Lead Organizer

About the Center on Policy Initiatives  

The Center on Policy Initiatives is an independent nonprofit that has been at the forefront of the fight for worker and economic justice since 1997. We are the San Diego County people’s think tank. We conduct research, generate policy solutions, advance leadership development, and organize to win policies that benefit working families and diverse communities.  

About this Position 

The Center on Policy Initiatives seeks a Lead Organizer to join our team. The Lead Organizer will collaborate with and advise the Organizing team to implement strategies that build power for and with workers, Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latinx people, and other oppressed or underrepresented communities. Lead Organizers lead and support campaigns in collaboration with campaign teams and external partners. 

Candidates should have a strong commitment to strengthening labor and progressive social justice movements; to collaborating with diverse worker and other community organizations; and to achieving economic and racial justice by transforming systems and institutions. This role reports to the Deputy Director.  
 

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES  

• Lead base building efforts including recruitment, engagement, and leadership development of community members including but not limited to students, parents, workers. 

• Develop and manage effective coalitions, strengthening relationships with and among strategic partners and allies. 

• Organize actions, events, political education, leadership development activities, community meetings. 

• Organize mobilization efforts such as canvassing and phone/text banking. 

• Collaborate with the Communications team on digital organizing strategy. 

• Track progress and effectiveness of organizing programs and tactics. 

Lead programs and efforts to develop future organizers and grassroots leaders. Support development of other organizers and grassroots leaders 

• Lead implementation of CPI’s Students for Economic Justice 6-week Summer Internship Program. 

• Build the Students for Economic Justice program into a year-round organizing program at multiple college campuses. 

• Develop and lead organizing training and political education. 

Drive and co-develop strategic organizing campaigns to build power and win long-term change 

• Lead collaborative campaign development processes, including collective goal setting, power mapping, and strategy development.  

• Coordinate and align campaign communications, research, policy, and organizing.  

• Engage and work with external groups, community leaders, public officials, public agencies to advance strategic goals.  

Other Organizational Responsibilities 

• Educate the public about CPI issues and campaigns. 

• Maintain updated organizing data, track progress toward goals, document organizing and campaign accomplishments to communicate with appropriate stakeholders. 

• Support the work of the whole organization. 

• Perform other duties as needed. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Demonstrated commitment to CPI's mission including worker justice, racial and gender equity. 

• At least four years of organizing experience with progressively increasing responsibilities primarily in formal or paid positions with a labor, faith-based, or other grassroots community organization.  

• Experience building a base of grassroots leaders and activists. 

• Experience planning, organizing, and executing a campaign from start to finish. 

• Experience planning and leading trainings on organizing and campaigns. 

• Experience recruiting, training, and managing volunteers to engage in door-to-door canvassing, phone outreach and public speaking. 

• Experience working effectively with communities of color, immigrant communities, and/or people whose first or only language is other than English. 

• Team player who thrives in a highly collaborative environment and is able to work independently. 

• Strong time-management skills and able to meet deadlines consistently. 

• Strong facilitation skills for meetings and training. 

• Excellent listening, oral and written communication skills. 

• Self-directed and able to solve problems. 

• Computer literacy and ability to learn the organization’s technology tools. 

• Availability and willingness to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends as needed. 

• Bilingual Spanish/English (verbal and written). 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Played a lead role in winning campaigns as an organizer. 

• Coalition organizing experience. 

• Policy campaign experience. 

• Digital organizing experience.  

• Experience working in the following areas: worker justice, education equity, housing justice or environmental justice. 

• San Diego ties or a history of participation in regional organizing networks. 

AUTONOMY: Moderate to high 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to lift 25 lbs.  

• Ability to sit or stand for prolonged periods in meetings or while working on a computer.  

• Frequently required to sit, stand, walk and reach.  

• Required to push, pull, lift and carry. 

TRANSPORTATION & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: 

This position requires frequent driving throughout San Diego County using a personal vehicle or other reliable & trustworthy transportation source.  We offer mileage reimbursement for authorized trips. Occasional non-local travel is required. 

SALARY AND BENEFITS:  

CPI’s salary and benefit standards are competitive and reflect our commitment to economic justice and equal pay for equal work. The salary range for this position is between $78,500 - $98,045 per year. We offer a full benefits package including employer-paid health, vision, and dental insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution, and a generous paid time-off program including paid sick, vacation, and holidays.