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 Lead Organizer position is a management position supervising team of
Community Organizers, and serving on the TRUST Management Team, and reports to the Director of Policy. 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 and active transportation work through organizing, leadership development and community-engaging base building programs and campaigns. The Lead Organizer, in partnership with the Director of Policy, and working with Community Leaders, will develop our own programs and campaigns to impact policy and/or to create concrete improvements in the lives of our members and our community; and may also work with strategic allies on various local and City-wide policy campaigns. The ideal candidate has experience managing a team of organizers working across a variety of issues, including housing, active transportation, developing and
managing winning campaigns, and has a proven track record of developing community leaders and engaging members in both program events and campaign activities- identifying and maximizing opportunities to link the two approaches. We require someone who is a competent project manager. We seek a candidate who: understands the importance of integrating leadership development into all aspects of program and policy work; will engage and mobilize significant numbers of community members, building a diverse and committed TRUST South LA Membership in the process, with a particular emphasis on members living in TRUST Housing; and will prioritize building deep, durable community capacity to build a deeper progressive social change movement in South Los Angeles and broader.

Responsibilities:

• Work with staff, Leadership Committee and Membership to develop and implement campaigns to advance policy initiatives, secure land use entitlements, and increase community-informed capital infrastructure investments in South LA – which are in alignment with T.R.US.T. South LA’s Strategic Plan, and captures strategic opportunities and serve as Lead Organizer on those campaigns.
• Conduct program and organizing work that adheres to TRUST South LA’s principles, vision,
  mission, methods, models and protocols; and is performed in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
• Work with Director of Policy to evaluate and refine Organizing Methodology and Systems,
  including membership assessments and train Community Outreach Workers in methodology.
• Support the development of a Membership base for all program areas and develop and integrate diverse leadership across program areas.
• Organize TRUST South LA members through established Neighborhood Organizing Committees.
• Build out and organize ACTIVE membership and participation of residents living in our current and future T.R.U.ST. owned housing.
• Engage and train community members, with emphasis on those living on TRUST-owned land, in planning and through development and implementation of workshops, trainings, mapping activities and community design sessions.
• External Campaigns: participate in joint-coalitions, City activities, as needed and identified with the Director of Policy.
• Understand and work to meet grant deliverables; and contribute to reports and grant proposals as needed.
• Support Office Manager with newsletter blasts and social media.
• Attend staff meetings, regular meetings with Director of Policy, and hold regular check in
  meetings with each staff person under your supervision.
• Perform necessary administrative activities to be outlined by the Director of Policy.
• 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.

Minimum Requirements:

• Demonstrated commitment to social and economic justice work that empowers communities.
• Agreement with T.R.U.S.T. South LA’s Statement of Principles (http://trustsouthla.org/vision/about-us) .
• Ability to work with people across lines of race, ethnicity, language, class, gender, age and sexual orientation.
• Ability to plan and achieve annual goals and objectives, to develop weekly workplan and to
  support staff in the same.
• Strong project management skills.
• Ability to develop team vision, goals, and build leadership capacity among community
  leaders/members.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both English and Spanish, both verbally and through
  written correspondence.
• Familiarity with and/or capacity to learn Microsoft Office applications, Google applications
  (Gmail, Google Docs, Google calendar), and Salesforce web-based database.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.

Additional Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelors or Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Social Work, Policy, or related field with a
  minimum of two year of work experience
• Established trust and relationships with frontline communities and communities of color in South Los Angeles.
• Familiar with T.R.U.S.T. South LA’s vision, mission, principles, work and neighborhoods.
• Two or more years of supervisory experience.
• General knowledge of and passion for community development, housing, mobility, and/or land use issues.
• Highly self-motivated; an energizing and encouraging force for the people with whom you work.
• Flexibility in the job role, understanding the need to dynamically respond to evolving needs that are often driven by external events and opportunities.
• Experience with both shared leadership and independent decision-making.
• Experience with popular education and curriculum development.
• Experience with coalition building to support projects to work towards/create neighborhood
  change.
• A good sense of humor.

Salary and Benefits: The Lead Organizer position is a full-time, exempt (salaried) position with full medical/dental benefits for employees. The salary is based on qualifications and experience with a range of $60,000-70,000 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: Lead Organizer_First Name_Last Name). Interviews will be on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 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 in practice through professional training, flexible work hours, benefits and support for a healthy work-life family balance.