Neighborhood Organizer

Full-time non-exempt
Wages: $20/h

Organizational Summary

Safe & Sound, Inc. emerged as a comprehensive, community-based response to crime and violence in the City of Milwaukee. Since 1998, Safe & Sound has been dedicated to improving safety in challenged Milwaukee’s neighborhoods. Our three-pronged strategy advances: (1) community organizing, (2) youth development and (3) partnerships with law enforcement. We unite residents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods.

Position Summary

The Neighborhood Organizer at Safe & Sound is one part of a three-part strategy aimed at building collective efficacy in neighborhoods to create safer communities. Our Neighborhood Organizer meet residents on their front porches and at community meetings, rebuilding social networks and facilitating connections to resources to make neighborhoods safer and stronger. Neighborhood Organizers work with residents to amplify their voices by helping to implement strategies of crime prevention. A critical part of the organizing function is to build community-police relationships by serving as a liaison between residents and law enforcement providing two-way communication (prioritizing and advocating for neighborhood safety priorities within the district). Neighborhood Organizers need to operate successfully when working independently and as a member of the team.

Safe & Sound uses Collective Impact as a framework for how we engage and partner with cross sector community stakeholders to support youth and adult residents to lead in their neighborhoods.” Neighborhood Organizers are responsible for incorporating collective impact strategies into their output goals. Collective impact includes leading work groups on specific resident-initiated goals and maintaining strong relationships with partners. These groups will meet regularly and are made up of community members and representatives from neighborhood partner organizations.

Neighborhood Organizers are responsible for incorporating collective impact work into their output goals. Collective impact will be done through leading working groups on specific resident-initiated goals. These groups will meet regularly and are made up of community members and representatives from neighborhood partner organizations.

Neighborhood Organizers are neighborhood mobilizers who conduct outreach and organize residents year- round, listening to, and addressing, the individual concerns of residents. Organizers develop neighborhood-based initiatives, enhancing safety and positively impacting the community and improving overall quality of life for residents. Neighborhood Organizers work with a variety of community stakeholders to address resident-led initiatives and/or complaints that may include a broad range of neighborhood safety concerns. Resident complaints may include drug, sex work and other civil and criminal issues that arise in and around properties located within the assigned Safe & Sound sector(s). Neighborhood Organizers will incorporate activities, campaigns, events and disseminate prevention materials to build resident capacity to change factors that contribute to alcohol and marijuana use.

Neighborhood Organizers serve as a technical and planning resource – along with other Safe & Sound staff and other community-based organizations (including law enforcement) – to coordinate community forums, block watch meetings and other community collaborations which orient residents, families, and businesses to encourage crime prevention and crime awareness.

Basic Requirements

• Must have a valid driver’s license, a vehicle and automobile insurance
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check
• County of Milwaukee residency preferred

This position includes a workload comprised of:

Community Engagement (to include outreach): 30%

Partner Meetings: 10%

Internal Meetings: 10%

Administrative Work: 20%

Prevention Work: 10%

Collective Impact Initiatives: 10%

DNS Alerts: 10%

• Admin work: email, data entry reporting (Salesforce), web-based timesheet system, expense reports, use of project management tools, Microsoft Teams and Outlook communications, outreach prep, phone calls/text messages
• Community outreach: actual community facing work (doors, events, community hours)
• Partner meetings: external (in person or virtual)
• Internal: all staff meetings, pillar meetings, neighborhood team meetings, committee and workgroup meetings (in person or virtual)
• Prevention: all prevention related activities (Drug Free Coalition included)
• Collective Impact: training, surveys, workgroups
• DNS Alerts: the work of finding and reporting DNS alerts in the city

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully an individual must be a self-starter. This role requires building and maintaining relationships in a variety of settings. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills and ability required to perform the duties of this job satisfactorily.

1. Responsible for cultivating resident relationships and providing for the overall day-to-day community organizing, networking and resident mobilization within assigned neighborhood sectors. By way of front porch conversations and phone calls, Neighborhood Organizers will make contact with residents and disseminate program -related information in the assigned neighborhoods on an ongoing basis.
2. Works collaboratively with residents to build positive relationships with Alder people, County supervisors, the Mayor’s Office and other elected officials, CBOS, businesses, law enforcement and other City of Milwaukee community resource departments. Additionally, Neighborhood Organizers work with other Safe & Sound staff to provide planning, problem solving, and assessment services related to crime, violence and ultimately drive prevention efforts at the neighborhood level.
3. Facilitates virtual or in-person presentations and represent Safe & Sound at relevant events, community forums, block watch meetings, collective impact work groups, media events and collaborative community-based projects.
4. Assists in the maintenance of neighborhood block watches and block Neighborhood Organizers initiate and respond to stakeholder phone calls and emails.
5. Ensures accurate and timely reporting and data entry of activities for assigned neighborhoods and/or other city-wide responsibilities which help to identify progress towards meeting goals and target Neighborhood Organizers are responsible for the timely and accurate submission of narratives, data entry and reports as it relates to assigned sectors (including priority neighborhoods) weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually.
6. Works with residents to identify and document complaints of illegal activity, including drug activity from residents, law enforcement, elected officials and other These referrals are entered into the database for the Neighborhood Safety Coordinator to address.
7. Helps develop strategic neighborhood outreach plans and approaches; implement innovative ways to provide information and recruit residents for leadership developments, community events, block watches and other initiatives.
8. Leads meetings and conversations with community stakeholders and residents about the ongoing coordination of the collective impact initiative. Neighborhood Organizers will lead the development and ongoing coordination of collective impact workgroups.
9. Works in a leadership capacity with other team members to implement special project grants and initiatives, as well as track and report on project
10. Develops and cultivates relationships with neighborhood partner
11. Hosts facilitate, coordinate and be engaged with internal Safe & Sound meetings, committees and workgroups and work as a team with all Safe & Sound staff
12. Responsible for coordinating and helping to organize neighborhood events and pop-ups to include block watch parties, clean-ups and other resident interest events
13. Neighborhood Organizers will perform other duties as

Additional Requirements

This is an exempt level position with a work schedule of 40+ hours per week to include frequent nights/weekends for community events and meetings as needed. Work will be performed in an office setting, in neighborhoods and at meetings. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s Degree in social science or human services preferred not required (minimum high school diploma or equivalent)
• Two or more years related experience and/or training in social service setting that demonstrates the skills, knowledge and abilities needed to perform the above tasks; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience working with elected officials, law enforcement, neighborhood organizations, residents and/or churches.
• Knowledge of the community and social issues, the Milwaukee community and community
• Ability to effectively utilize job-related software including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Outlooks, Excel, Teams and the internet. Ability to type proficiently, prepare reports, write correspondence and e-mail.
• Ability to effectively present written and verbal Ability to respond to questions from the general public, state and local elected officials, law enforcement, neighborhood residents, youth, adults, as well as staff of various community-based organizations. Some public speaking required.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of
• Sound judgement and temperament with the ability to listen to and interpret instructions, apply common sense understanding and carry out instructions furnished written or
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a multicultural
• Maintain confidentiality of written or verbal
• Experience and ability to multi-task and coordinate a variety of projects
• Physical demands include door-to-door canvassing, facilitating neighborhood events and participating in block watch and community meetings.