Overview of Position and Highlander’s Program Work
This person will be a member of Highlander’s Education Team. This team works together to plan, carry out and evaluate the educational work of the Highlander Center.
Fundamentally, Highlander is an intersectional resource for the U.S. South, a place where leaders, networks, and movement strands come together to interact, build relationships, craft joint strategy and develop tools and mechanisms to advance a multi-racial, intergenerational movement for justice in our region. Cornerstones of the work: building the skills of grassroots people and capacity of organizations for long haul work, and connecting people and issues for holistic analysis and broad-based movement building.
Highlander works on a variety of issues because we believe these issues are connected, because the needs in the region are deep, and because we are asked by the people we serve. We also target specific issues where we believe strategic focus will maximize our impact and help develop a critical mass of people to make change. Please see the Executive Summary of our Strategic Assessment and Action Process on our website for more information about our current key points of leverage.
As a regional intermediary with an extensive history, widespread network of friends, contacts and associations, and a physical place connected to a history of struggle of which people want to be part, we work with local, state, regional, national and international organizations, networks, and coalitions.
This staff position will work primarily with our Appalachian Transition Fellowship Program and our Seeds of Fire Youth Program.
Primary Program Responsibilities
The Appalachian Transition Fellowship (www.appfellows.org) is a program designed for emerging community leaders committed to working in Central Appalachia for the economic transition of the region. These fellows will be placed in host communities that are working in in partnerships across the sectors of education, non-profit, business, philanthropy and government. This position will provide work with a team to carry out this fellowship program, including:
- Assisting in the application and interview process for host communities and fellows
Leading logistical support for interviews
- Organizing orientation, tour and training sessions
- Supporting curriculum development
- Regular communication with fellows and host communities
- Maintaining database
- Providing ongoing communications, including website updates, reporting, publicity
Our long-standing Seeds of Fire Program provides training for youth and young adults organizing in the South and Appalachia. In 2014, an advisory committee of this program will carry out a re-granting to groups, organize an evaluation and strategy session, and carry out mini-camps in local communities. In addition, Highlander supports the Stay Together Appalachian Youth group. This staff person will support that work in 2014. Highlander is also part of Supporting Emerging Appalachian Leaders Network (SEAL), and this position will provide administrative support and participate as a member of that network.
Helpful skills and experience for this position:
- Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
- Able to establish rapport with activists and community members in diverse ethnic, racial, social and economic groups
- Commitment to and analysis of racial, gender, economic, environmental and social justice and civil and human rights
- Experience with community organizing and community economic development
- Workshop facilitation and curriculum development skills
- Dedication to and experience in working in the Appalachian region
- Experience working in youth and young adult leadership development
- Some basic fundraising experience helpful
- Computer savvy and willingness to explore and utilize new technologies.
- Detail oriented, big picture understanding
- Solid administrative skills
- Time management ability and strong organizational skills
- Problem-solving, initiative, not afraid to ask questions
- Writing skills
- Willingness to work long and irregular hours at times
- Willingness to travel
Location:
Highlander is a rurally-based residential workshop center located on 186 acres in east Tennessee just outside Knoxville in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Some staff live on the Highlander grounds while others live in the surrounding areas, including Knoxville. This position will be based at the Highlander Center.
Expectations of all staff positions at Highlander:
- Passionate about Highlander’s purpose and able to communicate our program work effectively.
- Committed to racial, gender, economic, environmental and social justice.
- Self-starter as well as a team player.
- Organized and ability to balance multiple responsibilities with grace.
- Be an active participant in a democratically participatory organization.
- Keep Highlander’s purpose and the people with whom we work central.
- Sense of humor welcome and most helpful.
- High degree of honesty and integrity.
Salary and Benefits:
Highlander has an existing pay scale and excellent benefits package.
Start Date: This position starts the first week of March, 2014.
To Apply:
Send letter of interest, resume, writing sample and 3 references to:
Search Committee: Education Team
Highlander Center
1959 Highlander Way
New Market, TN, 37820
Email applications are accepted at swilliams at test.highlandercenter.org or by fax at 865-933-3424. Highlander will start reviewing applications immediately, and the position is open until filled. Women, people of color, lesbigaytrans encouraged to apply.