Organizational Summary:
T.R.U.S.T. South LA is a community-based effort to revitalize and stabilize our neighborhoods, where increased property values and rents are pushing many long-term residents out of the northern part of South Central, close to Downtown and USC; while in contrast, decades of disinvestment have left the areas south of MLK Boulevard lacking basic services. Our vision is of South Los Angeles neighborhoods where low-income community residents have power to shape the development of housing, recreation and open space in a manner that promotes economic vitality and healthy environments. T.R.U.S.T. South LA work includes: serving as a steward for community-controlled land; being a catalyst for values-driven, community-serving development; building awareness and community leadership in issues of housing, transportation and recreation; and creating programs and initiatives that encourage community building and economic opportunity. We are legally structured as a Membership organization, and our grassroots members have majority control over the Board of Directors.

Position Description:
T.R.U.S.T. South LA’s Climate Justice Organizer is a management position, supervising a team of Community Engagement Workers and reports to the Director of Social Impact & Community Organizing. The Climate Justice Organizer will be the lead staff for South LA’s Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Community Engagement Plan implementation, which is a $35M multi-benefit climate initiative to make South LA more equitable and climate resilient. The candidate must be comfortable engaging with multiple stakeholders in person and virtually.

We are seeking a mid-level community organizer who will play a critical role in building T.R.U.S.T. South LA’s power and influence in our land stewardship, climate justice advocacy, and active transportation work – through organizing, base-building, program implementation and campaigns. The Climate Justice Organizer will partner with T.R.U.S.T. South LA’s Policy Climate Justice Organizer, staff and leaders to develop our own programs and campaigns to impact policy and/or to create concrete improvements in the lives of our members and our community. The Climate Justice Organizer will also work closely with strategic allies on various state and local climate justice policy campaigns and programs to ensure equitable and inclusive climate investments in South LA. The ideal candidate has experience managing a team of organizers working across a variety of issues, developing and managing winning campaigns, and has a proven track record of developing community leaders and engaging community members in both program events and campaign activities – identifying and maximizing opportunities to link the two approaches. We seek a candidate who: understands the importance of integrating leadership development into all aspects of program; will engage and mobilize significant numbers of community members, building a diverse and committed T.R.U.S.T. South LA Membership in the process; and will prioritize building deep and durable community capacity to advance the broader progressive social change movement.

The Climate Justice Organizer will support T.R.U.S.T. South LA staff with research and writing needs to support additional grant deliverables and general organization operations.

Minimum Requirements:

Applicants should have knowledge of affordable housing, mobility, and environmental planning. Community organizing, design, and project management experience is a plus. Only those with a passion for economic, environmental, racial, and social justice should apply. Agreement with T.R.U.S.T. South LA principles. Ability to work with people across lines of race, ethnicity, class, gender, age and sexual orientation. Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed to accommodate the schedules of community members and campaign timelines.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 2 years organizing experience, ideally in Los Angeles County.
• Experience with coalition-building to support projects to work towards/create neighborhood change.
• Experience building power and working in low-income communities of color.
• Self-motivated, creative, detail-oriented, and energetic.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to be a public speaker; comfortable presenting in front of large groups.
• Ability and willingness to work in a fast-paced work environment.
• Must thrive on change, innovation, and teamwork.
• This position requires evening and weekend work and you must have reliable transportation.

Additional Desired Qualifications:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Environmental Planning, Urban Planning, Policy, or related field with a minimum of two years of work experience. Highly self-motivated; an emerging and encouraging force for the people you work with. Experience with popular education and curriculum development. A good sense of humor.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct program and organizing work that adheres to T.R.U.S.T. South LA’s principles, vision, mission, methods, models and protocols; and is performed in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
• Work with Policy Climate Justice Organizer to evaluate and refine organizing methodology and systems; and train Community Outreach Workers in methodology.
• Convene and manage the Leadership Committee in their role, which includes strategic planning, Member development, planning and executing the work, and recruiting, communicating with and engaging Members.
• Support development of a Membership base for all program areas, and develop and integrate diverse leadership across program areas.
• Engage and train community members in planning through development and implementation of workshops, trainings, mapping activities and community design sessions.
• Develop, build, and maintain relationships with public officials, public agencies, and community-based organizations and other organizations.
• Participate in development/implementation of joint campaign efforts with identified coalition partners.
• Understand and work to meet grant deliverables; and contribute to reports and grant proposals as needed.
• Support Office Manager with photos/info for social media communications; and support Membership Organizer with Member communications.
• Attend staff meetings, regular check-in/planning meetings with the Director of Programs & Organizing, and hold regular check-in meetings with each staff person under supervision.
• Prepare and deliver annual staff evaluations.
• Perform administrative activities associated with effective program management, including: compiling, storing, and retrieving data for assessments and reports; creating and maintaining project files (both electronic and paper) in a manner easily accessible by all staff members.

Salary and Benefits: The Climate Justice Organizer position is a full-time, exempt (salaried) position with full medical/dental benefits for employees. Salary is based on qualifications and experience with a range of $55,000-$65,000 annually.

CONTACT/ TO APPLY: Please submit a resume and letter of interest to jobs@trustsouthla.org as soon as possible with the title of the Job Description and your First and Last Name in the subject line (Subject: Climate Justice Organizer_First Name_Last Name). Applicants selected for an interview will be asked for three professional references along with examples of prior work in community organizing and/or advocacy.

The position will be open until filled. Review of applications will begin on 7/31/2023.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: As an organization committed to community-led solutions to housing justice and racial equality, T.R.U.S.T. South LA 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, along with any and all of other characteristics that make us all unique. We help put this commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion into practice through professional training, flexible work hours, benefits and support for a healthy work-life-family balance.