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Join Us Issues: Legislative Advocacy Collective Bargaining Employee Rights Information: Local Leader Resources Professional Issues ESP Resources Events: Read Across America Upcoming Trainings Pressroom: Advocate's Voice Press Releases Award Winners In Memorium Membership: Retired Student Higher Ed	OPENING FOR UNISERV DIRECTOR IN NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO NEA-New Mexico is seeking applicants to apply for a temporary position as a full-time UniServ Director. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply. This position is funded through August 31, 2012. The unit has 800 members, but a potential for more than twice that number. A significant membership increase will allow the position to become a permanent position for the next budget and program year. Other budget considerations may also allow continuance of the position past the August 31 date. It is the intent of NEA-New Mexico to continue the position if budget constraints allow. Background on the UniServ Unit Farmington is in city in San Juan County, New Mexico. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, this city had a total population of about 37,844 people. Farmington (and surrounding San Juan County) also makes up one of the four Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA's) in New Mexico. The U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate in 2006 for Farmington was about 43,573. Farmington is located at the junction of the San Juan River, the Animas River, and the La Plata River, and it is located on the Colorado Plateau in northwestern New Mexico. Farmington is the largest City – and one of only two significant towns – of San Juan County, a huge county of 5538 square miles (14,343.4 km²) – one of the largest counties in the United States. Its county seat and the other city in San Juan County is Aztec. Farmington serves as the commercial hub for most of northwestern New Mexico and the Four Corners region of four states. Farmington lies at or near the junction of three important highways U.S. Highway 550, U.S. Highway 64, and New Mexico Highway 371. The primary industries of San Juan County are in the mining of petroleum, natural gas, and coal. Major coal mines are operated by the BHP Billiton Company 15 to 19 mi (24.1 to 30.6 km) southwest of Farmington, and the coal mined there is used mostly for fuel for the nearby Four Corners Generating Station to produce electric power Farmington is known across New Mexico and throughout the southwest for its baseball tournaments, and the Ricketts Ball Park is the home of the Connie Mack World Series. Farmington High School claimed the AAAA Baseball State Championship four years in a row from 2005 through 2008. The Navajo Indian Reservation is west of Farmington, the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation is to the northwest, and the Southern Ute Indian Reservation is to the northeast of Farmington. Historic Native American ruins are located nearby. The Aztec Ruins National Monument and the Salmon Ruins are ancient dwellings located just to the northeast and the east of Farmington. Mesa Verde National Park is about 40 miles (64.4 km) to the northwest, and Chaco Culture National Historical Park is about 50 miles (80.5 km) to the southeast. The Northwest UniServ unit represents some 900 public school employees. The unit is comprised of six local associations spread over the Northwest quadrant of New Mexico, primarily in the communities of Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield, and Questa. One School district is spread over much of the Navajo Reservation in and around Kirtland. Extensive travel by private automobile is required. Two of the local associations currently have collective bargaining agreements and a higher education unit at a community college is seeking collective bargaining. The UniServ Director has the assistance of a half-time staff associate colleague and works from an office in Farmington. GENERIC ROLE EXPECTATIONS · The primary role of a UniServ Director is to consult with local associations in developing programs and activities that meet the needs of the members. · The UniServ will assist the local to develop its capacity through motivating, modeling, and providing support and identifying resources. · Capacity building is an objective to be woven into all of our work with the locals. · The UniServ will be aware of the planning and implementation of targeted local events and activities, and will offer help with assessments of how the local is building its capacity through those events and activities. · The UniServ will consult with our NEA-NM and NEA colleagues and NEA-NM leadership as appropriate to increase our capacity to better serve our locals. Successful local activities and approaches will be widely shared. · Staff will maintain awareness of NEA-NM’s programmatic calendar and proactively notify local associations about training and other opportunities provided by NEA-NM and NEA. Encourage the locals to register participants in a timely manner. · Proactively support the work of the UniServ Associate to encourage the timely and accurate processing of membership and dues