SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana (HCII) is a dynamic, action-oriented union representing over 90,000 healthcare and child care workers throughout the Midwest. As one of the largest and fastest growing affiliates of the Service Employees International Union, SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana is dedicated to building power for low-wage workers on the job and in their communities. We are committed to developing legislative and policy capacity to strengthen our bargaining, organizing, member mobilization, and political programs on issues such as healthcare, living wages and the right to organize.

Purpose:

The Political Director’s primary responsibility is to lead and direct the Local’s Political Program and team with organizational vision on legislation, elections and union wide priorities. The Political Director is expected to maintain relationships with IL SEIU State Council staff around political work and manage and coordinate the overall work of the local’s legislative agenda, member political intern program and electoral work. The Political Director works to connect political department work with internal organizing and member engagement to boost union’s political participation. The person in this position is passionate about racial, social and economic justice.

Location: Chicago, IL

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement and supervise strategy to build political allies and coalitions in Illinois (IL) and Indiana (IN).
• Maintain relationships with IL SEIU State Council staff around political work, and participate in state-wide political table meetings in IN.
• Participate in weekly strategy and update meeting with Government Relations team.
• Manage the coordination of member political and legislative participation.
• Connect political department work with internal organizing and member engagement to boost union’s political participation.
• Work with member engagement to develop a political and legislative training curriculum and participation tracking system.
• Provide monthly Political Report to Leadership Team.
• Manage and coordinate the overall work of the local’s legislative agenda, member political intern program and electoral work.
• Develop, implement and supervise a strategy to build membership COPE participation.
• Coordinate legal compliance requirements around political work with Finance Leadership and legal counsel.
• Develop and implement the union’s candidate endorsement process.
• Plan and prepare union’s electoral work and campaign participation, and be the primary point of contact for this work with candidates.
• Develop and implement a political contribution process and budget.
• Develop and implement a strategy to identify and recruit potential candidates for political office at all levels from the membership.
• Develop statewide member to member political program to increase union political capacity (precinct captains, community captains, MPO’s etc.).

Scope and Nature of Supervision:

The Political Director must be able to organize their time and develop and carry out plans with minimum supervision. They must also be able to receive direction from and interact with their immediate supervisor.

Working Conditions:

The Political Director may be required to work long and irregular hours, and work on weekends and holidays, when necessary. Will require day and overnight travel.

Other Expectations:

The Political Director is expected to lead by example. All staff within the Political team/department are expected to provide model behavior as leaders in our Union. All staff are expected to respect the processes of the organization and to work within the framework of the organization to resolve internal disputes and issues.

Key Qualification Criteria:

• Minimum of five (5) or more years of experience; working with a community, labor, or political organization in database services.
• Minimum of five (5) or more years of experience leading and managing staff, and managing campaigns and programs.
• Experience managing a departmental budget.
• Strong Excel and Access skills are required. Aptitude for learning new computer applications and databases.
• Experience working with a voter file interface application. Familiarity with online electoral tools including Catalyst and the VAN (Voter Activation Network) is highly desirable.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to communicate technical subjects to non-technical individuals.
• Diplomatic, professional approach to problem solving and the ability to think independently and creatively.
• Ability to manage several tasks/projects concurrently and prioritize work effectively.
• Must exercise good judgment and discretion and be able to work independently and as a member of a group.
• Must be a self-starter; willing to work sometimes long, irregular hours and to travel as needed.
• Ability to lead, motivate and inspire members to develop into leaders and participate in key union programs (i.e. politics, organizing, bargaining, etc.)
• Demonstrated understanding of the organizing model and how it can be used to empower members and insure superior outcomes in workers’ lives.
• Ability to take initiative and be creative in developing new roles for members within the union and provide the support needed to be successful.

Salary and Benefits: This position offers competitive salary and benefits that take into account experience and skill level.

SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana is an equal opportunity employer; people of color and women are encouraged to apply.