Skip to main content

Job Listing: Outreach Director Position Available at Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Washington, DC

Submitted by David Borden on (Issue #468)
Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy

Students for Sensible Drug Policy is hiring an Outreach Director. Application Deadline: Friday, January 27, 2007

The responsibility of the Outreach Director is to expand SSDP's base by providing support to students starting chapters, as well as to promote SSDP on college campuses in an attempt to recruit new students to start chapters. Additionally, the Outreach Director must work with the Field Director to track and maintain information on all of the organization's chapters. To that end, the Outreach Director will:

Assist students starting chapters, as well as students trying to grow and strengthen chapters:

  • The Outreach Director not only responds to students who request to start chapters, but proactively inspires students to get involved in the organization as well. Accordingly, the Outreach Director must develop strategies and tactics that are forward-thinking and innovative in inspiring students to start new chapters, especially students at schools in districts and states important to SSDP's legislative campaigns, as well as legislative campaigns of allied drug policy reform organizations.

  • The Outreach Director is responsible for the development of trainings, materials, literature, and other resources that will benefit students working to start, grow, or strengthen chapters.

Track and maintain information on SSDP chapters, activists, and other supporters:

  • The Outreach Director tracks and maintains accurate and current information on the status of student attempts to start chapters, as well as on the status of newly formed chapters, including information on chapter programs and goals, membership, leadership, etc.

  • The Outreach Director works directly with the Field Director to track the progress of newly formed chapters on implementing campaigns on campus.

Help SSDP's Field Director execute SSDP grassroots campaigns and actions:

  • The Outreach Director works with the Field Director to execute various grassroots campaigns and actions. The Field Director will take the lead on creating grassroots campaigns and actions, while the Outreach Director will work with new and inexperienced chapters on implementation.

Assist in compiling stories for the SSDP newsletter:

  • The Outreach Director is responsible for identifying chapter projects that worthy of inclusion in the SSDP newsletter, summarizing these projects, and drafting articles for the newsletter.

A qualified applicant will have succinct, persuasive, inspiring writing, plus a close attention to detail. The applicant will communicate orally with comfort and conviction, and exceptional interpersonal skills are essential. An applicant must be extremely comfortable with phone communication, as the Outreach Director will be required to spend a great deal of time on the phone communicating with chapter leaders and potential chapter leaders. An ability to be assertive and inspiring is a must, as is comfort working with people of all ages.

A qualified candidate will be a self-starter who is creative in developing outreach strategies and tactics. A demonstrated dedication to drug law reform is valuable, but not necessary. SSDP places a premium on experience working with and managing volunteers, especially in the context of student organizing and activism. The Outreach Director reports directly to the Executive Director.

Salary is $28,000-$33,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include health care. Students for Sensible Drug Policy is an equal opportunity employer. The SSDP office is located in Washington, DC, near Dupont Circle.

Interested applicants should email a one-page cover letter and one-to-two page resume to Executive Director Kris Krane at [email protected]. In your cover letter, please indicate (1) how you learned about SSDP's job opening, (2) why you are interested in working with SSDP in particular, (3) whether you have any experience in drug policy, and (4) why you are interested in this particular position. Feel free to include any additional information you deem relevant, not to exceed one page.

Please do not call the SSDP office at this time. If you submit a cover letter and resume, SSDP will respond to you within two weeks with either a notice of rejection or a request for additional documentation.

SSDP is a national network of students committed to an open, honest, and inclusive dialogue on alternatives to our country's current approach to drug use, abuse, and addiction. Through youth involvement in the political process, SSDP works to reform drug laws and policies that have a negative impact on youth. Specific SSDP campaigns have included efforts to repeal the federal financial aid ban on students with drug convictions and to restrict federal funding for student drug testing. Visit http://www.SchoolsNotPrisons.com for further information on SSDP's mission and campaigns.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Add new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.