The Washington Bus

The Washington Bus is the largest youth-led, base building organization dedicated to building and harnessing political power and leadership among young Washingtonians, especially those historically disenfranchised. We are on a mission to:

  • Cultivate the largest habitual youth voting bloc 
  • Develop the political leaders of today and tomorrow 
  • Harness our governing power for social and political systems change 

Through leadership development, issue-campaigns, policy advocacy, civic engagement, strategic narratives, and electoral organizing, we build a representative, multi-racial democracy to ensure that all young Washingtonians live in communities that are thriving. 

We currently have eight full-time permanent staff and a rotation of roughly fifteen temporary organizers and paid interns throughout the year. Our staff and volunteers reflect the communities we serve and belong to; The Bus is overwhelmingly young, BIPOC, queer, women, immigrants or children of immigrants, and majority folks with disabilities and from working class backgrounds. We are passionate, hard-working, and professional, but also goofy and joyful. The Bus is not just a workplace, but a “political home.” 

About the Position 

The Washington Bus seeks an experienced and effective organizer to advance our Youth Agenda locally and statewide and build an active, committed, and organized base in Western Washington of high schoolers and high-school aged youth. This position will be dedicated to high school and high school aged base recruitment, leadership development, and support for campaigns such as local elections and issue-based advocacy. This position will be responsible for conducting one-on-ones at scale, community and school canvassing and outreach, supporting and facilitating meetings and events, developing base member leadership and civic clubs in high schools, and conducting trainings on tactics and strategy. During the Summer, this position will also have a primary role in executing our signature Summer Fellowship, an 8-10 week intensive leadership development program for 12 youth (age 18-25) hosted in Seattle and the greater King County area. 

How do we define Organizing Power, Base Building, and Mobilizing?

  • Organizing is expanding the number of people who are supportive of our vision and platform and are active participants in ongoing work to move our long term agenda forward. Organizing power includes the capacity to expand the base of support, develop leaders, and grow the ability to force those in power to meet their demands. Organizing power includes base building and mobilizing. 
  • Base-building is defined as recruiting, developing, and retaining leaders from the base of impacted peoples to identify their interests and create a sense of collective identity and basis for ongoing engagement in action to change conditions. This creates trained volunteer capacity and mass leadership that have a sense of agency and political identity. Base building is a foundational and critical component of building more organizing power. 
  • Mobilizing is defined as turning out the base and an ever-increasing number of people to strategic mass interventions, the purpose of which is to force outcomes that advance our shared agenda and vision. “Mobilizing” is a broad term used to include public displays of support or opposition such as rallies, but can also include more oppositional tactics such as direct action. 

In order to build the scale we need, we can’t solely rely on paid organizers. Instead, we need base building that is driven by member base leaders who are recruiting, developing, and mobilizing base members of our organization and broader constituency. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

High School Base Building and Leadership Development - 60% 

  • Establish and strengthen civic engagement chapters at high schools across your region by building relationships with student leaders and school advisors, organizing visits, providing regular communication and resources, developing sustainability plans, and facilitating cross-chapter collaboration. 
  • Conduct youth recruitment, including regular classroom visits, events, email outreach, phone calls, text banking, and one-on-ones to connect potential base members to volunteer and learning opportunities across the Bus network; develop new base member-led recruitment strategies. 
  • Identify and develop a base of young leaders at high schools across your region, plugging students into our Ladder of Engagement and creating structured pathways for increased responsibility; support the civic and political goals of base members through one-on-one mentorship, training, networking, resource allocation, and data management, balancing individual empowerment with collective power building. 
  • Build and maintain relationships with high school administrators, counselors, and teachers to ensure sustained, year-over-year school engagement. 
  • Implement feedback mechanisms to facilitate input from youth, including surveys, polling, information calls, debriefs, check ins, etc. 
  • Track base engagement including event participation, surveys, sign-ups, and one-on-ones, maintaining accurate and up-to-date records. 
  • Partner with the Organizing Director to develop and deliver a regionally tailored, non-partisan civic education curriculum, including engaging workshops on voter registration, local government, community organizing, and policy advocacy, drawing on existing materials while highlighting local issues and governance structures. 

