NEW Houston
New Economy for Working Houston
2506 Sutherland Street * Houston, TX 77023
https://www.neweconomyhou.com

Strategic Campaigns Researcher

Based in Houston, TX

 

New Economy for Working Houston (NEW Houston) is a Houston-based non-profit organization that brings together the power of grassroots organizing and public policy innovation to win a just economy for Gulf Coast working families. We seek to build an inclusive regional economy where workers and neighborhoods thrive, and where people of color, immigrants, women, and low-income residents have an equal voice and share equally in regional prosperity. Our mission is to strengthen the ability of working Texans to shape their local economies through strategic research, campaign advocacy, policy development, communications, and coalition building between labor and community.

Launched by a partnership between the Texas Gulf Coast AFL-CIO and PowerSwitch Action in 2023, NEW Houston has worked with unions and community organizations on campaigns to raise labor standards in construction, protect tenants’ rights, stop the state legislature from interfering in local government. NEW Houston is also working with the TGCALF to ensure that the 2026 World Cup in Houston results in good jobs for low-income communities.

NEW Houston is part of the Power Up Harris County campaign – an innovative collaboration of community organizations, labor organizations, and elected officials to advance the equitable implementation of federal clean infrastructure dollars in Harris County and test new approaches to wielding progressive governing power. The campaign will leverage the once-in-a-generation opportunity made possible by Inflation Reduction Act funds to build solar power generation capacity on County-owned land; deliver clean, affordable, and reliable energy to Harris County residents; and have union apprentices build the facilities to expand the workforce.

NEW Houston seeks a Strategic Campaigns Researcher to provide strategic research to help win current and future NEW Houston campaigns.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Campaign Support

• Research companies, elected officials, and government agencies using a wide variety of sources.
• Conduct local and field research on industries, workplace conditions, community impact of government services and projects, and other areas as needed.
• Develop internal and external reports and presentations and adapt them for various audiences (e.g. leadership & staff, workers, stakeholders, political & regulatory bodies, the public)
• Identify and analyze new opportunities for projects and campaigns within the scope of NEW Houston’s mission.
• Communicate and build relationships with a wide variety of players including community organizations, union leadership and staff, government staff and elected leaders
• Provide research-informed strategic analysis to assist campaign participants in campaign planning, communications, etc.

Coalition Coordination Support

• Work with Coalition Partners and Campaigns Staff to:
  • Identify opportunities for collaboration across organizations in order to encourage information sharing and increase impact of existing research work of partner organizations and allies.
  • Create reports to campaign planning committees to ensure shared understanding of existing research and provide access to research materials across organizations.
• Attend conferences, meetings, and events as needed to deepen the relationship between NEW Houston and the greater research/labor/non-profit  community.

Grant Support

• Assist with the preparation of documentation as part of the grant application and reporting process.

Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• BA. degree or relevant research experience (labor, political, urban planning, or community/campus)
• 2-3 years experience working on organizing and policy campaigns, within the labor movement and/or or labor/community coalitions.
• A strong and demonstrable commitment to building an economy and democracy in which working people, BIPOC folks, and gender-oppressed people have more power.
• Expertise in manipulating spreadsheets, familiarity with database and word processing software, including Google Suite
• Strong analytical, writing, computer, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to balance multiple priorities simultaneously, with meticulous organization and an eye for detail.
• Tendency to thrive in a fast-paced campaign-driven environment, who will enjoy a dynamic and complex startup organization, and can navigate a distributed leadership model with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to independently drive projects forward.
• Ability to work long days and weekends as required and travel out of town occasionally
• Valid Texas driver’s license and reliable vehicle

Preferred qualifications

• Ability to speak languages other than English

Salary and Benefits:
Compensation: $70-$75K (salary commensurate with experience) + Benefits. The position is open now until filled.

To Apply:
Please go to https://www.newhouston.org/researcher to apply.

NEW Houston is an equal-opportunity employer.