Chapter Organizer

Job Title: Community Organizer Location: Metro Atlanta; Remote/hybrid Reports To: Organizing Manager   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 Community Organizer is responsible for recruiting, engaging, and motivating large numbers of new people to take repeated action which will further Sierra Club’s targeted campaign goals.  The Organizer identifies and develops volunteers to take on the role of team leaders and build grassroots power and networks, and identifies and builds alliances with other organizations which can influence decision-makers. The Organizer regularly works outside of the office and without direct supervision to communicate with officials, the media and the public, and must be able to travel to relevant communities and locations to implement campaign plans.

Job activities include but are not limited to:

• Strategic Campaigns. With the support of the organizing team, the Organizing Manager, and Chapter Director, develops individual campaign organizing plans, including organizing tactics.  With the support of the manager, ensures that campaigns are rooted in equity and justice and inclusive of frontline and directly impacted communities.
• Grassroots organizing. Develop organizing plan, goals, and metrics in conjunction with the Organizing Manager and Chapter Director for recruiting and maintaining activists, including working with volunteers and volunteer leaders on implementation. Implement organizing plan, with ongoing digital campaigns, text banking and event activities. Identify and implement tabling, volunteer, and other visibility opportunities. Identify and cultivate key partners in frontline and marginalized communities. Mobilize activists for special purposes, including phone banking, days of action, visibility events, rallies, townhalls, etc.
• Community education. Find and engage in opportunities to educate local communities, particularly most impacted communities, on local environmental issues and opportunities. As a result of community education initiatives, invite community members to take action with or participate with the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter.
• Collaboration. Builds a healthy, mutually accountable relationship with Chapter staff, volunteers and community partners to carry out Sierra Club priorities. Seeks opportunities to advance justice and equity through new partnerships with frontline and marginalized community leaders. Communicates clear expectations, capacity, and works in strategic alignment to accomplish Sierra Club’s priority goals.
• Volunteer Recruitment and Leadership Development. Identify, vet and recruit potential volunteers and activists, match volunteers to their areas of interest, and increase volunteer and activist participation within the Chapter structure. Create welcoming, empowering volunteer environments where everyone feels safe, excited, respected, and supported to work together on shared passions. Conduct creative in-person and digital recruitment strategies, meet with new volunteers one-on-one, and encourage interested volunteers and student activists to grow their skills and leadership in the work by offering coaching and support as they take on new tasks, projects, and roles. Offer information- and skills-based trainings to volunteers and serve as a general resource for helping teams advance collective campaign goals. Maintain good data practices tracking volunteers teams, roles, and contact information as well as other core metrics.
• Mobilization and Event Planning. Coordinates with coalition partners and community groups to plan engagement opportunities, activations and events supporting Sierra Club’s priorities. Attends internal and external meetings to coordinate online and in-person events and mobilization tactics.
• Build and Participate in Teams: Build, maintain, and participate on teams to advance campaign priorities and base-building. Supports a community of care with colleagues and collaborators and recognizes the need for self care, safety and inclusion in order to sustain ourselves and our work.
• Coalition-building & partner coordination. Regularly communicate and coordinate with Georgia Sierra Club’s existing network of elected officials, government officials, partner organizations and their staff members, including environmental/conservation and social justice nonprofits in Georgia. Help expand that network to include more connections with groups representing BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other traditionally marginalized communities. Build and host inclusive coalitional spaces where these groups/people can build stronger relationships and successfully collaborate to build power and advance shared goals.
• Performs miscellaneous duties as assigned.

The successful candidate must demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:

• Organizing Experience: Experience in community organizing and/or demonstrated ability and experience designing and implementing tactics as part of a larger campaign strategy.
• Campaign implementation: Some experience planning or implementing grassroots campaigns in low-income communities of color, including developing tactics based on organizational strategy, organizing and working with local community members, local leaders and partner organizations.
• Effective communication: Excellent verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to clearly articulate ideas and communicate effectively with diverse groups of stakeholders, internally and externally. Demonstrated ability and enthusiasm for persuasive communication with individuals on a daily basis, including door-to-door, phone, and text contacts. Experience with online and in-person public speaking, and facilitating community events.
• Tech/Digital Tools: Experience using and training on a variety of constituent management tools, including tools such as Zoom, G-Suite, SalesForce, various social media and other peer to peer texting and organizing platforms.
• Data practices: Experience collecting and 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.
• Volunteer stewardship: Experience working closely with volunteers to onboard, train, and provide support. Ability to match volunteers with opportunities for meaningful and long-term engagement through a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.
• 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.
• Must have a driver's license, proof of insurance and be willing to drive up to 90 mins from Atlanta

The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:

• Knowledge of environmental and energy issues, and either expertise or an ability to develop expertise in regional energy, climate justice, and/or conservation areas.
• Connection to the Georgia grassroots environmental justice ecosystem
• Experience working in coalition with community partners.