Job Announcement – Accepting applications!
Position: Counter Extremism Program Coordinator
Work Schedule: 40 hr/week with a willingness to occasionally accommodate unconventional hours including some nights and weekends.
Salary: $42-45,000 per year, non-exempt
Benefits: Health, Vision & Dental Insurance, employment retirement match, routine office closures, generous personal leave, flexible work hours.
Location: Helena MT or remote within Montana
Requirements: Valid driver’s license, willingness to drive to locations throughout Montana for presentations and community engagement.
About the Montana Human Rights Network(s)
The Montana Human Rights Network (MHRN) is a statewide not-for-profit human rights organization that works to expand support for human rights values across the state and promotes policies that recognize, respect, and fulfill every Montanan’s human rights. We challenge bigotry and discrimination, support marginalized people, and advocate for legislation that honors everyone’s basic rights. The Network was founded in 1990 in response to significant white supremacist and militia organizing in the state and region.
About the Program Coordinator Position
MHRN’s counter extremism program works to identify, track, monitor and mitigate the influence of white nationalism and far-right extremism throughout Montana. The program coordinator is an integral member of the MHRN team, leading efforts on extremism research, reporting, community organizing and public education. The program coordinator is responsible for independently conducting routine monitoring of extremist groups and individuals through opposition research and social media monitoring. This role requires strong reading comprehension and writing skills with an ability to communicate complex movements and ideologies to a variety of audiences such as communities facing extremist activity, to the press, allied organizations, and journalists.
Subject Matter Interest & Research Skills
In-depth research and monitoring of far-right extremism and anti-democratic movements is difficult work. The program coordinator will routinely observe and read extremely bigoted and harmful statements including but not limited to blatantly transphobic, homophobic, antisemitic, racist, xenophobic, and factually untrue statements about many marginalized individuals and groups. An ability to navigate this content with strong boundaries and clarity of purpose is essential to long-term success in the role.
You have experience in research and an interest in the study of hate and hate groups. Research interests in the study of racism, transphobia, and antisemitism are especially encouraged.
You love writing and understand how to write for different audiences. You have strong reading comprehension and enjoy diving in depth on various topics and helping others connect dots, see the big picture, and break myths and mistruths apart!
You have the interest and capacity to learn about various technologies like sock puppet accounts and burner phones that help MHRN researchers protect their identities.
A Spirit of Service
As the primary point of contact for folks looking for support when extremism makes itself known, you are a strong communicator with excellent organizational skills capable of keeping track of developing situations and maintaining open lines of communication in changing circumstances. (think: a local bookstore who has become a target of vitriol for hosting a drag story hour during a Pride celebration, or neo-Nazis are planning a summit in a rural town).
You are a clear and empathetic communicator who can help folks move past fear into action in intentional and strategic ways.
You are experienced with or eager to dive into best practices in community organizing in ways that center the needs of people targeted by extremism and help communities build solidarity, safety, and belonging.
You are creative and innovative, always open to exploring new tactics and ideas and eager to refine methods to improve outcomes and impact.
You can find ways to build relationships and communicate with local officials who may appreciate or resent MHRN’s presence in local situations.
Collaboration and Camaraderie
You have a record of success in cross-cultural collaboration or are eager to grow your skills in working effectively with diverse groups of people of all ages, races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, and ability levels.
You strive to be a positive role model by demonstrating enthusiasm for your work, and a commitment to ethics, fairness, flexibility, and trust. You are 100% down to display a no-compromise commitment to human rights and the MHRN mission.
You’re good with a virtual workplace. While MHRN has a physical office in Helena, our workplace is remote, requiring a willingness to build camaraderie and collaborate with remote staff in our virtual workplace.
Core Responsibilities
This is a full-time non-exempt position, supervised by the Executive Director. In this role, routine responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Review, analyze, and archive research materials, which includes conducting daily and weekly monitoring of extremist groups, social media channels, and communications.
Maintain systems and processes for gathering information and materials from organizations, groups, and individuals of interest.
Compile new information with existing research to update and create issue briefs, reports, and summaries that enable individuals, groups, and communities to understand extremist movements and organize against extremist activities in ways that center safety, belonging, and solidarity.
Develop & maintain strategic relationships with regional and national allies that conduct extremism research and/or organize against far-right extremism.
Prepare and deliver public talks, lectures, webinars and presentations on far-right extremism.
Organize, lead, and host workshops, meetings, and community actions.Conduct research on extremist policies and politicians. Prepare and deliver testimony on anti-democratic, pro-militia, or other extremist policies.
Comply and help improve digital security protocols and operate with an eye to safety for the communities we serve and the MHRN board and staff.
Work with other staff to assist with event coordination, materials production, email alerts, and other tasks.
To Apply
You may have caught on that we’re looking for a well-rounded superstar to join our team. If you’re feeling like you don’t have a platinum record (yet!), don’t let a skills or confidence gap get in your way of applying — we would love to hear from your talented self and are keen to reframe goals and responsibilities for the right individual.
Please submit a resume and cover letter stating your interest in the position, why you would like to be considered for the position, and the skills, knowledge, and/or experience you have that makes you think this is a fit! We are eager to fill this position and will be accepting applications on a rolling basis.
Our process involves a review of application materials, a brief phone interview and finalist interviews via zoom. In the event we are unable to render a decision after finalist interviews, we may request an additional interview or writing exercise. We will continue to review applications until we have selected three finalists for the position.
Please send application materials to team@mhrn.org with “Counter Extremism Program Coordinator” in the subject line. The priority deadline is June 15 at 12pm. To check if we are still accepting applications return to this post and look for “accepting applications” at the top of the page.
Thank you!
CONTACT
Every legislative session is demanding, and the sheer number of bills and the lack of civility made 2023 an especially contentious year. Please take a few moments to send your appreciation to the legislators on this list. Click on their names to get their email addresses, or you can call the Capitol switchboard at 406-444-4800 to send 5 legislators a message at once. 