Small Business Organizer

Small Business Organizer

Barton Institute for Community Action/Food Justice NW Aurora

Denver Metro

Organization type: Nonprofit

Type of role: Full-time

Job Category: Programs/Services

Salary: $67,329 - $71,537

Organizational Overview – Food Justice NW Aurora (FJNWA) is building a multicultural, intergenerational, and intersectional movement for food justice and food sovereignty to transform our local food system in NW Aurora, CO. We strive to create a just, sustainable, and complete food environment by mobilizing people, organizations, and businesses; building community wealth; facilitating and nurturing strategic partnerships; and advocating for policy and systems changes. FJNWA was founded in 2022 by a dedicated steering committee and guided by a strategic retreat with resident leaders, local organizations, and small businesses.

Position Overview – FJNWA is developing a program to organize and support small food market business owners in northwest Aurora to realize its mission of food justice and food sovereignty. While northwest Aurora lost a full service grocery store in 2024, there are two dozen small cultural markets in the area that are BIPOC- and immigrant-owned. In order to organize and support these small markets, FJNWA plans to provide individual technical assistance, organize with small businesses, and launch a bootcamp curriculum for small markets with additional contract support from national partners and local small business experts.

This full time staff position is dedicated to relationship building, technical assistance, and organizing the small market businesses in NW Aurora. The small business organizer will develop and maintain relationships with small market owners, supply chain retailers and growers, and the northwest Aurora community. The ideal candidate will include excellent listening skills to help store owners identify strengths and goals of their store. They will also need to be resourceful and active problem solvers to provide tailored support to each store, with the ability to see connections and patterns across stores in the community and identify root causes and possible policy solutions. This position will report to the Director of Community Organizing and will collaborate with the organizing team and local partners to develop and implement the new program. This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Responsibilities:

Program Design and Implementation (40%)

In collaboration with the Director of Community Organizing, support development of a program design and sustainable structure for Small Business Organizing, incorporating feedback from small market business owners and experience working on the ground.

Oversee client caseload with diverse small market businesses as key support, resource navigator, and liaison for store owners to external support systems and resources.

Collaborate with store owners to set programmatic goals, manage projects, and provide one-on-one support with business strategy.

Facilitate partnerships between clients, local organizations, and the broader FJNWA community to improve community connection, support, and organizing opportunities.

Program Administration (30%)

Onboard new small business clients, perform initial assessments of needs, and establish spending plans based on goals and project timelines.

Generate project documents including marketing and communications materials, internal project updates, and final reports for external audiences.

Contribute to data collection, analyses, and grant reporting.

Organizing/Advocacy (30%)

Initiate and build trusted relationships with new small market business owners.

Identify shared interests, challenges, and priorities of business owners and connect to existing organizing/advocacy campaigns.

Collaborate with the Director of Community Organizing to develop and identify possible policy solutions and campaigns that solve root causes and collective challenges of small markets.

Communicate with and mobilize business owners on relevant organizing/policy updates and action items.

Racial Equity (Integrated throughout all duties)

Engage in ongoing racial equity training, learning, and capacity building.

Practice equity principles through a deep understanding of the roles of power and privilege throughout each level of the organization and in all functions of the work of FJNWA.

Required Skills and Qualifications

2+ years of collective experience encompassing at least two of the following knowledge areas: business administration, food supply chains, food justice, business development, entrepreneurship, food and beverage retail operations, project coordination, organizing in diverse communities, and/or case management

Bilingual in English and another language that is common in the NW Aurora community (such as Spanish, Nepali, Burmese, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, Amharic, or others) for verbal and written communication

Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and problem solve with strong decision making skills- ability to hear a challenge or barrier and see possible solutions, opportunities and prioritize action items

Experience and confidence communicating and working closely with diverse community members with a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives, needs, and interests (e.g., low-income households, communities of color, and immigrants and refugees), preference for experience working with small business owners of diverse communities

Knowledge of NW Aurora community issues

Demonstrated ability to work autonomously on multiple projects with different timelines

Deep listening, relationship, and trust building skills

Proficient in Google Suite and Microsoft Office

Alignment with FJNWA's values and mission

This position requires regular local travel (with mileage reimbursement) to provide on-site support for clients. As such, the following requirements apply:

o Access to a private vehicle

o Maintain Valid Driver's license and clean driving record.

o Ability to work both indoors and outdoors.

o Ability to periodically lift and carry materials weighing up to 30 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications

This position will work primarily with retailers located in Northwest Aurora. Applicants with familiarity and proximity to these communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Work experience with small businesses and/or community wealth building

Knowledge of food systems and/or food retail

Experience with social media and communications apps (including Instagram, Facebook, and Beehiiv)

Benefits

Hours, Work Environment, Compensation, and Benefits:

Full-time exempt position: 40 hours per week with flexibility to attend and/or lead some evening and weekend activities

Work is conducted in Aurora, CO, in a wide variety of settings including in-person meetings and events in the community and computer work while working from the office and from home. FJNWA staff members are dedicated to community involvement and engagement, and thus our presence in our community-based office is often essential.

Compensation: $67,329- $71,537 depending on experience and FJNWA's compensation philosophy

Through our fiscal sponsor the Barton Institute, FJNWA offers the following robust benefits to help promote a work/personal balance and wellness including: 26 days of paid time off annually, 10 paid holidays plus business days between Christmas and New Year's Day off, majority of the applicable health care premium paid along with long-term disability and life insurance, and a 401(k) plan with a generous employer match. We participate in Colorado's FAMLI leave program. FSA, HSA, dental, and vision, and additional insurances available for purchase.

How to Apply

To apply: Please send one PDF document to Maddie Atuire at that includes: 1. Cover letter detailing how your experiences have prepared you for this role, why you are interested in working with small businesses, and your strategies for building relationships in a diverse community 2. Resume 3. Three references Please submit applications by September 20, 2026. All applicants will receive communication from FJNWA by September 23rd. Phone screenings will be scheduled with select applicants September 24th-September 28th.