Policy and Community Outreach Manager

Policy and Community Outreach Manager

Job Overview:
The Policy and Outreach Manager works in coordination with the Policy Team to advance Climate Action Campaign’s mission: create a zero carbon future through effective and equitable policy. Through both community outreach and policy advocacy, this position will promote Zero Carbon goals, affordable housing near jobs and transit, bikeable and walkable streets, electrification of buildings, social equity, decentralized small scale renewable energy systems, and a world-class electrified transportation system, as well as focus on climate adaptation and resiliency efforts.The person in this role will be responsible for both implementing their own campaign(s) and managing 1-2 policy team staff. The position requires knowledge of climate policy, the San Diego political landscape, and experience with community outreach and policy advocacy. This person will expand and strengthen relationships with partner organizations, including racial and social justice organizations, and community members in order to most effectively achieve climate justice in our region.

Major Goals and Responsibilities (including, but not limited to):

● Mentorship and management: Provide coaching and staff development support to the policy and outreach team. Manage 1-2 policy team staff and specific initiatives and ensure the success of policy team members by working with staff to develop, update, and track progress on projects. Collaborate with the CEO to align policy team efforts with the organization’s goals.

● Community Outreach & Education: Conduct outreach and help lead multi-sector coalitions, including partners from community-based organizations, environmental and environmental justice organizations, small business, health care, and labor to build community power and win policy campaigns. Educate the community on climate solutions through webinars, presentations, trainings, and other events.

● Policy Advocacy: Advocate for strong and equity-driven Climate Action Plans (CAPs) and other local policies that advance climate justice, zero carbon goals, and family-sustaining jobs. Prepare for government hearings, conduct research, write position letters and papers, meet with government officials and stakeholders, develop action alerts, and attend and testify at local government meetings. Develop and author reports as needed. Assist in regularly adjusting and repositioning CAC’s strategy and approaches to be most effective in achieving our goals.

● Relationship Building: Build upon existing relationships and foster new relationships with partner organizations, community leaders, elected officials, and others to help build a better, healthier, and more just future for all. Expand our network to include a multifaceted range of decision-makers, allies, stakeholders, donors, members and volunteers. ● Communications and Media: Collaborate with the Communications Manager to craft compelling values-based, campaign-specific messages for a wide range of audiences via messaging, storytelling, traditional media (press releases, media alerts, pitching, press events), email campaigns, social media, website content, newsletters and action alerts, and infographics. Build relationships with key people in the media, like reporters, editors and publishers.

Supporting Roles:

● Events: Plan and execute policy-oriented events with decision-makers, advocates, and members. Support the planning and execution of CAC signature events and fundraisers.

● Philanthropy: Assist the Philanthropy team with proposals, grant reporting, securing event sponsors, and any other Philanthropy team needs.

Skills and Experience:
These are some of the ideal skills and qualifications we’re looking for in a candidate, but we encourage candidates that do not meet all of the qualifications to apply, in particular, if they have direct experiences working with the impacted communities that are central to our mission. We invite you to demonstrate how you might serve this role in ways we may not see or know to ask for. ● 3-5 years of policy advocacy and community outreach experience, preferably relating to climate and climate justice policies.

● Experience with project management, supervision, training, coaching, and motivating staff, including managing multiple projects simultaneously.

● In depth understanding and knowledge of local government structures and functions particularly relating to policies or programs focused on climate change, and an in depth understanding of the San Diego political landscape. Preferred: Experience working in local government.

● Experience building partnerships with diverse coalitions and networks. Preferred: existing connections with communities, community-based organizations, and/or elected officials in the San Diego region.

● In depth knowledge of climate policy, including clean energy, building electrification, adaptation and resilience, public and/or active transportation, and/or land-use planning in San Diego county.

● Understanding of equity and racial justice issues, and that marginalized communities contribute the least to the climate crisis but face the most burdens.

● Belief in the power of local politics to make change.

● Confidence in speaking explicitly about issues that intersect across social, racial and environmental justice.

● Eager and consistently driven to continuously expand knowledge, constantly seeking to enhance understanding of climate issues in the face of ever-evolving and dynamic information.

● Possess the flexibility and insight to recognize when adjustments in approach and strategy are necessary, adeptly pivoting and reprioritizing to align with changes in the political and funding landscapes.

● Demonstrate a determined and resourceful approach, consistently seeking innovative solutions to overcome barriers and challenges

● Strong written and verbal communication skills, including understanding the audience and adapting accordingly.

● Fluency in written and spoken Spanish is highly preferred.

Climate Action Campaign Core Values:
Justice, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Inclusion, Health, Voice, Safety are core values at Climate Action Campaign, and we’re passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment for all staff. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.

Climate Action Campaign is an Equal Opportunity Employer:
Climate Action Campaign values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. Climate Action Campaign provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

This is a full-time, salary, exempt position, and will include some evening and weekend work.

Location:
Our office is in Hillcrest in San Diego, but we’re often out and about throughout the region, meeting with government officials, businesses, community advocates, and donors as well as working remotely at home to save time and commuting costs. For the foreseeable future our team is working remotely, but this position must be based in and work out of the San Diego area. Vaccination mandate: Climate Action Campaign requires, with few exceptions, that all staff be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Unvaccinated staff with a qualifying exemption will be required to take regular COVID-19 tests (frequency subject to change).

Compensation and Benefits:
Salary range: $75,000 – $95,000 (commensurate with experience)

● 100% employer sponsored health, dental, vision and life insurance for employees. Dependents can enroll at employee’s cost.

● 401(k) Retirement Plan with 3% employer match, eligible for participation after 90 days.

● Monthly cell and transportation benefit.

● PTO: 15 days of accrued PTO per year (years 1-2), 20 days of accrued PTO (year 3), 25 days of accrued PTO (years 4 and 5), 30 days of accrued PTO per year (years 6 and on).

● 11 paid holidays plus a paid office closure for the last two weeks of the year.

● Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

How to apply:
Submit the below items to info@climateactioncampaign.org with the Subject: Policy and Community Outreach Manager.

1. Resume
2. Video or voice recording answering the following three questions:

a. Why are you interested in this position?
b. Please describe your experience with policy advocacy and community outreach. Was this experience in San Diego?
c. Please describe your experience successfully managing staff and specific projects.
d. (Optional) Where did you hear about this job posting? Limit your total recording to 3 minutes maximum. We can provide assistance or alternative ways of applying for those who need it.

Deadline: The first review date for this position is September 20, but the position will remain open until we find the perfect fit. We expect this position to start in early November.

Salary Ranges:
Climate Action Campaign conducts research, assessments, and comparisons of non-profit organizations of similar size in order to set salary ranges for different levels of positions, and to ensure that employees receive fair compensation. It is important to note that the maximum end of our salary ranges also consider factors such as the length of service and tenure in a specific role.