City Cohort Lead - Chicago

Civic Nation seeks a part-time City Cohort Lead to support the Change Collective, a national leadership network for rising local leaders who are passionate about solving issues in their communities and combating social isolation, political polarization, and civic disengagement in Chicago, IL. The City Cohort Lead is responsible for facilitating the learning curriculum that supports in-person and online learning experiences for participants. When possible, they will also identify and cultivate partner relationships on the ground to strengthen the initiative’s work.

This is a short-term temporary position starting in February 2025 and ending in October 2025, with potential to continue for future short-term cohorts in 2026 and beyond.

ABOUT CHANGE COLLECTIVE

In 2023, Civic Nation launched the Change Collective, a new civic leadership initiative that will build to become a national community of local changemakers. This leadership initiative—one of the newest initiatives housed at Civic Nation—aspires to reinvent civic life for the 21st century by cultivating the next generation of local leaders working to increase civic collaboration and engagement in their communities. The formation of the initiative is founded in the belief that leadership development is the most catalytic thing we can do to affect long term change. By investing in leadership development, this program will create a network of community leaders who bring people together and demonstrate impact around important community priorities, while also building up and investing in other leaders around them. 

ABOUT CIVIC NATION

Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders and influencers to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, Online for All, SAVE On Student Debt, We The Action, and When We All Vote.

YOUR IMPACT

• In partnership with the Learning & Program team, facilitate the learning curriculum that both supports in-person and online learning experiences for participants.
• Build a strong culture with the assigned city cohort.
• Support the recruitment and onboarding process for the cohort of participants, to read and vet applications and/or nominations, and assisting with the interview and acceptance process.
• Coordinate communication with the city’s cohort of participants.
• Address conflict if it arises in the cohort and work with the Learning & Program team to come to a resolution.
• Share feedback, assess needs, analyze curriculum application and recommend changes to improve the participant experience with the Learning & Program team.
• Provide technological or logistics support.
• Develop ongoing relationships and partnerships with the anchor community including outreach to new partners and potential guest speakers.

YOUR EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrated experience in training and learning development work, including leading and facilitating trainings.
• Understanding and experience of learning models, curriculum design and implementation, and facilitation techniques, as well as evaluative measures of program experience.
• Proven experience in facilitating both online and in-person learning and community-building experiences.
• Relevant background in non-profit, education, and/or civic engagement settings including volunteer management.
• Deep knowledge of social, political, environmental and/or economic landscape and issues in the designated cities.

YOUR COMPETENCIES

• Candidate must reside in Chicago, IL area.
• A strong commitment to Civic Nation’s mission, including a commitment to the importance of building strong civic infrastructure in communities.
• Ability to independently lead dynamic trainings and programming, while balancing day-of event operations.
• Ability to work with diverse communities and individuals with varying perspectives.
• Outstanding attention to detail and ability to keep your materials organized, including organized, thoughtful and professional communication to external partners.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills.
• Ability to make decisions and solve problems independently, effectively, and creatively.
• Ability to work independently and in a remote team environment.
• Must be available to lead in-person facilitations one Saturday per month and travel to two national convenings at the beginning and end of the employment term.

SALARY & BENEFITS

This is a short-term temporary position commencing February 2025 and ending October 2025. City Cohort leads will be compensated at $115.00 per hour for 5 hours per week, on average, totaling 20 hours a month. This includes support in cohort management, dry-runs and facilitation prep, and facilitation of monthly weekend trainings and learning experiences.

PROCESS TIMELINE

Candidates can expect the following hiring process and timeline (please note that this timeline may be subject to change): 

• December 9th - December 20th: First-Round Interviews: Introductory Call
• January 13th - 17th Second-Round Panel Interviews: Leadership & Assessment
• Week of January 31st: Hiring Decision announced

All candidates will be notified via email of the status of their application on or before the completion of the search.

TO APPLY

To apply, submit a resume below. Applications will be accepted until December 15, 2024.

At Civic Nation, diversity, equity, and inclusion are directly aligned with the fundamental belief that people are inherently capable but often lack opportunity. We know that a diverse workforce allows us to see problems in more nuanced ways, creating the thought leadership needed to fulfill our mission and reach our goals. Civic Nation is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes people from all backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives to apply.