Syringe Access Campaign Coordinator — NJHRC

Position: Syringe Access Campaign Coordinator Contract Period: 12-month contract, accepting applicants through November 19, 2021 Status: Contract basis with approximately 35 hours/week of deliverables Location: New Jersey-based; virtual/flexible with occasional team meetings in New Brunswick area; some statewide travel (2x monthly) required Compensation: $50,000-$60,000 plus health insurance, phone stipend, and mileage reimbursement Reports to: Executive Director The New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition (NJHRC) seeks a talented, motivated, and dedicated person to join our team as Syringe Access Campaign Coordinator. This position will steward a statewide policy and public education campaign to remove restrictive barriers to syringe access in New Jersey. Learn more about the issue of syringe access expansion in New Jersey here.

The ideal candidate will have strong project management skills and experience with issue advocacy, organizing, or public relations campaigns. A strong demonstrated commitment to racial justice and health equity is a must.

This position has no educational, citizenship, drug testing, or background check prerequisites. People with personal experience with syringe access, drug use, sex work/trade, homelessness, and the War on Drugs; Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color; women/femme, gender expansive, and members of LGBTQIA+ communities; and people living with HIV/AIDS and/or Hepatitis C and/or chronic health conditions are strongly encouraged to apply.

Essential Responsibilities

Coalition and Stakeholder Engagement (25%) ●

Communicate regularly with existing syringe access programs and coalition partners for planning and execution of campaign strategy

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Identify new stakeholders and community leaders who are supportive of syringe access to engage in campaign Coordinate and assist in drafting op-eds, letters to the editor, sign-on letters, and email alerts in support of syringe access Plan regular community education and engagement events Collaborate with lead of faith leader engagement initiatives to develop leadership and public education efforts by faith leader supporters of syringe access

Policymaker Engagement (25%) ● ● ●

Develop and implement campaign objectives and tactics in collaboration with NJHRC team and coalition partners Schedule regular meetings with policymakers and staff to advance campaign objectives Follow-up with policymakers about campaign status and addressing concerns and questions as needed

Build Campaign Storyteller Bureau (25%) ●

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Identify, engage, and support individuals who have benefited from syringe access personally, in their families, and/or in their communities to share their support of syringe access in a variety of formats (speaking to policymakers, writing, video, and artistic expression) Regular check-ins through phone call and meetings with identified members of the storytellers bureau Disseminate regular campaign updates and ways to be involved to participants in NJHRC’s New Brunswick outreach program in collaboration with NJHRC Director of Harm Reduction Services and Direct Services Coordinator

Creation of Campaign Materials (10%) ●

Develop campaign materials as needed (i.e., policy explainers, one-pagers, and social media graphics) and liaise with graphic designer and NJHRC team to produce and disseminate these materials to target audiences

Organizational Development and Capacity Building (15%) ●

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Participate in team meetings, attend community events, and otherwise contribute to strengthening roots and relationships within the harm reduction community Participate in trainings and learning opportunities from local and national harm reduction organizations Take time to understand the work and priorities of the NJHRC direct services team

Requirements

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Commitment to supporting people who use drugs through harm reduction strategies Strong written and verbal communication skills Knowledge of New Jersey political landscape Prior experience working on an issue advocacy, organizing, public relations, or electoral campaign Reliable and trustworthy Ability to use Google Suite, including Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar, and Microsoft Word (will provide training for the right candidate) Ability to problem solve and know when to ask for support and guidance A “growth mindset” of interest in learning and supporting learning for others who may not be as familiar with your work

To Apply Accepting applicants through November 5, 2021 on a rolling basis. Please submit a cover letter, writing sample, resume (no specific format required, and a list of your relevant experiences is sufficient in the absence of a resume), and two professional references (one reference who can speak to your campaign experience preferred).

Submit application and reach out with questions at hello@njharmreduction.org.

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