Calgary ACORN Field Organizer

Where you will work: Calgary ACORN ‘s office in Alberta Block (805 1st St SW) 

Compensation: Total compensation including benefits is $44,500 in Year 1, and $47,625 in Year 2 with the potential for $48,725 with available promotions. Annual seniority and cost of living increases in additional years. 

Learn how to be a community organizer from an organization who knows best. 

ACORN is a community action group / union of low- and moderate-income people that punches above its weight class. If you want to actually win victories for tenants and working class people – and not just talk about it – ACORN is the place for you. 

We have a long and deep history of organizing in low- and moderate-income neighbourhoods, fighting and winning change through a variety of means – including door knocking; petitioning; local, regional, and national meetings; and last but not least, direct actions – all building organizational power in the process.

We have over 200,000 members organized into 32 neighbourhood chapters in 6 provinces across Canada. We have three levels of membership.

• Full members pay $15/month
• Associate members chip in what they can
• Provisional members join the vision of the organization.

General community members wanting to participate are always invited to our community events! If middle class or higher income people want to help, they are invited to chip in financially so that space can be given for real ACORN organizing to happen.

Recent ACORN victories: Rent caps and eviction protections in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick; lowering the NSF fee to $10, anti-tenant displacement policies in Burnaby, Hamilton, Toronto, and Ottawa, lowering internet rates for 100’s of thousands of low income Canadians. 

Job Summary: We are seeking a passionate Organizer to lead campaign and organizational development focused on housing standards, housing affordability, tenant rights, disability justice, and climate action. This is a fast pace, field orientated position. There is a lot of room for growth within the organization.

This role is primarily field-based—going door-to-door in working-class neighborhoods to build community leadership. To defeat right-wing movements, we must engage with working-class people every day, offering them opportunities to organize and fight for a better world. We recognize that organizing already-active progressives is important, but it’s not enough to win. That’s why ACORN has been on the ground for decades, and we’ll train you to make an impact where it matters most.

On-the-job training will cover all the fundamentals of community organizing, including effective outreach, strategic research, campaign planning, communications, event organizing, press relations, and internal fundraising. If you are a hard worker with the ability and desire to persist through struggle, this work may be for you.

This is a field organizing position, not a desk job. 

Responsibilities and Duties

• Become a trained ACORN organizer by working closely with your supervisor to learn the basics of ACORN’s organizing methods and techniques. Training will include out-of-province travel at the organization’s expense.
• Build and expand neighborhood groups by working directly within the communities we’re organizing.
• Work with existing ACORN members and cultivate new leaders to strengthen both our neighbourhood, municipal and Provincial campaigns.
• Fundraising is a key part of the organizer’s role. As ACORN is structured like a union, members pay dues, and it is essential for organizers to sign up members and ask for dues and donations.
• Attend three annual staff meetings held out-of-province.
• Handle multiple tasks on a daily basis—flexibility and resilience are key to success.
• Represent the organization both within neighborhoods and at external meetings or events (with allies or targets).

Qualifications and Skills

• No prior paid experience required; professional organizer training will be provided.
• Strong social and interpersonal skills.
• While speaking another language is not required, it is considered an asset.
• Self-driven with the ability to work independently, while also being able to follow directions.
• Strong listening skills to identify the issues affecting our communities.
• Willingness to learn the craft of ACORN organizing.

Salary and Benefits: 

• Salary $43,390 per year in first year 
• Health benefits and matching RRSP retirement program after 6 months
• 5 Paid sick days
• Phone and transportation allowance
• Annual seniority and cost of living increases
  
• Room for internal growth / promotions available

Hours of work:

• 42 weekly
• Afternoons and evenings

Job Type: Full-time