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Progressive States Network is currently hiring for the following position:

Development Assistant

Job Description: Progressive States Network (PSN) is seeking a smart, motivated and experienced Development Assistant to support the work of the Executive Director. The position will help raising the funds to support our work with state legislators and advocates in all fifty states to advance an anti-racist, social justice agenda covering a range of issues on behalf of working families.

This is an ideal near-entry level opportunity for someone beginning a career in development and fundraising with a focus on foundation grant writing, prospect research and individual gift solicitation. This individual will work with PSN’s senior staff to fortify development efforts and raise funds for the organization's projects.

Under direction, S/he will be responsible for the following:

  • Conduct background research on individual donors and prospects based on potential for giving and substantive interests
  • Work closely with the Executive Director to identify and research new and established foundations. Analyze historic patterns of giving and develop effective strategies for one-on-one solicitations and new opportunities for foundation support
  • Assist in drafting grant proposals, reports and letters of interest
  • Assist in solicitation, acknowledgment, and other correspondence to high-dollar individual donors
  • Assist in drafting letters of support for grant proposals, and reaching out to appropriate parties to obtain said letters
  • Assist in maintaining Salesforce database of donors, lists and records. Assist in gift tracking.
  • Assist in drafting online/email appeals and coordinating in-house mass mailings
  • Assist in the organizing, planning and execution of PSN’s state-specific fundraising events and national conferences
  • Assist in the coordination of annual Board Meetings, including preparation of materials and logistics
  • Schedule meetings and act as liaison between the foundational donors and Executive Director
  • Other administrative duties as assigned by Senior Management.
Progressive States Network is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage and value a diverse workforce, and we seek diversity among applicants. Women, minorities and residents from underserved communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience. Opportunities for advancement, travel, and additional training are available.

Location: Position based in PSN’s national office in New York, NY. Occasional travel required.

Background: Progressive States Network (PSN) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the work of progressive state legislators around the country and the passage of state legislation that delivers on the issues that matter to working families: strong wage standards and workplace freedom, balancing work and family responsibilities, health care for all, smart growth and clean energy, tax and budget reform, clean and fair elections, and technology investments to bridge the digital divide.

PSN blends analysis and action to provide coordinated strategic support for a network of state legislators, their staffs and advocacy groups, in order to equip them with coherent logistical and strategic advocacy tools necessary for advancing key progressive economic and social policies. PSN is working to establish a cohesive network and support system for progressive legislators, while building a concerted movement dedicated to grassroots social and political change across the nation.

How to Apply: Please e-mail a resume, cover letter and writing sample to DAjob@progressivestates.org. Absolutely no phone calls will be accepted.

Election Reform Policy Advocate

Job Description: State governments remain a key opportunity to enact bold, visionary changes to advance voting rights in this country, especially when done through coordinated action across multiple states with coordinated messaging. A core part of the PSN staffer’s responsibility would be to support campaigns on these issues in each state, working with local allies and legislative allies we have developed from other campaigns to find sponsors and help move the bills in more states.

Progressive States is looking for an individual to help develop an integrated policy program for allies working in the states, build legislative networks across the states to advance that agenda, provide technical support for specific campaigns, and help build national messaging linking these individual state campaigns. A key role for the PSN voting reform advocate would be to build a national network of state legislators that can work consistently to expand voting rights.

PSN’s voting reform advocate would concentrate on a few key election reforms:

  • Vote by mail and permanent mail-in voting options: Full mail elections and permanent mail-in voting options eases voting and relieves long lines on election day.
  • Reregistration: We need reforms to keep people registered as they move, including coordinating with the U.S. Post Office to make reregistration part of any home move.
  • National Popular Vote: Assuring that the President is elected by majority vote in the nation not only assures every voter that their vote matters but would increase turnout in non-swing states.
  • Same Day Registration: Registration and voting shouldn’t be a one-step process, a critical reform to assure that late-deciding voters are part of the political process.
  • Public Financing of Elections: Ending the corporate dominance of election financing is critical to restoring the integrity of democratic decision-making.
  • Other reforms: A range of other existing and proposed reforms include online voter registration, automatic registration of high school students, and multi-state compacts to assist reregistration when moving across state lines.

Since Progressive States is dedicated to breaking down single issue politics in favor of a shared multi-issue agenda, any candidate for these positions should be prepared to promote these issues in the context of helping to promote other issues of concerns to our allies in the labor, civil rights, environmental and other grassroots communities. For this position, we are especially interested in individuals who have experience or at least interest in engaging with criminal justice issues that are often a key driver of racial and economic inequality in our democratic system.

Where PSN brings special expertise is using our involvement in a range of other national and local issue campaigns to add strategic advice on moving these voting reforms, including highlighting the need for voting reform to achieve health care by increasing turnout among the uninsured, coordinating with immigrant and civil rights movements, and tying issues like National Popular Vote into other issues critical to non-swing state voters. 

Qualifications: Any candidate must be self-motivated and an innovative thinker and organizer with a dedication to public interest issues. Excellent verbal and writing skills are an essential requirement. Background in election reform advocacy is strongly desired. Relevant experience includes (but is not limited to) working in political, policy, legal, journalistic, or government settings. Advanced degrees, including a JD or masters in related fields, may count toward a candidate’s professional experience. But most of all, we are looking for smart, creative thinkers and doers who can help build and strengthen the progressive movement in this country.

