Context: Coordinates and facilitates organizing, campaigning, and movement building within the SSC network across the United States and in Puerto Rico. Accountable for identifying new and existing leadership development pathways and organizing opportunities for youth leaders in the SSC network (e.g. distributed coaching infrastructure, campaign partnerships, movement moments). Fosters and supports youth leaders in the SSC network to practice and hone their organizing skills through ongoing pathways for engagement internally and externally. Facilitates connections between youth leaders in SSC network in partnership with SSC staff and volunteer leaders. Provides direct management support to SSC volunteer leaders and fellows to develop, and maintain network infrastructure to support SSC leaders organizing across the United States and Puerto Rico. Collaborates with SSC staff and volunteer leaders to identify and facilitate organizing, movement building, and campaign opportunities for SSC volunteer leaders to engage in—either within the Sierra Club or with movement partners.
Scope: Works in partnership with SSC staff and volunteer leaders to create the infrastructure and systems to support a decentralized network of youth leaders organizing for climate justice across the United States and Puerto Rico. Leads the identification of development and maintenance of campaign opportunities for SSC network members that align with the SSC’s vision and guiding principles and Sierra Club’s overarching goals and strategic plan. Cultivates ongoing relationships with Sierra Club Chapters, organizing, campaigns, and movement partners—ensuring that SSC network members have clear pathways by which to organize in their communities. Facilitates SSC strategic planning and goal setting with regards to SSC base building, power building, and campaigns in partnership with SSC staff and volunteer leadership. Coordinates data tracking and evaluation of SSC’s progress on base building, movement building, and campaign outcomes.
- Recruits, hires, and onboards SSC Fellows in partnership with SSC Grassroots Training Manager and SSC National Director. Accountable for the delivery of SSC fellows’ goals and overarching SSC program outcomes in ways that embody our shared values including:
- Creating an organizational culture that fosters healthy teams and a climate of action, bringing forth the diverse talents and perspectives of the fellows and staff being managed.
- Establishes clear expectations and deliverables with staff and provides regular feedback and coaching to develop fellow and staff skills and competencies along the way to achieving SSC and staff goals.
- Proactively communicates performance and behavioral issues with fellows and staff to SSC National Director in order to coach fellows and staff to be successful in their role. Provides SSC National Director with periodic updates on fellows’ program including progress of goals, successes and challenges.
- As needed, is responsible for termination process of fellows and staff being managed. Given the seasonal nature of SSC programming, plans effectively for seasonal fluctuations in workforce requirements and program needs.
- Ensures that the management of all fellows and staff are in alignment with Sierra Club Union Contracts with Progressive Workers Union, Sierra Employee Alliance and Chapters.
- Responsible for managing SSC distributed organizing, campaign and movement building initiatives such as:
- SSC’s Climate Justice League 10-week distributed organizing program; Partnering with SSC staff, volunteers, key Sierra Club Chapters and external movement allies to identify, design and deliver programming that meets SSC base building, movement building and campaign outcomes while fostering relationships of trust, mutual accountability and reciprocity
- Accountable for the identification of clear and actionable organizing and campaign opportunities for SSC volunteer leaders to engage within the Sierra Club and with movement partners, especially after peak events or trainings such as SPROG.
- Periodically plays support role and attends SSC in-person trainings and events that are part of SSC’s base building and leadership development arc. (e.g. SPROG)
- Partners with Sierra Club Program Safety and SSC Operations Manager to ensure that SSC organizing and actions meet organizational program safety requirements and minimize risk, especially with regards to minors.
- Accountable for the design and development of support materials for SSC network leaders organizing locally. (e.g. trainings, campaign planning templates, videos, etc.)
- Partners with SSC National Online Organizer to ensure that leaders in the SSC network have access to, and support in, leveraging Sierra Club digital and data tools in their organizing work.
- Establishes and maintains systems for data collection across the SSC network related to base building, organizing, and campaigns. Partners with Sierra Club Organizing and Data teams to ensure that SSC data approaches are in alignment with broader Sierra Club approaches.
- Actively seeks out and incorporates learnings and tools around team building, facilitation, and coaching into SSC network organizing spaces.
- Actively seeks out learnings and practices around race, power, and privilege and incorporates those into SSC’s leader engagement model.
- Performs miscellaneous duties as assigned.
- Knowledge and experience related to climate, energy, social justice, politics, campaign strategy, organizing, and building political power to catalyze change. Strong preference for candidates who have knowledge and experience around concepts of movement building, momentum, and decentralization.
- 2-4 years of experience coaching and developing staff and/or volunteer leaders in strategic campaigns, grassroots organizing, and/or movement building. Strong preference for experience organizing with young people (14-28). Experience and commitment to volunteer cultivation, support, and ongoing coaching to meet campaign and movement building goals. Experience cultivating and maintaining partnerships with other groups and organizations.
- Analysis and understanding of anti-oppression and the ways that race, power, and privilege manifest internally and externally in organizing and our broader society. Commitment and experience in dismantling systems of oppression in organizing and campaigns.
- Experience leading and participating in teams with diverse identities and perspectives. Demonstrated ability to lead and facilitate diverse teams, navigate conflict, and create empowering spaces of learning and growth. Confident working with others equitably and collaboratively towards shared programmatic outcomes. Excels at supporting the development of effective teams with relational, communicative cultures.
- Strong interpersonal communication skills. Ability to recruit, develop and coach leaders to meet personal and collective goals. Skilled at providing emotional and moral support to leaders and staff. . Excels at giving regular verbal praise and feedback. Adept at supporting individuals and teams in naming and navigating conflict and moving towards resolution.
- Experience and proficiency in training and facilitation rooted in popular education and collaboration. Understanding of and experience using training as a tool to develop leaders and advance organizing and campaigns.
- Ability to work independently, cooperatively, and effectively with staff and volunteer leaders across a variety of geographies and schedules. Ability to cultivate and participate in collaborative, inclusive, dynamic teams with staff and/or volunteers. Willingness to travel for team retreats, trainings, and other network needs.
- Strong project management skills. Ability to conceive of, facilitate, and implement a project from start to finish in partnership with staff, volunteer leaders, and/or external partners. Experience coordinating and facilitating diverse teams through collaborative goal setting and project implementation.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills. Ability to develop and edit written resources to support local organizing needs. Ability to craft communications in the style and platform that meets constituencies where they are at.
- Proficiency in Spanish and organizing in multilingual contexts is a plus.
- Proficient in tech tools and databases needed to effectively foster and support networks of volunteer leaders organizing at scale. For example: Excel, Slack, Salesforce, Voter Activation Network, Zoom, Google Drive, Action Network, etc. Willingness and ability to seek out and learn new tech tools to meet emerging needs of the SSC’s volunteer network.
The Sierra Club offers competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.