Job Description: Co-Director

This position is filled and we are not currently hiring but we wanted to continue to have this description available so other folks could reference it like we did with other Co-Director job descriptions.

 

The Role at a Glance

Position: Co-Director

Reports to: AAoC Core Team

Location:

  • Generally a remote position

  • In-person events throughout the Puget Sound Region (mostly Seattle, South King County, and Tacoma), approx.1-2/month, following COVID precautions (see Open House info for most recent example)

Schedule: 37.5 weekly, flexible times

Position Type: Full time 1.0FTE, exempt

Salary: $85,000/year

Start Month: October 2024

Benefits:

  • 23 paid days off

  • 11 paid holidays

  • Flexible, family-friendly schedule

  • 401(k) and Roth IRA plans

  • Medical insurance (zero-deductible HMO and PPO options)

  • Dental insurance

  • Short- and long-term disability, life, and AD&D insurance

  • Regional transportation pass

  • RVC (AAoC’s fiscal sponsor) covers over 90% of the costs of the insurance package

  • The deduction amount varies based on which plan is selected, and if the employee has a Spouse/Domestic Partner and/or children

More details about the position are listed below!

Resources for Applicants

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Founded in 2017, Alphabet Alliance of Color (AAoC) is an organizing alliance of queer and trans Black, Indigenous, and people of color (QTBIPOC) in the Puget Sound region working on every level of change, from individual to institutional.

    AAoC was born from our struggle for dignity and self-determination within white, cisgender, and heterosexual-led nonprofits.

    Our purpose is to build and nourish the interconnected network of alliance members who challenge and tear down the systems that cause or recreate harm to the community. We will know we are successful when these harmful systems have been replaced with a world rooted in reciprocity, non-hierarchical leadership, shared power, and mutual aid.

    We are fiscally sponsored by Rooted in Vibrant Communities (RVC), who promotes social justice by cultivating leaders of color, strengthening organizations led by communities of color, and fostering collaboration between diverse communities. For more information about us, check out the rest of our website or social media.

  • We are a tiny organization with a two person staff team. The two Co-Directors work closely with each other to hold overall strategic, programmatic, and operational responsibility for AAoC’s programs, vision, and execution of its mission.

    We manage responsibilities based on shared and individual skills and preferences. While we have outlined the overall job roles, this is not a comprehensive list—we do most everything here.

    Because we collaborate so closely, these staff have to have strong rapport. This job is highly vibes dependent—the Co-Directors have to be able to slip into a rhythm with the wider community and create a warm environment for a variety of people, both new and seasoned, in community organizing and leadership.

  • We are seeking Co-Director candidates that have a deep connection to grassroots organizing and community building with queer and trans Black, Indigenous, People of Color (QTBIPOC) in the Puget Sound region and a vision for QTBIPOC liberation.

    AAoC is a collaborative organization, so we are seeking a Co-Director who can give direction to advance our organization’s strategy as well as honoring and drawing upon the lived experiences and professional expertise of their Co-Director, the Core Team (advisory board), alliance members, and other stakeholders.

    This role will be taking the lead on fundraising, including developing and implementing a fundraising plan to support our organization with an annual budget of under $500k. However, they do not have to be an expert—we are open to applicants with a wide variety of experiences, both personal and professional, and value passion and drive for achieving our goals.

    The Co-Director, in collaboration with their fellow Co-Director, is also responsible for leading AAoC in building, implementing, and assessing programming that is responsive to our community as well as managing the general operations for the organization.This person will not be responsible for supervising other employees at this time, but it may be a possibility in the future.

    As a by-and-for organization, we encourage applications from members of our communities.

  • We are open to applicants from anywhere! Our priority is that folks have experience/strong connection to movements/organizations by and for QTBIPOC and while we do value folks with a familiarity with the PNW QTBIPOC landscape, this is not a prerequisite for applying.

    While this position is often remote, we do host a number of in-person/hybrid events that require Co-Directors to be physically present in the region. These events are scheduled with our partners and vary month-to-month. Applicants currently living elsewhere who are open to moving to the Puget Sound region and getting to know the culture and communities here are welcome to apply!

  • We really co-create our space together. We have set up boundaries that work for us specifically, in our unique relationship. That includes what our boundaries are in our work/life balance, communication style, and decision making. We stay in conversation about what we want these things to look like, and reevaluate as necessary with each other.

    We do our best to recognize when we are in disagreements and to see what might be underlying those (for example values differences, lived experiences, perspectives). If we are feeling stuck/entrenched in our differences, we often take space, move on to another topic, and decide to come back to it later. Often, giving ourselves space to think/breathe lets us return to the topic with more flexibility and openness to each other. We explain to each other where we are coming from and work to figure out a compromise. If we are unable to do that or stuck on specific parts, we take our ideas and reasoning to the Core Team and get support in finding a way forward. If it becomes necessary, we will invite an outside mediator to support us in working through conflict.

The current co-director team

Qualifications and Competencies 

Required

  • Experience with or strong connections to movements or organizations led by-and-for queer and trans Black, Indigenous, People of Color (QTBIPOC) - this can include organizing with, leading, participating in, or working for/with

  • At least 2 years of experience as a leader in an organization of similar size (staff of 2, Core Team of 8) and complexity as AAoC (4 main programs, ~1-2 events/week, ~8-10 grants, <$500k budget)

  • Excitement about individual and institutional fundraising to secure the financial future of AAoC

  • Experience generating new revenue streams and improving financial results

  • Strong oral and written communication skills, including capacity to communicate AAoC’s mission and programs in a compelling and nuanced manner for different audiences

  • Enthusiasm for building relationships (i.e. engaging in many meetings, coffees, meals, Zoom meetings, etc.) across grassroots movements and nonprofit organizations

  • Demonstrated ability to facilitate and hold community space that is warm, welcoming, connective, intentional, responsive, accessible, caring, transparent, affirming, and supportive (this is how participants describe our programming)

  • Experience co-creating, collaborating, and developing programming with partners in response to community needs

  • Demonstrated understanding of and experience with implementing disability justice values in the workplace; many of AAoC’s staff, Core Team, and participants are disabled, chronically ill, and/or neurodivergent

  • Demonstrated commitment to gender, racial, economic, disability, and healing justice and dismantling all systems of oppression, particularly operationalizing social justice values into organizational processes

  • Understand the importance of holding space for diverse spiritual and healing practices important in our communities

  • Leadership style that is transparent, self-reflective, and comfortable working through moments of conflict and ambiguity

  • High emotional intelligence, ability to develop deep, trusting relationships with diverse individuals from many different backgrounds

  • Ability to navigate and attend/host hybrid events in the region by public transportation or car

  • Ability to bring humor and honesty to the team through the daily ups and downs of the work

Desired

  • 2-3 years experience with fundraising and development, whether formal (schooling, nonprofit experience) or informal (personal, community)

  • Realist with an optimistic bent 

  • Lived experience and/or familiarity with the cultural and organizational landscape of the Puget Sound region

  • Experience with AAoC’s programs or partners

  • Experience in or passion for identifying local and statewide policy topics of interest to community and connecting with experts in community to support political education and civic engagement

  • Ability to lift and move light furniture (tables, chairs, materials, ~20 lbs.). Please see accommodation supports below.

Essential Responsibilities

Lead: Fundraising and Development - 15%

  • Create and implement our organization’s first annual fundraising plan, with a focus on major gift programs, individual giving, and corporate sponsorships that meet the annual budgetary needs of the organization, as well as strengthens long-term sustainability, with accountability to organizational goals

  • Manage stewardship of current individual donors, donor correspondence and acknowledgement (digital and handwritten), donor database, and lead donor retention and expansion strategy 

  • Cultivate relationships with new and prospective donors

  • Leverage network for fundraising

  • Develop and maintain sponsorship program with corporations and local businesses 