Progressive States is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage and value a diverse workforce, and we seek diversity among applicants for this position. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience. Opportunities for advancement, travel, and additional training are available.

Location: Position based in PSN’s national office in New York, NY. Occasional travel required.

Background: The Progressive States Network (www.progressivestates.org) seeks a highly motivated individual to work in a team approach as a policy advocate working to promote election reforms that promote civic engagement and overcome racial and economic inequalities in our democracy.

The Progressive States Network is a state-based organization, the mission of which is to promote progressive change state-by state, while challenging rightwing and racist attacks on our democracy.

How to Apply: Email a compelling cover letter, resume and writing sample identifying which policy position you are applying for and which shows your ability to write about policy issues in a manner accessible to the public to: electionreformjob@progressivestates.org . NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

Workers' Rights Policy Specialist

Job Description: The Workers Rights Policy Specialist will help develop an integrated policy program for allies working in the states, empower legislative networks across the states to advance that agenda, provide technical support for specific campaigns, and help guide national messaging linking these individual state campaigns.

Key goals and issues include:

  • Raising Wage Standards, from the minimum wage to industry-specific living wage laws.
  • Wage Law Enforcement to help all low-wage workers and provide a progressive alternative to anti-immigrant workplace enforcement policies
  • Promote Private Rights of Action for Workers in all legislation to empower workers to enforce laws on their own behalf.
  • Paid Sick Days and Related Policies to highlight policies that help families better balance work and family.
  • Freedom to Form Unions where state laws can help advance the ability of workers to collectively organize for better conditions.

Qualifications: This job requires the ability to develop and explain (verbally and in writing) policies to legislators, the media and potential allies. The position also requires strong organizing skills to build a multi-state legislative network where legislators educate each other and work with advocates and allies on both policy and state-based mobilization. Since Progressive States Network aims to build a multi-issue network of legislators and allied organizations, the Worker’s Rights Policy Specialist must be committed to working in a team with other staff.

Candidates for this position should have five or more years of relevant professional experience. Relevant experience includes (but is not limited to) working in political, policy, legal, journalistic, or government settings. Advanced degrees, including a JD or masters in related fields, may count toward a candidate’s professional experience.

Salary and Benefits: Salary and benefits for this position are commensurate with the amount of relevant professional experience that a candidate has. Opportunities for advancement, travel, and additional training are available.

Location: Position based in PSN’s national office in New York, NY. Occasional travel required.

Background: The Progressive States Network seeks a highlymotivated individual to work in a team approach as a policy advocateworking on health care issues with state legislators and organizationsaround the country. The Progressive States Network is a state-basedorganization, the mission of which is to pass progressive legislationin all 50 of America's state legislatures, strengthen progressivealliances, and challenge rightwing forces in each of those states.

How to Apply: Email a compelling cover letter, resume and writing sample identifying which policy position you are applying for and which shows your ability to write about policy issues in a manner accessible to the public to: workersrightsjob@progressivestates.org. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

2010 Legal Fellowship Applicants Welcome!

Progressive States Network (PSN) seeks recent law school graduates to host as fellows. Fellowships can include, but are not limited to those funded by Equal Justice Works, Open Society/Soros Foundation, and school specific fellowships.

PSN blends analysis and action to provide coordinated strategic support for a network of state legislators, their staffs and advocacy groups, in order to equip them with coherent logistical and strategic advocacy tools necessary for advancing key progressive economic and social policies. PSN is working to establish a cohesive network and support system for progressive legislators, while building a concerted movement dedicated to grassroots social and political change across the nation. See www.progressivestates.org for more information. Since Progressive States is dedicated to breaking down single issue politics in favor of a shared multi-issue agenda, fellows will have the opportunity to work closely with our policy staff on a range of issues in the context of alliances with labor, civil rights, environmental and affordable housing organizations.

Any candidate must be self-motivated and an innovative thinker and organizer with a dedication to public interest issues. Excellent verbal and writing skills are an essential requirement. Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to public service and experience in policy advocacy or community organizing is a plus. But most of all, we are looking for smart, creative thinkers and doers who want to learn how to help build and strengthen the progressive movement in this country. PSN’s national office is located in New York, NY.

Please email a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and project proposal to our Outreach Associate, Julie Bero, at jbero@progressivestates.org. We will review applications on a rolling basis.

Outreach and Communications Intern

PSN seeks a Summer Intern to support work on our 2010 Shared Multi-State Policy Agenda.  This year, PSN is working with legislators from a majority of the states to promote six bills that will help shape the progressive message across the country.  While at PSN, the intern will learn about the inner-workings of a political non-profit by supporting outreach and event planning projects, researching a broad range of policy issues, attending staff meetings, and helping to keep our database up-to-date.  

This summer, we will offer a new opportunity to work with staff to produce a capstone article on a progressive political issue of your choosing to be featured in our email Dispatch, which reaches 10,000 subscribers around the country.

Any candidate must show dedication to creating positive change in the states and experience in political or community organizing is a plus.  Excellent verbal and writing skills and general computer proficiency are essential.  But most of all, we are looking for smart, creative thinkers and doers who want to learn how to help build and strengthen the progressive movement in this country.  This position is unpaid, but students are welcome to use the internship to receive credit. The internship is based in PSN's national office in New York, NY and students would be expected to commit to 20 or more hours per week. 

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to our Intern Coordinator, Julie Bero, at jbero@progressivestates.org.  No phone calls please.

Progressive States Network is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage and value a diverse workforce, and we seek diversity among applicants. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

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