Position Title: SDBWC Director (San Diego Black Worker Center)
 

SDBWC Purpose: The SDBWC is a fiscally sponsored project of the Center on Policy Initiatives. The goals of CPI and SDBWC are aligned. However, the SDBWC has a mission specific to Black workers. That mission is to improve job access and job quality for Black workers in San Diego with a central focus on the lowest-paid and most exploited workers and to collaborate with Black workers organizations across the region, state and nation to advance justice for Black people in their workplaces and throughout the community. The SDBWC organizes Black people and their allies to engage in service provision, policy advocacy and workplace actions to advance workers’ rights.  
 

Position Summary: The Center on Policy Initiatives is seeking to hire a San Diego Black Worker Center (SDBWC) Director who will lead efforts to build a more equitable economy for Black workers in San Diego.  In collaboration with and under the supervision of the Center on Policy Initiatives’ Executive Director, the SDBWC Director is responsible for fundraising, strategy development, staff hiring and supervision, and program development for the SDBWC. Successful candidates for this position will have a demonstrated commitment to economic justice, the labor movement and Black liberation. The Director must be willing to in the evening and on the weekend when necessary to ensure high levels of worker/community engagement. They must have the ability to work collaboratively and to fulfill the majority of their job responsibilities with minimal supervision. As a fiscally sponsored project, the SDBWC is supervised by the Executive Director of CPI and governed by the CPI Board of Directors but is advised and directed by a Community Advisor Board made up of experts on Black worker and community issues in San Diego. 
 

Key Responsibilities: The Director serves as SDBWC's first point of contact for the public in addition to being responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plan of the organization.  Other key duties include fundraising, marketing, and community outreach.
 

Programs and Planning:

• Leads the strategic planning process for the staff, advisory board, and members of the SDBWC.  

• Ensures implementation of strategies to achieve SDBWC’s goals. Activities to achieve these outcomes should include, but are not limited to, base building, coalition organizing, policy advocacy, connection to legal services, and developing strategic partnerships with agencies and employers. 

• Conducts effective meetings, including board, staff, and membership meetings, by focusing both on processes and outcomes and by ensuring that all stakeholders have clarity of purpose, take accountability, and are focused on productivity. 

• Makes strategic decisions about how to participate in local, state, and national coalitions to advance the work of economic and social justice for Black workers. 

• Reviews and evaluates the results of program activities and deliverables, ensuring contractual obligations are fulfilled, and allocating resources to achieve program effectiveness and efficiency. 

• Oversees comprehensive campaigns and organizing activities including outreach, recruitment, assessments, and leadership development programs. 

• Ensures strong organizational and membership growth based on best practices in organizing and the fundamentals of democratic member-led principles. 
   

Systems and Infrastructure:

• Under the supervision of the CPI Executive Director and with the support the CPI development staff, ensures the SDBWC maintains a diverse and sustainable funding base of small dollar and major dollar donors, grassroots fundraising, foundation grants, corporate grants, government grants, special events, and earned income to advance the vision and goals of the organization including supporting living wages for SDBWC staff and the ability to help members overcome financial and structural barriers to participation in SDBWC activities. 

• Ensures compliance with funders, donors, and fund development consultants. 

• Maintains an active and engaged Advisory Board on strategic planning, fund development, budget creation and oversight, programs and campaigns, and evaluations of the SDBWC. Supports and motivates the Board of Directors in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities to the organization. 

• The Director works with its fiscal sponsor to ensure effective administration and operation of the organization, including legal, financial, budgets, compliance, management, and HR. 

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years of organizational management experience in a nonprofit organization or equivalent.

• Proven leader with a demonstrated commitment to empowering and advancing the rights of workers, especially Black workers. 

• Deep understanding and demonstrated practice of the fundamentals of organizing.  

• Good at building and maintaining relationships with an engaged and empowered membership, funders, partners, allies, elected officials, and other decision-makers. 

• Excellent leadership skills that include the ability to supervise small and large teams and to motivate others across teams, departments, and organizations. 

• Mastery of English language in both written and verbal formats, including ability to revise and edit culturally appropriate communications materials. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google applications including Outlook, Word and Excel; Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. 

• Experience with similar social justice and equity campaigns and programs. 

• Demonstrated ability to juggle multiple projects while responsibly managing risk and while ensuring compliance with laws, regulations, organizational policies, and best practices. 

• Valid CA driver’s license and access to insured car for work related travel. 

• Able to work on a variable schedule that includes some nights and weekends. Able to travel for work via car, train or airplane. 
   

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of successful base building/organizing experience in direct action campaigns that have led to changes in public policy and corporate practices. 

• Fundraising experience in a nonprofit organization. Experience with grassroots fundraising, individual donor & major donor campaigns, foundations, corporate foundations, and marketing departments, government grants, and earned income strategies is highly desired. 

• Experience working with labor and with social, economic, or racial justice organizations. 

• Experience working on building Black institutions and advocating for Black people. 

• Demonstrates understanding of popular education with the demonstrated ability to design and facilitate popular education workshops. 
  
   

Physical Requirements of the Position:

• The ability to lift as much as 25 lbs.    

• Sitting and/or standing for prolonged periods in meetings, presentations, or while working at a computer.    

• Walking (or otherwise locomoting) and reaching. 

• Pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying.  

• Using computer screens and equipment for prolonged periods of time.  

• Working or performing in brightly lit spaces. 

• Ability to work outdoors. 

Transportation Requirements:  

This position requires occasional driving throughout San Diego County using a personal vehicle or other reliable & trustworthy transportation source.  We offer mileage reimbursement for authorized trips.   
 

This position will be supervised by CPI’s Executive Director 
 

Salary Range: Full-time, exempt position $97,328 - $112,414 (DOE) 
 

Benefits: CPI offers a generous benefits package which includes 80 hours Vacation and 40 hours Sick Time, 10 Paid Holidays, 2 paid personal holidays and a Winter Break from Christmas Eve through New Years Day. A 100% employer paid Medical, Dental and Vision plan for employees and their family members plus a $25k Basic Term Life Insurance coverage for employees.  We offer a 401K Retirement Plan with a 6% employer match and Flexible Spending Account.  
 

To Apply: This position is available immediately. Please submit your resume, a cover letter explaining your qualifications for this position, and a brief essay (no more than 3 double spaced pages) answering the question “Why does San Diego need a Black Worker Center?” and sharing your vision for the SDBWC. 

Applications are being accepted April 17 - May 1st and will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submissions are encouraged.
 

Fiscal Sponsorship and Management Disclosure: 

The San Diego Black Worker Center is a fiscally sponsored project of the Center on Policy Initiatives. While the SDBWC maintains a separate, but aligned mission and vision, CPI retains responsibility for the management of SDBWC’s finances and personnel. As such, employment and contractual relationships are directly with the Center on Policy Initiatives. CPI maintains ownership of all SDBWC assets, and the CPI Board of Directors is the ultimate governing authority for the project.