Education Manager

Position: Education Manager

Department: Leadership Development

Supervisor: Chief of Leadership and Participatory Visioning (interim President/Executive Director)

Salary: $70,000 - $90,000 annually

Benefits: Full medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance covered at 100%; flexible work schedule; flexible paid time off with approval from supervisor; paid holidays; phone and travel allowance; child and pet-friendly workplace.

Position & Status: Full-time, 40 hrs/week, exempt

Anticipated Start Date: February 2025

Location: Hybrid (based in Oregon). This role allows for up to three days of remote work per week, with a requirement to attend monthly meetings in Oldtown, Portland. Will be required to work weekly evening hours in Oldtown.

Physical/Cognitive Details: Regularly required to use a computer and phone to perform work and communicate with others for several hours each day during agreed-upon work days. The noise level in the office is moderate.

ABOUT IMAGINE BLACK

Imagine Black (formerly known as PAALF Action Fund) helps our Black community imagine the alternatives we deserve and build our political participation and leadership to achieve those alternatives. Since our start in 2009, we have envisioned a world where people of African descent enjoy the rights, resources, and recognition to be a thriving, resilient, and connected community.

At Imagine Black, we have strengthened our commitment to a Black Queer Feminist (BQF) theory and practice. BQF provides a more holistic understanding of our conditions and connectedness as Black people. As a result, we understand that liberation for all Black people can only be realized by lifting up the voices and experiences and prioritizing the issues of historically silenced and vulnerable groups within Black communities – specifically, queer, trans and GNC, femme, poor, disabled, working and undocumented people (adapted from BYP100).

Imagine Black is a 501(c)(4) multi-issue grassroots organization in partnership with our sibling 501(c)(3) organization, Imagine Black Futures. We have a staff of nine and an operating budget of around $3.5M.

More information about Imagine Black can be found at imagineblack.org.

POSITION SUMMARY

Imagine Black is seeking a passionate and skilled Education Manager to lead the implementation of our political education and leadership development programming. This role will be pivotal in fostering political awareness, deepening civic engagement, and cultivating Black radical imagination for Black Oregonians and allies. The Education Manager will take ownership of organizing and facilitating regular book club meetings and monthly civic engagement workshops using our existing curricula.

The ideal candidate will have experience in movement building, popular education, and a commitment to social justice, with a deep understanding of Black resistance, advocacy, and liberation history. This role requires someone with strong facilitation skills, an ability to build positive learning environments, and a passion for engaging diverse communities in critical political action and empowerment conversations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Popular Education Programming (50%)

• Implement pre-existing reimagining public safety book club curricula, ensuring a dynamic and engaging learning experience that resonates with participants.
• Organize and facilitate five reimagining public safety book club meetings per month:
• Two meetings - hosted virtually via Zoom.
• Three in-person meetings - held at our Old Town office in Portland.
• Foster a welcoming, interactive, and collaborative space for critical dialogue on themes of Black radical imagination, organizing, and resisting oppression.
• Support implementing Imagine Black’s community organizing school, Black Seeds School.

Civic Engagement Workshops (30%)

• Host one civic engagement workshop per month using Imagine Black’s pre-designed curriculum.
• Facilitate civic workshops designed to empower participants in civic work, connect them to Imagine Black’s campaigns, and foster community engagement.
• Incorporate principles of popular education, creating spaces for mutual learning where participants’ lived experiences inform and guide the learning process.

Program Support and Evaluation (10%)

• Work collaboratively with the Imagine Black team to assess the effectiveness of book clubs and workshops, providing feedback and suggestions for improvement.
• Assist in outreach efforts to recruit program participants, ensuring broad engagement across Black Oregonians and allies.
• Maintain accurate records of program attendance and outcomes for reporting and evaluation purposes.

Organizational Support (10%)

• Collaborate with the Development Department and Narrative and Communications Division in identifying and editing grants as needed, providing content for social media, and attending events.
• Attend internal staff and department meetings and collaborate with other staff as needed.

The duties mentioned above are intended to serve as a partial list of all responsibilities required for this position. This job description is intended to provide a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. This role may only be necessary to perform some of the listed duties and may be required to perform additional duties as requested.

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• At least three years of experience in related fields, including organizing, movement building, or leadership development.
• Commitment to social justice and Imagine Black’s mission of advancing Black liberation and civic power in Oregon.
• Strong knowledge of Black radical imagination, self-determination, Black resistance history, and frameworks for dismantling oppression.
• Familiarity with popular education and experience facilitating interactive, community-centered learning environments.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple project components effectively.
• A passion for leadership development and the ability to set and maintain appropriate boundaries and expectations for transformative experiences for participants and partners.
• Proven skills in working and communicating with communities within the African diaspora, mainly descendants of enslaved Africans, African immigrants and refugees, and Caribbean immigrants and refugees.
• Commitment to applying a Black Queer Feminist lens to organizing, leadership development, and civic and political participation.
• Solid understanding of adult and community education, with experience engaging diverse learning styles and facilitating workshops.
• Ability to self-motivate, self-direct, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong work ethic and flexibility to accommodate multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office and Google applications.
• Innovative thinking and a drive to experiment with new forms of popular education

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bi- or multi-lingual (Arabic, Amharic, Swahili, and Somali-speaking applicants are encouraged to apply).
• Lived experience with Black community issues, particularly in Portland, Oregon.
• Knowledge of electoral justice campaigns to increase community power through strategic mobilization.
• Familiarity with political strategy and the local and state political landscape.
• Comfortable with platforms like Asana, Zoom, EveryAction, and Slack.

Benefits

Imagine Black offers excellent benefits, including full medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance covered at 100%; flexible work schedule; flexible paid time off with approval from supervisor; paid holidays; phone and travel allowance; child and pet-friendly workplace.

TO APPLY

Please apply through the provided link by submitting your resume and cover letter. Your cover letter details your interest and qualifications for the position, emphasizing experiences and competencies that align with the role’s requirements.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with priority given to those received by Monday, December 30, 2024.

Please do not send emails or make phone calls regarding your application.

Racial equity is of utmost importance for our search. If you do not meet all of the required qualifications for this role but feel you can be a great addition to our team, please apply and let us know why we should meet you! 

Imagine Black profoundly embraces diversity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool because we know the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.