Job Description

Community Organizer

The Southwest Oregon Community Organizer is responsible for organizing campaigns which win real victories and build the grassroots power to accomplish Sierra Club priorities, which include protecting our lands, water and wildlife, addressing the biodiversity crisis, ensuring access to the outdoors for all, protecting communities from pollution, and transforming the energy economy. The SW Oregon Community Organizer is critical to the Oregon Chapter's efforts to successfully carry out its strategic plan, with a specific focus on coastal and marine ecosystem preservation, energy grid and climate resilience, defending protections for and access to public lands, and community planning regarding the potential development of floating offshore wind in federal waters off Oregons coast. Geographic focus areas include Coos, Curry, Douglas, Josephine, Jackson, and Lincoln Counties as well as coastal Lane County.

The SW Oregon Community Organizer works closely with Oregon Chapter volunteers, partners, and staff on the Oregon coast and southern Oregon while harnessing the strategic levers of Sierra Club including legal, communications, digital strategies and subject matter/campaign expertise. The SW Oregon Community Organizer plans and implements tactics to help achieve the states conservation priorities by cultivating volunteer leadership and participation on conservation campaigns, building and recruiting for events and actions to accomplish policy priorities, supporting the Chapters outings program by planning and recruiting for outings to public lands, and reporting on campaign results and effectiveness. The SW Oregon Community Organizer represents Sierra Club at community events, as well as interfacing with partner organizations, government officials, the media, business and community leaders, and the public.

Job Activities Include But Are Not Limited To:

• Campaign Planning. Participates in the creation of a state strategy while leading specific campaigns in Southwestern Oregon. Ensures that campaigns are rooted in equity and justice and inclusive of frontline and directly impacted communities. Works to incorporate volunteers in creating and implementing campaign goals outlined in the overarching Oregon Chapter strategic plan. Develops tactics and metrics, tracks policy and regulatory proceedings, identifies opportunities for engagement, mobilization, or intervention for one or more campaign outcomes.
• Organizing Implementation: Develops and carries out individual campaign organizing plans, including organizing tactics, conducting or overseeing research, developing engagement strategies, facilitating organizing meetings, volunteer integration, and developing and leveraging partnerships. Evaluates progress and measures of effectiveness through data collection and collectively-established metrics. Weaves individual campaigns with other state campaigns and desired outcomes to ensure unified organizing in the state.
• Collaboration. Builds mutually supportive and accountable relationships with both National and Chapter staff and volunteers to carry out Sierra Club priorities. Communicates clear expectations and capacity. Prioritizes relationships with volunteer leaders and collaborates with other Sierra Club entities and partners.
• Volunteer Development and Management. Creates a comprehensive volunteer development plan to support volunteers from onboarding to leadership through training, coaching, and mentorship. Coordinates with National and Chapter staff to support volunteer leadership development and organizing metrics using both VAN and Salesforce. Identifies and develops new and existing volunteers as they assume new leadership roles and build Sierra Clubs grassroots power and outreach into communities. Supports and trains volunteers on organizing skills and developing issue expertise. Supports volunteers in preparing for engaging with key partners, coalitions, and elected and appointed decision makers.
• Strategic Local Representation of Sierra Club. In coordination with National and Chapter staff and volunteers, creates strategic communication and grassroots engagement strategies and metrics. Represents Sierra Club priorities to public officials, partner organizations, and to the media. Maintains positive relationships with strategic partners, coalitions, members of the media, grassroots leaders, elected officials, and government officials when strategic and aligns with Oregon Chapter priorities. As needed, serves as Sierra Club spokesperson to media outlets and promotes volunteer and partner organization media exposure.
• Mobilization and Event Planning. Coordinates with coalition partners and outside interest groups to plan volunteer activities supporting Sierra Clubs priorities. Attends chapter, group, and committee meetings to plan and coordinate events for members and supporters to take action on priority campaigns as well as outings to explore public lands and win hearts and minds towards our conservation goals.
• Build and Participate on Teams: Participates effectively in teams to further the Chapters goals. Builds and maintains high functioning teams that advance specific state level campaigns while expanding the Chapter organization. Trains and develops volunteer leaders who are skillful at facilitating effective, healthy teams. Supports a community of care with colleagues and collaborators and recognizes the need for self care in order to sustain ourselves and our work.
• Seasonal Activities: Heavier seasonal workloads may occur as a result of project deadlines, staff absences and vacancies, and during peak activity periods. Frequent weekend and/or evening work required.

The Successful Candidate Must Demonstrate The Following Skills, Experience And Competencies Or A Combination Of Related, Transferable Skills:

• Organizing Experience: Experience as a field organizer and/or leading community organizing campaigns. Prior experience and/or demonstrated ability in training, motivating, and coaching volunteers. Experience designing and implementing tactics as part of a larger campaign strategy.
• Effective Communication: Highly developed verbal, written and digital communication skills, with a focus on communicating effectively across different groups, internally and externally. Reliable communicator that regularly follows up with volunteer leaders. Ability to convey Sierra Club priorities while speaking to groups of volunteers, partners, public officials, and the media.
• Data Practices: Experience using quantitative data (for example, numbers of people engaged) and qualitative data (for instance, stories about people taking action) to inform and evaluate organizing work.
• Team Building: Demonstrated leadership experience working within a team structure. Ability to build vision, trust, and mutual accountability with team members. Experience working closely with volunteers as colleagues.
• Committed to Evolution: You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. And you easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
• Uplifting and Additive: You see mistakes as opportunities for growth; problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.
• Tech Tools: Experience using a variety of online/virtual tools such as Zoom, G-Suite, peer-to-peer texting, and email marketing as well as ability to learn new technology tools to support organizing and campaign goals.

The Strongest Candidates Will Also Demonstrate The Following Skills, Experience And Competencies:

• Experience with community organizing and environmental issues in rural areas
• Knowledge of Oregon environmental issues and the related political, policy, and regulatory landscape, and either expertise or an ability to develop expertise in state energy, climate justice, and/or conservation areas.
• Project management and facilitation skills.
• The ability to create rapport and inspire trust. Open to feedback and the ability to learn new skills.

$69,000 - $69,000 a year

The starting salary for this position is $69,000, annually. This position is represented by a collective bargaining unit and is subject to the terms and conditions of the contract between Sierra Club and Progressive Workers Union. The Sierra Club offers a 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. This is a category 4, exempt, represented position. Sierra Club values the expertise and talents of foreign nationals. Sierra Club sponsors both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas when certain criteria are met, based on immigration laws and organizational needs. Such sponsorship is at the discretion of the Department Head and Sierra Club People Department in consultation with the employees manager. The Sierra Club cannot guarantee the approval of a visa petition. The Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce belonging.

To Apply

The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.

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