Job Openings

Organizing Manager

Location: Rockford, Peoria, Bloomington, or other locations in Illinois with travel
Compensation: $60,000, with flexibility up to $70,000 for exceptionally qualified candidates

Program Overview

Republican lawmakers are pushing dangerous cuts to Medicaid, education, SNAP, Pell Grants, and other essential programs—all to fund tax breaks for the wealthy. These cuts would devastate working families, seniors, and students across Illinois, especially in downstate communities. To fight back, we are launching a paid canvass program to engage voters directly, educate them on the stakes, and mobilize grassroots opposition. Canvassers will go door to door in key districts, collecting petition cards from residents who oppose these cuts. These signed cards will be used for follow-up engagement, organizing efforts, and direct advocacy with legislators to demonstrate widespread resistance. This canvass effort will work alongside our media strategy, lobbying, and grasstops organizing to build public pressure and stop these harmful cuts before they happen.

About the Role

The Organizing Manager will be the driving force behind this canvass operation. We are seeking a strategic and results-driven leader to hire, train, and manage a team of 10-20 paid canvassers, depending on funding levels. This person will be responsible for setting clear performance expectations, providing ongoing coaching, and ensuring that canvassers hit their outreach and data collection targets. The Organizing Manager will also oversee logistics, scheduling, reporting, and coordination with the broader campaign team to maximize impact.

This position is ideal for a strong manager with experience overseeing field teams, setting clear goals, and ensuring accountability.

Key Responsibilities

1. Team Management & Leadership (50%)

  • Hire, train, and manage a team of 10-20 paid canvassers, ensuring they are equipped to engage voters effectively.

  • Set clear goals and expectations for each canvasser, providing structured coaching and regular feedback to improve performance.

  • Conduct daily check-ins to review progress, troubleshoot challenges, and keep morale high.

  • Create a culture of accountability, professionalism, and enthusiasm within the canvass team.

  • Lead weekly coaching sessions to develop canvassers’ skills in persuasion, data collection, and issue messaging.

2. Operational & Performance Management (30%)

  • Develop canvass schedules, turf assignments, and performance benchmarks to maximize voter engagement.

  • Implement a real-time tracking system to monitor doors knocked, conversations held, and petition cards collected.

  • Enforce strict data quality standards, ensuring all collected petition cards are accurately entered and stored for follow-up.

  • Adjust strategy as needed based on performance trends and voter responses in the field.

3. Coordination & Reporting (20%)

  • Provide weekly reports on canvassing metrics, successes, and challenges to campaign leadership.

  • Collaborate with the program team to align outreach efforts with broader advocacy campaigns.

  • Organize press and visibility opportunities by capturing compelling voter stories and petition card photos.

  • Ensure seamless handoff of collected data to follow-up teams for continued voter engagement.

Who You Are (Ideal Candidate Qualifications)

  • Experienced People Manager – You have successfully led field teams or canvassers and know how to set clear goals, provide structured feedback, and ensure accountability.

  • Organized & Data-Driven – You can juggle multiple priorities, track outreach numbers, and adjust strategies based on performance trends.

  • Strong Communicator & Motivator – You know how to inspire teams, keep morale high, and troubleshoot challenges in real time.

  • Results-Oriented – You thrive in fast-paced environments with ambitious goals and take pride in hitting and exceeding targets.

  • Issue-Aware & Strategic – You understand the stakes of Republican-led attacks on Medicaid, education, and economic justice and can connect with voters on these issues.

Citizen Action/Illinois is committed to building a culturally diverse staff and strongly encourages applicants from underrepresented communities to apply.  Citizen Action/IL is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer which does not and shall not discriminate on the bases of race, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations.