategies during moments of crisis or mass mobilization related to civil rights emergencies.
• Ensure consistent documentation and evaluation of campaign impact, deliverables, and lessons learned.
• Other duties as assigned by the Director of Community Organizing or senior leadership.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7–10 years of organizing experience, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or senior campaign role.
• Proven ability to lead complex organizing and advocacy campaigns with measurable impact.
• Deep experience organizing in and with Black communities, particularly those directly impacted by structural racism.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to racial justice, civil rights, and Black political empowerment.
• Skilled in base-building, coalition organizing, power mapping, and leadership development.
• Experience managing staff, budgets, and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write campaign plans, facilitate meetings, and present publicly.
• Comfortable navigating fast-paced environments, shifting priorities, and high-stakes campaigns.
• Proficiency in organizing tools and platforms such as VAN, ActionNetwork, or similar CRM and data systems.
• Ability to travel frequently, including to rural and urban areas across the U.S.
• Valid driver’s license required

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (Liberal Arts, Political Science, Sociology, Public Administration, etc.).
• Experience with electoral organizing, including voter registration, protection, and mobilization.
• Familiarity with southern or mid-Atlantic political and community organizing landscapes.
• Bilingual or multilingual a plus.

This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements, or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned. This description does not constitute a contract of employment, and LDF may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.

The salary range for this position is:

$85,600-$90,725 (DC)

$77,600-$83,120 (ATL) 

LDF offers all eligible employees a generous benefits package.  To learn more click the following link 2025 Benefits Overview.

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