Job Opportunities

Vermont Interfaith Action seeks a Lead Organizer to lead organizing efforts in Chittenden County. The primary focus of this position is implementing VIA's Community Resilience Hub Initiative by building relationships with faith communities, immigrant communities, and grassroots leaders, developing local leadership, and strengthening community-based organizing.

Working closely with the Executive Director as one of VIA's two organizing staff members, the Lead Organizer will carry a portfolio of organizing work while helping shape organizing strategy and expand VIA's presence in Chittenden County. While initially focused on the Community Resilience Hub Initiative, the position is expected to evolve as VIA's organizing work, partnerships, and funding continue to grow. 

Community Organizing

• Lead implementation of VIA's Community Resilience Hub Initiative in Chittenden County
• Build relationships through one-to-one conversations with clergy, faith communities, immigrant communities, neighborhood leaders, and community organizations
• Recruit, train, and support grassroots leaders through one-to-one meetings, Community Resilience Potlucks, leadership trainings, and other community-building events that strengthen locally led Mutual Aid & Safety Hubs
• Support community leaders in identifying local issues, developing organizing campaigns, and taking collective action
• Support successful implementation of grant deliverables and project outcomes while helping document activities and integrating the work into VIA's broader organizing mission

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate with the Executive Director on organizing strategy, campaign priorities, and leadership development
• Represent VIA with coalition partners, faith communities, elected officials, and the Faith in Action network, as appropriate
• Support fundraising, grant implementation, organizational planning, and administrative responsibilities as needed
• Participate in Faith in Action regional and national training and other professional development opportunities

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to community organizing, leadership development, and social justice.
• Experience in community, faith-based, labor, electoral, or grassroots organizing, whether professionally or as a volunteer.
• Strong relational skills and the ability to build trust across diverse communities.
• Experience facilitating meetings, trainings, or community gatherings.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team.
• Respect for and ability to work effectively with people from diverse faith traditions, cultures, and backgrounds.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel within Vermont.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven experience recruiting, developing, and supporting grassroots or volunteer leaders.
• Knowledge of Vermont's political, nonprofit, or faith community landscape.
• Experience with coalition building, community campaigns, or faith-based organizing.
• Experience managing grant-funded projects or coordinating multiple community initiatives.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of lived, volunteer, and professional experience.
• Spanish or another language spoken by Vermont immigrant communities is a plus.

VIA has a strong learning culture that includes regular coaching, bi-weekly staff development, annual retreats, and regional and national Faith in Action trainings. We place a high priority on relationship building, leadership development, continuous learning, and creating a respectful, multi-faith workplace.

This is a part-time position averaging 20 hours per week, based in Chittenden County. The schedule is flexible and includes occasional evenings, weekends, and travel throughout Vermont. As VIA grows, additional hours may become available based on organizational needs and funding.

Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits include employer-paid medical insurance (including dental and vision), a 401(k) retirement plan, and generous paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.

Position Summary

Vermont Interfaith Action seeks a Program Manager to lead the day-to-day administration of the Extreme Cold Weather Shelter Program (ECWSP) and the Municipal Support Grant Program (MSGP), both funded through the Vermont Department for Children & Families, Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO).

Working closely with the Executive Director (Program Director/Fiscal Authority) and VIA's contracted operational partner, Green Mountain Justice (GMJ), the Program Manager serves as the primary administrative lead for both statewide programs. Responsibilities include grant administration, program coordination, partner engagement, reporting, compliance, training coordination, and continuous program improvement.

This is a 32-hour-per-week position well suited to someone with strong organizational and project management skills who enjoys coordinating complex, multi-partner initiatives and strengthening community capacity to respond to housing and emergency shelter needs.

In SFY26, VIA launched Vermont's first statewide Extreme Cold Weather Shelter Program (ECWSP), delivering 1,390 bed-nights of emergency shelter across six priority regions. The Program Manager joins an established program with tested systems, strong partnerships, and clear lessons learned, and will help implement improvements, launch the new Municipal Support Grant Program (MSGP), and maintain program quality across both initiatives.

Program Administration & Grant Compliance

• Serve as primary administrative point of contact for ECWSP and MSGP with OEO
• Manage application, review, award, and subgrantee agreement processes
• Support subgrantee onboarding, compliance, communications, and reimbursement documentation
• Coordinate reporting schedules, grant deliverables, and documentation requirements
• Maintain grant records and documentation to support monitoring, audits, and compliance
• Coordinate reimbursement workflows in partnership with VIA's Financial Manager
• Assist with preparation of required financial and programmatic reports to DCF/OEO

Program Development & Partner Coordination

• Work with the Statewide Shelter Operations Director and the Department of Fire Safety to update ECWSP parameters for SFY27, incorporating SFY26 evaluation data and partner input
• Support development of MSGP operational parameters, application instruments, and eligibility criteria
• Coordinate planning and implementation with the Statewide Shelter Operations Director and key state and community partners, including Vermont 2-1-1, the Department of Mental Health, the Medical Reserve Corps, and VDARTs
• Maintain and edit program guidance documents, templates, and online resources for subgrantees and partners
• Support ongoing refinement of program guidance, operational protocols, and reference materials based on annual evaluation findings
• Support alignment between subgrantee operations and Local Emergency Management Plans

Outreach, Recruitment & Technical Assistance

• Coordinate outreach to municipalities, faith communities, shelter operators, and underserved communities to support ECWSP and MSGP participation
• Support active recruitment of communities that expressed interest but did not apply in SFY26
• Support pre-application technical assistance including office hours, sample budgets, and guidance for smaller community applicants
• Coordinate pre-season orientation sessions, partner convenings, office hours, training logistics, and technical assistance activities in collaboration with the Community Outreach & Training Advisor

Data, Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor program milestones, reporting deadlines, and performance measures
• Coordinate collection of program data and assist with required state reporting
• Maintain program documentation and records in compliance with grant requirements
• Support post-season evaluation activities, including subgrantee interviews and lessons learned
• Help develop workflow improvements, templates, and reporting tools to strengthen program administration

Required Qualifications

• Experience in program administration, grant coordination, or nonprofit program management – ideally in a government-funded or community services context
• Strong organizational skills: ability to manage multiple workstreams, track deadlines, and maintain documentation with accuracy
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate clearly with state agencies, community partners, and diverse stakeholders
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with staff, state agencies, contractors, and community partners
• Commitment to VIA's mission of advancing justice, equity, and human dignity through collaborative, community-centered work
• Vermont-based, with capacity for statewide travel; some evening and weekend availability required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with government grant administration, subgrantee management, or compliance-based reporting
• Experience coordinating multi-partner initiatives involving government agencies, nonprofits, municipalities, or community organizations
• Familiarity with Vermont's housing, shelter, or emergency response landscape
• Experience working with faith communities or in interfaith contexts
• Background in community organizing, faith-based organizing, or housing advocacy
• Spanish or another language spoken by Vermont immigrant communities is a plus

VIA has a strong learning culture that includes regular coaching, bi-weekly staff development, annual retreats, and regional and national Faith in Action trainings. We place a high priority on relationship building, leadership development, continuous learning, and creating a respectful, multi-faith workplace.

This is a full-time position averaging 32 hours per week, based in Vermont. The schedule is flexible and includes occasional evenings, weekends, and travel throughout the state. As VIA grows, additional hours may become available based on organizational needs and funding.

Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits include employer-paid medical insurance (including dental and vision), a 401(k) retirement plan, and generous paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.