Field Staff, Bemidji - Education Minnesota

Description

EDUCATION MINNESOTA
Position Description

POSITION TITLE: Field Staff – Bemidji
JOB POSTING:
DEPARTMENT: Field Services
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Director of Field Services
LOCATION: Bemidji, MN
HOURS/STATUS: Temporary (up to 12 months)
FLSA: Exempt
EMPLOYEE GROUP: The Education MN Professional Organization (TEMPO)
PROBATIONARY PERIOD: 12 months

POSITION SUMMARY:
Under the direction of the Director of Field Services, the Field Staff will support union leaders and members to build and maintain strong locals and a strong union. A Field Staff works with locals to develop and implement programs and activities related to membership growth, collective bargaining, member rights, organizing, professional issues, racial equity and social justice, political action, and community partnerships. In addition, a Field Staff engages members through leadership identification, member training, and skills development. A Field Staff actively promotes membership in and engagement with Education Minnesota, the National Education Association (NEA), and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Education Minnesota is a member-led labor union that has identified racial equity and social justice as primary organizational goals. All staff are expected to participate, individually and collectively, in ongoing training, discussions, and activities to advance these goals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide advice, training, and professional assistance to members and locals, including the following and other such duties as assigned:
Organizing

• Support locals in the development and implementation of organizing plans, leaders, and members in the tactics of organizing and mobilizing, advising locals on organizing goals and strategies, and supporting worksite organizing infrastructure.

• Engage members and leaders in 1:1 conversations to assess members, identify issues, and identify potential leaders.
Membership Promotion

• Work with leaders and members to develop and successfully implement on-going programs of membership promotion, recruitment, and retention.

• Recruit participants for Education Minnesota events, trainings, and conferences.

• Assist in organizing unorganized education employees.
Collective Bargaining

• Support locals in all stages of the bargaining process, including serving on local negotiations teams as needed.

• Coordinate assistance to local negotiators from the Negotiations Department and other areas of Education Minnesota, NEA and AFT.
Member Rights

• Strive to guarantee members' rights through a variety of means.

• Train local leaders in principles of member rights advocacy, through the recognition and processing of grievances as well as through organizing and mobilizing.

• Prepare for and represent members and locals in investigations, grievance proceedings, hearings, arbitration sessions, and other settings.
Racial Equity and Social Justice

• Apply an anti-racist lens to local, leader, and member interactions and support.

• Promote and support local engagement with racial equity and social justice issues.

• Use a variety of tools and opportunities—including but not limited to equity audits, the racial equity advocate program, equity, and anti-racism trainings—to advance racial equity in public education.
Communications

• Provide guidance in developing internal communications plans that encourage consistent, multi-faceted connections among members and leaders.

• Support the development and implementation of external communications plans.
Legislative and Political Action

• Encourage and support local lobbying and political action programs.

• Coordinate communication between members and legislators.

• Develop members' skills to work effectively in political campaigns.

• Participate in Education Minnesota campaign activities.
Education Issues

• Provide relevant, timely information to leaders and members on issues related to education and professional development.

• Train members using adult-learning best practices.
Staff Skills for Workplace Success

• Communicate regularly and work collaboratively with colleagues and supervisors.

• Participate in collaborative staff teams on a variety of topics.

• Participate in internal and external anti-racist, LGBTQ+ trainings.

• Demonstrate a commitment to creating an inclusive space for members and staff, extending this culture of equity and inclusion into the work.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Experience including, but not limited to, education issues, collective bargaining, political and legislative action, grievance processing, local and member training, member consultation skills and experience in working with elected leaders at all levels is desirable.

• Understanding of organizing principles, labor relations and experience in a union environment.

• Ability to collaborate with others in a team environment.

• Excellent communication skills, including writing, speaking, and making presentations.

• Experience in working with confidential and sensitive information.

• Skill in strategic thinking and problem-solving, including the ability to identify and appropriately evaluate alternatives.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Valid driver's license.

• Reliable transportation.

• Must be willing to maintain residency within the assignment area.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous work in an education setting.

• Previous union work experience.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Some travel with overnights stays.

• Evening and weekend work may be required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is in a general office environment. This position will interact with employees, vendors, members, and the public on a somewhat regular basis. These interactions require judgment and discretion that can involve confidential information, private information and some disagreeable human interactions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Employee is required to: CONTINUOUSLY sit, talk, and hear; FREQUENTLY stand, walk, and repetitively use hands dexterously (use fingers to handle, feel), reach with hands and arms, bend and physically lift and carry up to 10 pounds; OCCASIONALLY lift up to 50 pounds and infrequently travel by various conveyances (e.g., air, rail, auto).

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION:
Maintain confidential information related to the organization and all personnel, employees and staff.

STARTING SALARY RANGE:
First three steps of the salary schedule, in accordance with the current staff collective bargaining agreement: $104,087-$112,909 annual; placement depends on qualifications and previous experience.

BENEFITS:
Education Minnesota offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Medical, vision, and voluntary pet insurance.

• Employer paid dental coverage, life and AD&D insurance, LTC, LTD, and annual HRA contribution (if enrolled in our medical plan).

• Generous paid time off, including 16 paid holidays, vacation days, sick leave days, and personal days.

• 16 hours of School and Community Outreach.

• Tuition reimbursement, up to $1,500 per year.

• Generous 401(k) matching program with employer contributions.

• Employer sponsored pension, after vesting period.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

EDUCATION MINNESOTA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Education Minnesota is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing an inclusive environment of mutual respect where diversity is valued, supported, and celebrated to benefit applicants, employees, members, and students. Discrimination of any kind is prohibited. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, job requirements and business needs. Education Minnesota strongly encourages women, BIPOC individuals, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, immigrants, and veterans to apply.

POSTING DEADLINE: For consideration, apply online and include a resume no later than 11:59pm of Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

APPLY USING THIS LINK:

Salary/Compensation: $104,087 - $112,909 per year

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