collection systems by the locals. Provide trainings and support as needed. Required Qualifications § Willingness to commit the time and energy necessary to meet the extensive demands of the job § Skill/familiarity with Microsoft office computer programs § Valid drivers license and personal automobile to be used for business ($100/month auto allowance plus IRS-rate mileage reimbursement) § Above average communication skills, including writing skills § Ability to meet rigorous automobile travel requirements § Ability to work long irregular hours, with little direct supervision and much independent initiative Preferred Qualification § BA or MA § Teacher (K-12, Technical, University) and/or public sector labor relations/labor law experience § Experience as an association leader in education (local, UniServ, state, or national) or other public or private sector unions § Association staff experience § Experience in negotiations, including arbitration § Experience in consensus/collaborative bargaining and/or site-based decision-making/self-managing teams § Experience in grievance processing/rights arbitration including case presentation and brief writing § Experience in public relations and community organizing § Experience in political action § Knowledge of school law, school finance, and educational issues Deadline for Applications NEA-New Mexico desires someone who can begin work as soon as possible. Applications are accepted from initial posting until the position is filled. Salary and Fringe Benefits The successful applicant will be hired pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement between NEA-New Mexico and NSO-New Mexico. The current salary range for a UniServ Director is from $61,668 (Step 1) to $86,507 (Step 10). A liberal fringe benefit package is provided. The contract includes a one year probationary period. Application Procedure A person interested in applying for this position should submit a letter of application covering their experience, knowledge, skills and abilities in regard to the job description and qualifications listed above. Please also submit a resume and the names of three references to: Charles Bowyer Executive Director NEA-New Mexico 2007 Botulph Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 or email complete application as described above to cbowyer@nea.org (Reference: Northwest UniServ Director) NEA-NEW MEXICO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER NEA-NM BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR UNISERV DIRECTORS GENERIC ROLE EXPECTATIONS: · The primary role of a UniServ Director is to consult with local associations in developing programs and activities that meet the needs of the members. · The UniServ will assist the local to develop its capacity through motivating, modeling, and providing support and identifying resources. · Capacity building is an objective to be woven into all of our work with the locals. · The UniServ will be aware of the planning and implementation of targeted local events and activities, and will offer help with assessments of how the local is building its capacity through those events and activities. · Consult with our NEA-NM and NEA colleagues and NEA-NM leadership as appropriate to increase our capacity to better serve our locals. Successful local activities and approaches will be widely shared. · To support the development of our capacity as UniServ Directors, a discussion about professional development needs and how NEA-NM will support our professional development will be held at the same time as the preliminary discussion and identification of performance outcomes. · Staff will maintain awareness of NEA-NM’s programmatic calendar and proactively notify local associations about training and other opportunities provided by NEA-NM and NEA. Encourage the locals to register participants in a timely manner. · Proactively support the work of the UniServ Associate to encourage the timely and accurate processing of membership and dues collection systems by the locals. Provide trainings and support as needed. I. RECRUIT AND RETAIN MEMBERSHIP BY DEMONSTRATING ITS RELEVANCE AND VALUE TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. Support the development of plans with all targeted local associations. The planning process will be in following cycle: (a) Summer through December 1. This portion of the plan will emphasize new employee, back to school, and fall in building membership campaigns as well as political action activities. Membership plans created as a part of membership grant activities or political plans created of political action grants may be incorporated into the plans, without repetition. Staff will advise and facilitate the inclusion of local site visits, membership promotion messages, association activist training, surveys or other listening approaches, communication systems, and membership participation. Collaboratively developed plans will be submitted to the Executive Director by October 1. (b) December 1 through the end of the school year. This portion of the plan will include legislative preparation, spring membership campaigns, and bargaining and bargaining preparation (where appropriate). Collaboratively developed plans will