Summer Fellowship Execution - 25% 

  • During the summer, lead the execution of the Summer Fellowship, including curriculum facilitation, scheduling coordination, logistics, and project management for 12 part time fellows (18-25) over the course of 8 weeks. 
  • Act as the central point of contact for the Summer Fellows for the duration of the program, supporting their learning and development, connecting them to resources and mentorship, and providing feedback on their work. 
  • Drive the culture and cohesion of the Summer Fellowship cohort by showing up with both authenticity and professionalism; communicate and enforce community agreements, foster a safe and fun environment, preempt and resolve conflicts. 

Issue-Based Organizing - 10% 

  • Support org-wide rapid response and mobilizations as needed; turn out youth to local government meetings and to write or call in about legislation; support digital organizing efforts by sharing posts, sourcing testimony, etc. 
  • Lead, coordinate, and provide ongoing coaching and education for issue-based committees and taskforces. 

Team Engagement and Collaboration - 5% 

  • Collaborating across Bus teams and with Bus partner organizations; take an active role in team meetings, retreats, workshops, and in support of major event planning and execution. 
  • Act as the Bus’s eyes and ears on the ground in your region, staying informed and connected with local politics, partner organizations, and Bus allies. 
  • Track and report your work hours, mileage, and expenses according to Bus standards and procedures.

Qualifications for Success 

A strong candidate will have the ability to build relationships with, train, and develop base members, will come with demonstrated experience in community organizing and base building, and a deep respect for building youth power. This organizer must be a team player, have emotional resilience, and develop themselves in service of building a base and contesting for political power. 

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications below, our ideal candidate will bring: 

  • At least 1 year of professional experience in community organizing, labor, or electoral and/or advocacy organizations. 
  • At least 1 year experience in base building and organizing fundamentals, including one-one-ones, meeting and training facilitation, and base member recruitment. 
  • Demonstrated track record of building effective relationships with volunteers, base members, local leaders, and organizational partners with consistent follow through, strong judgement, and emotional maturity. 
  • Demonstrated track record of coaching, mentoring, agitating, and moving young people to action. 
  • Experience working with youth of diverse and intersectional backgrounds; focused on promoting equity in organizing spaces. 
  • Experience developing and implementing training curricula and leadership development programs. 
  • Strong commitment to youth safety; experience working with minors and families.
  • In-depth understanding of Washington state political landscape and youth civic engagement or willingness to learn. 
  • Significant knowledge of 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and state political action committee compliance requirements. 
  • Highly organized, with strong attention to detail, and proactive problem solving skills; able to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and assess own capacity; able to foresee potential issues, develop solutions, and communicate with the rest of staff. 
  • Curiosity, warmth, and strong listening skills; confident communicator. 
  • Commitment to continual learning and connecting theory with practice, with a deep belief in the craft of organizing. Must identify as an organizer and be active in their own communities. 

Compensation & Benefits 

The salary range is $63,865 - $71,877 annually depending on experience. ● The Bus offers a comprehensive benefits package, including an ORCA pass, 100% employer paid premium for medical/dental/vision coverage, generous paid-time off,
a flexible work environment, annual funding for professional development, and two months paid sabbatical after four years of service. 

Location & Work Requirements 

  • Hybrid Work: This position is based in Seattle, Washington and operates on a hybrid schedule, with staff required to be in the office once a week. Additional in-person work is frequent, including canvassing, one-on-ones, fundraising, and community events. Employees receive a work-issued laptop and a monthly tech stipend for remote internet access. 
  • Travel Requirements: The role requires regular travel throughout Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area as well as occasional travel across Washington state and infrequent travel nationally. Reliable transportation and a valid driver's license are required. 
  • Location Requirement: Consideration will be given to applicants who live in or within traveling distance to Seattle, or can relocate to Seattle in the near future. 
  • Evening & Weekend Work: This position requires frequent evening and weekend work, with limitations and protections outlined in a collective bargaining agreement. 
  • Physical Demands: The majority of the workday involves computer-based work, including email, phone calls, and virtual meetings. The role also requires attending in-person events for extended hours and may involve lifting or moving objects up to 25 lbs. 

About the Application 

Please complete and submit this form. Applications submitted by April 3rd, 2026 will be given priority consideration. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis, and this position will be open until filled. 

The Washington Bus seeks to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace. Women, Black, indigenous, and people of color, individuals with disabilities, immigrants, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and candidates who represent the diversity and lived experiences of communities with which we work, are strongly encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other class protected by law. Assistance and/or reasonable accommodations during the application process are available upon request.