State Grassroots Program Lead
Job Title: State Grassroots Program Lead
Department: North Carolina Chapter
Location: Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (Hybrid)
Reports To: Chapter Director
Supervises: None
Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.
Scope: The Grassroots Program Lead is an experienced campaigner with a statewide reach. This position holds primary responsibility for the Chapter’s digital and in-person organizing functions, and coordinates with staff, volunteers, allies, and impacted communities to advance state-level conservation campaigns and build just relationships grounded in the Jemez Principles.
In this role, they develop campaign plans, communicate priorities, drive execution towards concrete goals, meet benchmarks, and report on progress.
They recruit, train, and mobilize volunteer activists, and are responsible for increasing the number of people engaged, mentoring new leaders, and innovating pathways to volunteer leadership within the Sierra Club. This position is also responsible for managing one or more field organizers and/or summer fellows each year.
This is a hybrid position that requires frequent in-person meetings as well as regular travel in-state and overnight. Digital organizing, including frequent use of multiple social media platforms, email marketing, virtual meeting, and other online tools is also required.
Job activities include but are not limited to:
- Leading: Builds a statewide program that supports sustained grassroots engagement. Coordinates with policy, government relations, communications staff, and with volunteers, to develop and execute issue campaigns. Ensures alignment with overall organizational strategy. Regularly measures and communicates progress towards program and campaign goals.
- Movement building: Identifies, recruits, trains, and organizes grassroots volunteers to build their capacity as advocates for conservation and environmental justice issues. Helps volunteers succeed by coaching them on how to strategize, organize, inspire, and motivate. Organizes and leads educational events and outings to highlight the impacts of our issues on North Carolinians. Provides organizing support in electoral campaigns, as assigned.
- Communicating: Uses in-person and digital organizing tactics such as events, outings, phone and text banking, canvassing, action alerts, and email marketing to accomplish campaign goals. Represents Sierra Club to the public and in the media; helps develop and execute public education and media strategies. Provides information, research, and other assistance to NC volunteer leaders, the public, and others about campaigns and conservation issues of consequence.
- Managing: Manages grassroots volunteer engagement in issue campaigns. Collaborates with one or more political field organizers and summer fellows each year.
- Building allyship: Works in coalition with new and emerging environmental and environmental justice partners, and in allyship with impacted communities, to achieve shared goals. Ensures alignment with Sierra Club’s brand, values, and policies. Centers equity, inclusion, and justice in all work.
- Meetings and other work outside of regular business hours, including weekends and evenings is required. Heavier workloads may occur as a result of deadlines and during peak activity periods.
The successful candidate must demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:
- Experience in the Advocacy Field. You are a seasoned professional with demonstrated experience empowering and supporting advocates, setting clear expectations, and managing towards successful outcomes.
- Expertise in Grassroots Organizing. You are experienced in volunteer recruitment, building volunteer leadership and developing mission-aligned partnerships
- Substantial Project Planning and Management Experience. You will have worked extensively managing projects and campaigns, and leading planning efforts and executing organizing tactics.
- Digital Organizing Fluency. You have the ability to export, manipulate, and deploy the use of electronic data to inform, evaluate and advance organizing goals.
- Effective Communication. You have excellent written and oral communication skills
- Ability to Travel. You are able and willing to travel extensively within North Carolina, A valid driver’s license, satisfactory driving record, and proof of auto insurance is required
- 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.
The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:
- Recognizes where work needs to be done and fills the gaps. Self-motivated; works well independently and as part of a team. Problem solving skills are critical.
- Experience in and knowledge of the legislative and administrative policy-making processes
- Knowledge in a specific issue area of the environmental field related to assigned programs and campaigns
- Knowledge, background, and relationships with communities impacted by issues related to assigned programs and campaigns; familiarity with North Carolina issues a plus
- Fast learner who can quickly absorb, distill and communicate to diverse audiences new and often complex information
- Experience in the environmental, environmental justice, and/or in political campaigns
- Strong public speaker and ability to liaise with the media
Compensation and Benefits
The salary for this position is $70,000 annually, non-negotiable.
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 employee’s 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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