be submitted to the executive director by December 15. Work with locals to encourage that oversight review should be systemic and frequent. Report to the Executive Director on the progress through the regular reporting system of activity reports, weekly membership contact report forms and other reviews sufficient to meet the requirements of other NEA and NEA-NM programmatic requirements Work with locals to implement the use of one-on-one strategies for promotion, recruitment and retention of members. Encourage the local to track its use of the one-on-one strategy as it plans and implements its communications, survey, organizational development efforts and identification of new activists and leaders. Report to the Executive Director on the progress through the regular reporting system for activity reports and time sheets. Be on site in locals for at least a portion of at least 15 days of every twenty work days through October. Exceptions will be intensive programmatic responsibilities, approved national events, state events and staff meetings. When possible, be on site in locals for some portion of fifteen out of twenty work days, understanding that the employee has the flexibility to schedule his or her own hours of work. Exercising initiative and professional judgment, the majority of on site work will be done with targeted locals. Sufficient time will be spent reviewing plans with each targeted local and updating and providing assistance for action steps to be taken, when necessary. Initiate contact with each local President or designated contact at least once a month to see what is needed and to provide appropriate assistance. These contacts will be described through the regular activity report and time sheet reporting procedure. II. TO MEET MEMBERS’ NEEDS, NEA-NM AND ITS AFFILIATES WILL RECRUIT, TRAIN, SUPPORT AND UTILIZE MEMBERS TO ADVOCATE AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL FOR: For each targeted local, initiate an assessment of the training needs (which may have been done as part of the local plan). Work individually or with colleagues to provide needed trainings either on a local-specific basis; in conjunction with nearby locals; regionally; or through statewide or national training opportunities. Staff will work collaboratively with local leaders to identify and support new and emerging leaders. III. PROTECTING INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS and MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF CB AGREEMENTS AND THE SCHOOL PERSONNEL STATUTE: 1. Offer each targeted local the opportunity to organize a workshop on their own local contract, local board policies and procedures, and/or state statutes. 2. Work with locals to schedule a Grievance/Employee Rights workshop in each targeted local at least once a year. 3. Recommend a structure for each targeted local for processing grievances and provide ongoing consulting with the locals for effectiveness of their efforts. This will vary from local to local depending on need and level of grievance activity. The goal of this activity is to relieve the UniServ Director’s from responding to level l grievances in all targeted locals. IV. ADVANCING QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION ISSUES: 1. Stay current on all issues directly affecting our work with local associations, members and public education stakeholders. These issue areas could include: licensure, professional development, and education reform. 2. Work with targeted locals to develop plans for information sharing workshops or meetings in these issue areas each year. V. PROMOTING PRO-EDUCATION CANDIDATES AND LEGISLATION: 1. Support the development of a campaign plan (in even numbered years) and legislative contact plan in each targeted local. The plan shall address member voter registration, member political education, member voter participation, and influencing the decisions of legislators and other policy makers. 2. Encourage the development of a plan to influence school board decision making in each targeted local. VI. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: 1. Appropriate recognition of a local’s bargaining status will be included in each local’s plan. The staff role is to assess each presumptive targeted local for bargaining readiness and when feasible provide consultation to move that local to full bargaining status, and where determined collaboratively by the staff, NEA-NM management , and the local. 2. All bargaining related activities will be included in the regular reporting process. 3. On an annual basis provide NEA-NM with a copy of the latest contract, copies of local policies and where they exist, local PELRB rules and policies. VII. OTHER EXPECTATIONS: 1. Attend and participate appropriately in staff meetings and NEA-NM statewide events and programs. 2. Report progress for each local using the unified time and activity report for each pay period. 3. Complete time sheets and vouchers in a timely manner. 4. When appropriate, serve on and actively participate in NEA-NM work teams to accomplish short-term goals. 5. Collaboratively create an annual professional development goal as a part of setting performance outcomes with the Executive Director.