When I worked on the Owens Campaign as the Finance Director in 2008, it was my first political job.  We made some serious mistakes, and among them was waiting for the check to arrive to get started.  There was an organizational constipation: somehow we would be able to move forward, and we’d be able to make a dent in the world when the money was right.

Our money was never right.  It was my first campaign, and I didn’t yet know Robert all that well–and thus couldn’t yet vouch for him with my personal connections.  The 5,000 year leap then was a bit much for me.  I didn’t have connections–not beyond being a ten year libertarian (small “l”) I wasn’t fit for the job.  The money was what everyone was waiting on, and that was my job.  I talked a big game, and I’d had sales success at every stop that I’d had up till then.  We got messed up with a truly awful political consulting firm who dispatched an apathetic, indifferent and stupid turk who showed up late to meetings to dispense advice and collect a check.

The organization we created was waiting for something to happen.  It was a state wide race, and it was almost everyone’s first try.  Money helps, but it’s not the end all be all.  We could have done more damage and been in  a better position at the end of the race had we done things  without a concern form money, and more of an operational concern.

That said, when we move into an organization, be it a campaign or a local group, some substance and goals–independent of money–that can be measured for success.  I’ll list them as if we’re a local party or organization:

• Executive Director/Chairman: First role to fill.  The buck stops with them.  They fire people (mercilessly), recruit people, and go from there.  In the meeting, this person is the sergeant-at-arms. If someone doesn’t attend, than this she/he must take the place and have most of the information in the report for the other person.
• Finance Director/Fundraiser: They recruit and develop donors. They make it so there’s money, and they are on the budget committee.  This role is important, but we prioritize expenses and don’t get the scarcity mentality: we deploy resources as available, and don’t wait for “someday” to come.  Each meeting will report on how much was raised, and in what context.
• Membership Director: Reports on the membership attendance, and outreach efforts.  Ideally this person will recruit people into the group.  Week over week and year over year attendance are part of the role so we can contextualize
• Communications/Outreach Director: The marketing department. the person that should connect with the media, and the person that handles the people that are there.
• Political Director- In a party or group, this person reports in an organized fashion on races, candidates and filing deadlines.

These are the roles of a political orgainziation.  All have responsibilities and all require the concerted efforts of a few people that are around.  Some of the jobs can be split (communications/outreach).   There are administrative roles that must be filled to meet compliance, like a treasurer, but each role has some discrete goals and some metrics that we can set.

Over the next 5 weeks, we’ll be talking about what each role will be and we’ll put together an organizations blueprint so that we can all understand where we’re going with everything.