Application Guide

How to Apply for Field & Advocacy Manager

at People's Budget Birmingham

🏢 About People's Budget Birmingham

People's Budget Birmingham is a grassroots organization fighting to make participatory budgeting a reality in Birmingham, Alabama. They combine community organizing, policy advocacy, and even litigation to shift power to residents—offering a unique chance to work at the intersection of social justice and municipal governance. If you're passionate about democracy reform and want to be part of a scrappy, impact-driven team, this is a rare opportunity.

About This Role

As Field & Advocacy Manager, you'll lead PBB's campaign to institutionalize participatory budgeting, designing long-term policy strategies while also hitting the streets to organize residents. You'll bridge high-level advocacy with grassroots field operations, supervising staff and volunteers to build a powerful base of support. This role is central to PBB's mission—you'll directly shape how Birmingham residents gain real decision-making power over public funds.

💡 A Day in the Life

You might start the morning training field staff on a new canvassing script, then meet with a coalition partner to align on a policy ask. Afternoon could involve phone banking with volunteers, followed by a strategy session to plan next month's advocacy push. You'll end the day reviewing data from the field and adjusting tactics.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who People's Budget Birmingham Is Looking For

  • A seasoned community organizer with 4+ years of experience in base-building and policy advocacy, ideally in racial justice or democracy reform.
  • Someone who has led or worked on ballot measure or issue-based campaigns, understanding the mechanics of electoral organizing and coalition-building.
  • A proven manager of staff and volunteers, skilled at training teams and developing organizing tools (e.g., canvassing scripts, phone banking systems).
  • A strategic thinker who can balance long-term advocacy goals with day-to-day field operations, and who brings knowledge of participatory budgeting or local governance.

📝 Tips for Applying to People's Budget Birmingham

1

Highlight specific experience with participatory budgeting or similar democratic innovations—even if it's volunteer work or academic projects.

2

Show concrete results from past campaigns: e.g., number of voters contacted, volunteers recruited, policies passed, or budgets influenced.

3

Tailor your resume to emphasize grassroots organizing and advocacy, not just general project management—use terms like 'canvassing,' 'phone banking,' 'coalition building.'

4

Prepare a brief writing sample or outline of a policy advocacy campaign you'd design for PBB, showing you understand their goal of institutionalizing participatory budgeting.

5

In your cover letter, mention why Birmingham or the South matters to you—PBB values local context and commitment to the community.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your experience in grassroots organizing and advocacy campaigns, with specific metrics or stories.', "Your understanding of participatory budgeting and why it's a powerful tool for racial and economic justice.", "Your management style and how you've trained and motivated teams in past roles.", 'Your strategic vision for how to combine field organizing and policy advocacy to win long-term change.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read PBB's website and any past campaigns or reports on participatory budgeting in Birmingham.
  • → Research the Birmingham city council and mayor's stance on participatory budgeting—who are allies and opponents?
  • → Familiarize yourself with the national participatory budgeting movement (e.g., PB in Chicago, New York, or Vallejo).
  • → Look into PBB's litigation work—how does it complement their organizing and advocacy?
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you design a campaign to pass a participatory budgeting ordinance in Birmingham? Walk us through your strategy.
2 Tell us about a time you managed a diverse team of staff and volunteers—how did you handle conflict or low morale?
3 Describe your experience with ballot measure or issue campaigns. What worked and what didn't?
4 How do you approach building relationships with elected officials while also organizing grassroots pressure?
5 What's your understanding of the current political landscape in Birmingham, and how would you adapt PBB's strategy to it?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying without showing any knowledge of participatory budgeting or Birmingham's political context.
  • Focusing only on advocacy or policy without demonstrating grassroots organizing experience.
  • Being vague about your management experience—PBB wants to see you've actually supervised teams, not just coordinated events.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to People's Budget Birmingham!

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