Election Protection Manager

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is seeking a full-time Election Protection Manager to lead engagement with election administrators across the state as well as cyclical redistricting and census work within our Democracy For All team. The Election Protection Manager will lead partner engagement and communications on these topics as well as manage day-to-day activities necessary to successfully accomplish program-wide goals.

The ideal candidate will have experience in community organizing and managing teams. They will be committed to getting results in a fast-paced environment and able to manage a heavy workload. The primary responsibilities of this position include working in collaboration with the Democracy for All Director and Voting Rights Manager, managing an organizer and/or interns, as well as cultivating and maintaining partner and community relationships. 

Alongside a team of tenacious colleagues, the Election Protection Manager will advocate for equitable access to the ballot, work to ensure local clerks are adequately resourced by engaging local city councils and county commissions, as well as supporting poll worker recruitment. In collaboration with the Voting Rights Manager, the Election Protection Manager will amplify the voices of communities of color and other key constituencies who are disproportionately impacted by environmental issues and voter suppression. 

About the Michigan League of Conservation Voters

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters is a statewide political organization whose mission is to elect pro-conservation candidates to office and to hold all decision makers accountable for protecting Michigan’s  drinking water, reducing air pollution, addressing climate change, and preserving our state’s natural resources and democracy. We work closely with elected officials, like-minded business leaders, partner organizations and advocates from across the state. 

Michigan LCV is an equal opportunity employer. We assure equal treatment in hiring selection, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, training, discipline and other personnel practices and terms or conditions of employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, height, weight, marital status, genetic testing status, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender status, or any other protected class established by all applicable federal, state and local laws and ordinances.

Job Responsibilities

The Election Protection Manager reports to the Democracy for All Director, is based in the Grand Rapids metro area, and is responsible for the following: 

 

• Keep a steady pulse on local democracy issues, especially with local clerks, sharing that knowledge with staff and key partners, and using those issues and opportunities to engage voters in our work.
• Lead the Clerk Engagement Workgroup, including setting agendas, taking and sharing minutes, and assisting with strategic planning and growth of the workgroup.
• Alongside the Democracy For All Director, develop election systems program with an attention to detail and ability to anticipate policy needs over multiple election cycles.
  
   
• Plan and execute education programs that engage and empower our community, especially young people, to understand election systems and wider civic issues in collaboration with the Democracy For All team, youth interns, volunteers, and partners.
  
   
• Train and manage election systems staff, interns, and volunteers to advocate for fair election systems and accessible election administrators, providing regular feedback and holding staff accountable for goals.
• Support recruiting, hiring, and training alongside the program director.
  
   
• Manage elections systems social media, virtual engagement programming, working alongside the wider Democracy For All and Communications teams, as well as partners, to shape brand and effective messaging.
  
   
• Track and report data to measure our progress related to election systems programming and synthesize that into reports for internal staff, while also supporting grant writing and/or partner reporting needs.
  
   
• Ensure the program is executed with a high standard of quality control, professionalism and appropriate long-range perspective.
  
   
• Participating in all Michigan LCV political election work — doing the hard work of campaigning, which means door-to-door field canvassing, text and phone banking, and/or attending campaign events.

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates who excel at building genuine relationships, who are natural problem solvers, results-driven, and who are looking to become long-term community leaders. Candidates should be/have:

 

• Creative, motivated leader with at least 3 years of experience in community, electoral, labor, or similar organizing and at least 2 years of management experience.
• Highly organized, goal-driven, and detail-oriented self-starter who takes initiative and can complete projects independently or collaboratively as needed.
• Excellent planning, priority-setting and time management skills and ability to anticipate and plan ahead for potential challenges.
  
   
• Experience working with diverse coalitions and developing partnerships to advance shared goals.
  
   
• Positive, solutions-oriented attitude and a commitment to maintaining a supportive, empowering culture.
  
   
• An ability to build genuine relationships and lead conversations with a wide-range of stakeholders — especially those most impacted by historical barriers to the ballot — through phone calls, in-person meetings, social media, and events.
• A deep connection to the Grand Rapids area and a commitment to addressing the local democracy, land, air, and water issues impacting the region.
  
   
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Ability to work 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM on weekdays with flexibility and willingness to frequently work evenings and weekends.
• Spanish language proficiency is a plus.
• Reliable access to transportation for travel across the state and a cell phone to use for work purposes as well as the ability to participate in campaign activities, either phone banking or canvassing.
• Cultural Competence: 
  
  
  • Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about difference and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms. 
    
     
  • Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture. 
    
     
  • Understanding of how environmental and voting rights issues intersect with racism, economic and social inequality in the U.S. and a passion for working to dismantle these systems. 
    
     
  • Familiarity with the complexity of issues and obstacles facing communities’ of color participation in U.S. democracy. 
    
     
  • A belief that who we elect matters and that the protection of Michigan’s land, air and water should be a political priority. 
    
     
  • Knowledge of Michigan political and voting rights landscape is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

The starting salary for this position ranges from $66,500 - $78,000 depending on experience. Michigan LCV offers a benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision coverage, long-term and short-term disability coverage, life insurance coverage, a retirement savings program, reimbursements for business-related travel, a generous paid time off policy, and a team of smart, funny, and kind colleagues working together to deliver on a mission that matters.

How to Apply

Click here to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If you need accommodation or assistance with our online application, please tell us how we can make this process accessible to you by emailing jobs@michiganlcv.org or by calling us at (734) 222-9650.

We know not all strong candidates will have every skill we list. We still want to hear from you. Research shows that women, non-binary people, disabled people, and people of color are less likely to apply for a position if they don’t meet every skill listed. At Michigan LCV, we believe our collective differences enable us to make better decisions, drive innovation, and deliver impactful results. We are committed to creating racial justice and equity within the environmental movement, and we know that begins with us doing the work ourselves.