  • Engage in continual learning about this area, with support from RVC Seattle and other capacity building organizations or programs, keeping an eye on trends in donor engagement strategy and adjusting accordingly

  • Work with Co-Director to track outcomes and provide reports to funders, core team members, and external stakeholders 

Co-Lead: Leadership and Core Team Collaboration - 20%

  • In collaboration with other staff and Core Team, co-create and advance the strategic vision and direction of Alphabet Alliance of Color programming in alignment with our values in ways that are transparent and accountable to our movements 

  • Represent AAoC externally and build and nourish relationships with stakeholders and partners by being an active presence at community events, member events, various engagements in the community and on committees and non-grantee boards

  • Continually stay up to date and informed about the evolutions in grassroots liberation movements, specifically disability, racial, queer, and gender justice.

  • Co-create staff meetings by keeping track of agenda items, time keeping, and keeping track of follow up tasks

  • Guide Core Team during monthly meetings, yearly retreats, and during recruitment and onboarding process to ensure that it has the talent, knowledge, and direction to be effective in its work

  • Report to Core Team to seek involvement in major decisions

  • Provide ongoing feedback to other staff and Core Team members, and make hiring decisions for contractors

  • Build and maintain Alliance Member relationships through checking in annually with Alliance Member organizations and collectives, assessing for needs and recruiting and onboarding new members

Co-Lead: Programing - 25%

  • Manage program budgets and ensure programmatic compliance with all grants and contracts

  • Create and implement all AAoC programs including annual Alphabet Institute, monthly General Alliance Meetings, monthly Policy Practice Spaces, monthly Co-Working Spaces, Fall Workshops, and Community Care Fund

    • Create a warm and welcoming space for all participants

    • Co-facilitate virtual and hybrid programming 

  • Plan and host yearly events including the Open House and Holigay Party

  • Dream up and implement collaborative community events like Taking B(l)ack Pride and Seattle Public School’s Gender Affirming Clothing Swap, among others

  • Regularly use Canva to create programmatic materials or templates

  • Ensure proper storage and documentation of programmatic content, including Google Drive, Canva, and photos

  • Engage in collective community feedback and assessment strategies to inform programming, fundraisers, mutual aid asks, and resources 

Co-Lead: Operations - 15%

  • Manage the operations and growth of the organization

  • In collaboration with RVC’s Operations Support Program Manager and Capacity Building Lead, create and refine operational and capacity building systems for the organization

  • In collaboration with the Social Media Contractor, create and adapt an organizational communications strategy, including developing and updating an editorial plan and schedule for the year, and creating content for social media, website, and newsletter

Co-Lead: Grant Writing - 10%

  • In collaboration with RVC’s Grant Writer and Capacity Building Lead, search for, craft, and finalize grant applications for charitable foundations, corporate charitable funds, service clubs, and other funding sources 

  • Grant writing responsibilities will be shared with the other Co-Director

  • The other Co-Director will take the lead on grant reporting, compliance, and relationship stewardship, which this position will support

Co-Lead: Emotional Labor - 5%

  • Eyes on overall organizational emotional capacity

  • Holding space for community members as they check-in or process about current life experiences, often interacting with systems of oppression and harmful institutions or workplaces

  • Co-leading internal conflict resolution and supporting creation of accountability processes for organization

Support: Financial Management - 10%

  • In collaboration with Co-Director and RVC Seattle Staff, develop the annual budget

  • Ensure the financial health of the organization

  • Prepare invoices and Paypal payments for weekly payments of contractors, program participants, and recipients of financial assistance

  • Submit and track program expenses based on RVC and AAoC protocol 

  • Maintain financial records and tracker, including coding income and expenses in accordance with RVC and AAoC Protocol

Application and Hiring Process

To Apply:

Please include the following in a single file PDF, emailed to hiring@alphabetalliance.org:

  1. Review the required and desired qualifications in the job description to shape a thoughtful and compelling cover letter that addresses:

    • Why are you interested in working with AAoC and the communities we support? What inspires you about the mission and work we do? Why would you say our work is important?

      • Written response, minimum ⅔ of a page

    • What brings you to this work? How are your past accomplishments and experiences relevant to this role?

      • Acceptable formats for response include:

        • Traditional written letter (1 - 2 pages total, including previous question)

        • Audio/video recording (3 - 5 minutes) can be files separate from the PDF

        • Visual medium such as a Canva presentation (8 - 10 slides)

        • Legible photographs of a trifold poster

        • Brochure

      • All formats will be given equal consideration

  2. Resume (1 - 2 pages), or LinkedIn page, or other digital format (link). Please include your pronouns.

  3. Three references.

    • For each reference, please include:

      • Name

      • Pronouns

      • Affiliation

      • Relationship to you

      • Email address

      • Phone number

    • If your reference knows you by a different name or pronouns, please let us know.

Priority reviewing will be given to applications that are submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2024. However, the position will remain open until filled.

We will work to meet the access needs of all applicants, so please reach out if you need support.

Hiring Process & Timeline:

July: phone interviews

Early August: one-hour virtual interviews

Mid August: reference checks

Late August: one-hour in-person interviews

To respect the time and energy put into this process, we will compensate finalists who reach this stage $50. This is not a standardized practice but is in alignment with our values.

Mid September: offer made

Early October: begin role

We understand that this process may be a little longer than usual, but as we have a small team and summer is our busiest season, this is what is doable for us while keeping ourselves well.

The Details

Salary Structure

AAoC’s Co-Directors will be individually compensated $85,000, in accordance with our equitable hiring practices that strive for internal parity. In order to counter pay inequality and uphold internal parity, salaries are non-negotiable. Similarly, there are no title negotiations. 

Work Environment

Schedule

AAoC has a variable work schedule:

  • Evening meetings (5:30 - 9 p.m.): generally one weekly fall through spring and two weekly in the summer.

  • Weekend events: generally monthly

Because of this, we tend to maintain normal/extended work hours Tuesday through Thursday (10 a.m. – 5 p.m. or 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.), and have flexibility on Mondays and Fridays.

Schedules can be agreed upon with your Co-Director. 

Remote work

Staff primarily work from home: we are a hybrid work organization with no central office.

In-person work

Staff host events at various locations and attend collaborative community events throughout the Puget Sound region, throughout the year.

Co-Directors decide which events will be hybrid. Expect about 3 - 4 in person events or meetings per month.

Background Check 

A criminal history background check will be conducted on the final candidate prior to beginning employment. A criminal background will not automatically eliminate you from consideration, and would instead open up a conversation.

Accessibility Accommodations

We aim to challenge and confront ableism within societal structures and ourselves. We do so within the context of our workplace policies, our community offerings, and our organizational relationships. We hold accessibility not just a goal, but a priority. We do so because a commitment to accessibility is a commitment to challenging colonialism, white supremacy, anti-Blackness, capitalism, imperialism, misogyny, queer and transphobia.

AAoC offers accommodations, upon request, for candidates with disabilities during the application, interview, and hiring process (such as forms in alternate formats or interpretation services during the interview). As a community with many Disabled, Neurodivergent/Neuroexpansive, Sick, Mad people, we are doing our best to weave access needs, accommodations, and care into everything that we do and are actively seeking support in how to make our workplace supportive to the needs of individuals and the collective. If you require accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact hiring@alphabetalliance.org. 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

Alphabet Alliance of Color is a fiscally sponsored project of RVC Seattle, a 501(c)(3) organization, and an equal opportunity employer. We believe communities that exist at the intersections of oppression must be centered in all the work we do. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from Black and Indigenous women of color, Trans and gender non-conforming people, LGB people, Sick, Mad, D/deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Disabled people of color, working class people for all of our positions. Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at RVC Seattle, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

Acknowledgements

In creating this job description we were inspired by the work of Third Wave Fund, API Chaya, Families of Color Seattle, Mujer al Volante, AGE UP, WA-BLOC and RVC Seattle. Thank you other folks who came before us for doing the work!