Job Description

Forward Montana is seeking a part-time, temporary Housing Campaign Organizer to support Forward Montana’s pro-housing work as it relates to updating the Unified Development Code (UDC) and the upcoming Water Adequacy Residential Development (WARD) ballot initiative. The Housing Campaign Organizer will build community support for pro-housing code reform and support an educational campaign about WARD. Applicants should be committed to pro-housing reforms and the development of young leaders. All staff at Forward Montana are expected to participate in field efforts during election season (like making phone calls and knocking on doors). 

Who We Are

Forward Montana, founded in 2004, is the state's largest youth-led, youth-focused civic engagement organization. We strive to transform government and communities to be just, sustainable, and equitable while working toward a future where Montana celebrates and reflects the diversity of our generation. We support young people to build power with and for each other to create lasting change.

What You’ll Do

Reporting to the Senior Organizing Manager of the Central Region, this person is responsible for the following:

• Advocacy and Education (50%): 
  • Represent Forward Montana at relevant city and coalition meetings and work collaboratively to develop a campaign strategy around community engagement in the UDC and WARD ballot initiative as it relates to young people in Bozeman.
  • Be a regular presence at relevant community events to grow and engage our base and build buy-in for our housing issue work. This includes regular participation in field shifts and providing public comments at city meetings.
  • Build & foster relationships with community members, peers, and organizations in housing organizing spaces. 
  • Unified Development Code (UDC) Engagement 
    • Drive public comment turnout at City Commission meetings with pro-affordable housing messaging.
    • Build community support for code and zoning reforms that promote pro-climate and pro-affordable housing development 
  • Water Adequacy Residential Development (WARD) Opposition Campaign 
    • Build community knowledge and engagement against the WARD ballot initiative through implementing a NO campaign plan
    • Host educational events about Bozeman Unified Development Code, pro-housing principles, and the WARD ballot initiative with the goal of turning out young people to become more engaged in these processes. 

• Support a Pro-Housing Coalition (30%):
  • Support the operation of a pro-affordable housing coalition through creating meeting agendas, 1:1 meetings with coalition members, and supporting the strategy of the overall coalition. 
  • Coordinate and support aligned organizations to provide public comment, attend relevant meetings, and engage in educational activities around the UDC and WARD ballot initiative. 
• Field/Admin Tasks (20%): 
  • Regularly attend, participate, and support voter registration shifts and GOTV efforts. 
  • Facilitate the OVR portal and support quality control & data entry needs of voter registration as needed. 

Must-Haves | Here’s what success looks like

• Actively Anti-Racist: You are committed to actively contributing to a more equitable and inclusive FMT by facilitating conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice with the regional field team, fellows, volunteers, members, and within our broader organization. You’re committed to amplifying young voices to advocate for a more progressive, just Montana. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye towards continuous learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.
• Organizing experience: You have around 1 year of organizing experience, meaning you have knocked on doors, phonebanked, organized events, trained volunteers, and mobilized members for rallies and public comment periods. 
• Drive to achieve results across field & mobilization programs: You have a track record of accomplishing ambitious goals and getting results even when there are obstacles (think: thunderstorms during an outdoor event or running out of voter registration forms during a big event) . You set a high bar and meet it, because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to anticipate hurdles and come up with pragmatic solutions. 
• Volunteer Management: You have experience developing and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with a diverse group of individuals. You’re comfortable managing & training peers.
• Creativity & Innovation: You are creative & innovative when developing programs. You’re flexible, adaptable, and willing to try new things. You’re down to wear a costume, not afraid to talk to strangers, can conduct fieldwork for up to 8 hours at a time, hand out stickers that say ‘Give a Shit’, and are committed to finding ways to make new connections.
• Flexibility & Adaptability: You are able to shift quickly to meet the needs of the ever-changing political world, and work to implement the changes. You have a history of going with the flow and being able to adapt quickly to change. 

If you were the Housing Campaign Manager right now, you would be

• Meeting 1:1 with a local business and organizations to secure their support for the housing campaign.
• Hosting a public comment training ahead of a City Commission meeting.
• Attending a voter registration shift to connect with voters and support registering new voters. 
• Meeting 1:1 with local community members to move them to provide public comment at an upcoming city commission meeting. 
• Work on crafting, editing, and driving strategy forward with other Forward Montana staff members as it related to the UDC and WARD ballot initiative. 

We understand that the right candidate may have experience in different areas. If you don’t meet all the requirements above but have interest in learning, we encourage you to apply. 

What else you should know

Forward Montana is an equal opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by our issues and work. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ2S+ people, women, and people with disabilities to apply.

Logistics

• This position is part-time (30 hours/week) and is based in Montana. Applicants must be residents of Bozeman, Montana. 
• You must be comfortable working unconventional hours-- including nights and weekends when most fellows are available. 
• This position includes both in-person and virtual components based on public health guidance around COVID-19
• You must be comfortable being managed and building relationships with our statewide team remotely

This is a non-exempt position at $24 per hour. This is a part-time, 30 hr/week position with a tentative start date of August 11th, 2025 and end date of November 21st, 2025. Forward Montana also offers the following benefits for part-time staff:

• Technology and wellness reimbursements
• Generous paid time off

How to Apply

Please upload a resume and one-page cover letter stating your interest in the position, why building youth-power & getting out the vote in Montana is important, and what skillsets you’d be excited to grow & develop in this position. All application materials should be submitted through the Rippling Applicant Tracking System. 

If a cover letter isn’t your style, try something creative! We’re less concerned with the perfect cover letter and more interested in getting to know you, your passions, and what you’d bring to the position -- slideshows, videos, graphics/visuals, portfolios, or just a more casual tone cover letter are all welcome. 

If you have any questions or need support, please reach out to Lyla Brown, Senior Organizing Manager for Central Montana at lyla@forwardmontana.org

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of August 3rd, 2025. 

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