Director of Policy and Organizing
JOB CATEGORY: Director
JOB TYPE: Full-Time, Exempt
JOB LOCATION: South Los Angeles
SALARY RANGE: $85,000–$95,000 annually + benefits
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’s work includes serving as a steward for community-controlled land; being a catalyst for values-driven, community-serving development; building awareness and community leadership on 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 Summary
The Director of Policy & Organizing provides strategic leadership for T.R.U.S.T. South LA’s policy, advocacy, grassroots organizing, and leadership development work. The Director develops and implements a focused policy and organizing agenda informed by TRUST’s strategic priorities and community-identified needs that advances housing affordability, anti-displacement, community ownership, climate resilience, and equitable community development in South Los Angeles.
A central responsibility is to build and sustain a multigenerational, organized constituency of residents, tenants, workers, youth, and community stakeholders capable of influencing public policy, shaping development decisions, securing equitable investments, and holding institutions accountable. The Director develops strategies that strengthen collective leadership, political influence, and lasting community power.
The Director supervises the Civic Engagement Manager, who leads day-to-day community organizing, membership engagement, mobilization, and leadership development with support from outreach staff and interns. The Director provides strategic direction, campaign development, coaching, and accountability to ensure organizing efforts advance resident-led campaigns and organizational priorities.
The Director collaborates with Climate Initiatives, CLT Stewardship, and Real Estate Development leadership to connect community priorities, tenant organizing, policy advocacy, and community development strategies while maintaining clear departmental roles and responsibilities.
The Director reports to the Deputy Director and serves as a member of the Collective Management Team.
Responsibilities
Policy & Advocacy Strategy — 30%
Develop and implement an annual policy and advocacy agenda aligned with TRUST’s strategic priorities and community-identified needs. Monitor housing, land use, public investment, tenant protections, community development, transportation, and climate resilience policies. Develop advocacy strategies, policy positions, testimony, and recommendations that advance organizational and community priorities.
Develop policy and advocacy campaigns that leverage organized community power to influence government decisions, public investments, and institutional commitments. Work with grassroots leaders and organizing staff to identify decision-makers, develop community demands, and advance coordinated advocacy strategies.
Represent TRUST with public agencies, elected offices, coalitions, and community partners. Establish clear priorities for where TRUST leads, actively participates, or supports broader coalition efforts. Coordinate information-sharing among staff engaged in external policy discussions and collaborate with Communications staff to ensure consistent organizational messaging.
Organizing, Membership & Leadership Development — 25%
Provide strategic direction for TRUST’s grassroots organizing, membership, civic engagement, direct action, and leadership development work. Develop long-term base-building strategies that expand TRUST’s organized constituency and strengthen residents’ collective power to influence decisions affecting their neighborhoods.
Supervise and support the Civic Engagement Manager in leading day-to-day organizing, membership engagement, outreach, mobilization, and leadership development. Provide campaign planning, coaching, performance feedback, and clear organizing priorities, goals, and accountability measures.
Develop and guide issue-based campaigns grounded in community priorities, power analysis, institutional targets, collective action strategies, and measurable outcomes. Support resident-led campaigns, mobilizations, and direct actions that advance housing justice, anti-displacement, community ownership, and equitable development.
Strengthen organizing methods that emphasize relationship building, one-on-one organizing conversations, membership recruitment and retention, political education, and grassroots leadership development. Support the development of community leaders capable of organizing others, influencing institutions, and leading collective action.
Establish organizing goals and systems to assess membership participation, leadership development, mobilization, campaign progress, and long-term organizing capacity.
Housing & Community Development Integration — 20%
Collaborate with Real Estate Development, CLT Stewardship, and Climate Initiatives to connect policy advocacy, organizing, tenant leadership, and community priorities to TRUST’s housing preservation, acquisition, public land, community ownership, climate resilience, and equitable development work.
Work with CLT Stewardship leadership to strengthen tenant organizing, building-level resident leadership, and meaningful resident participation in housing and community ownership decisions. Connect resident leadership and housing priorities to broader organizing and policy opportunities.
Collaborate with Climate Initiatives leadership to connect environmental justice, transportation, climate resilience, and community planning activities with broader organizing campaigns and advocacy opportunities.
Support community engagement, organizing, and advocacy around emerging development and investment opportunities. Ensure that resident priorities inform organizational strategies while respecting the distinct responsibilities of Real Estate Development, CLT Stewardship, and Climate Initiatives.
Coalitions & External Relationships — 15%
Build and maintain strategic relationships with coalitions, community-based organizations, advocacy networks, public agencies, elected offices, and institutional partners that advance TRUST’s policy and organizing priorities.
Coordinate TRUST’s participation in external coalitions and partnerships, ensuring that commitments align with organizational priorities, strengthen collective advocacy, and support community power-building goals.
Management & Organizational Leadership — 10%
Participate in organizational leadership, strategic planning, and cross-department coordination as a member of TRUST’s Collective Management Team.
Establish departmental goals, workplans, campaign priorities, performance measures, and accountability systems. Supervise, coach, and support staff professional development and effective implementation of organizational priorities.
Collaborate with departmental leadership on shared organizing, community engagement, policy advocacy, and leadership development strategies. Contribute to grant development, reporting, program evaluation, and organizational planning as appropriate.
Minimum Requirements
- Demonstrated commitment to social and economic justice, community power building, and T.R.U.S.T.’s mission, values, and Statement of Principles.
- Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in community organizing, policy advocacy, housing or community development, or a related field, including leadership or supervisory experience.
- Demonstrated experience developing and leading grassroots organizing campaigns that build an organized constituency, develop community leadership, mobilize collective action, and advance measurable policy or institutional outcomes. Strong understanding of power analysis, campaign strategy, base building, and the relationship between community organizing and policy advocacy.
- Experience developing policy and advocacy strategies involving public agencies, elected officials, coalitions, or other decision-making institutions.
- Experience supervising staff, developing workplans, providing coaching and professional development, and establishing accountability measures.
- Experience working with grassroots members, tenants, residents, and community leaders to strengthen participation and collective leadership.
- Strong communication, facilitation, negotiation, public speaking, project management, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to collaborate across departments and build effective relationships with community members, staff, partners, and institutional stakeholders.
- Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel locally for community meetings, organizing activities, and advocacy efforts.
Additional Desired Qualifications
- Experience building coalitions and working with public agencies, elected offices, community organizations, and advocacy networks.
- Knowledge of affordable housing, tenant protections, land use, community development, and community ownership models.
- Experience with direct action organizing, political education, membership-based organizations, and grassroots leadership development.
- Experience translating community priorities into policy strategies, organizing campaigns, and community development initiatives.
- Knowledge of the Los Angeles policy and organizing landscape, particularly South Los Angeles.
- Experience supporting tenant organizing, resident councils, community land trusts, or community-controlled housing.
- Experience connecting environmental justice, transportation, climate resilience, housing, and community development priorities to policy or organizing strategies.
- Bilingual English/Spanish strongly desired.
Salary and Benefits
The Director of Policy & Organizing is a full-time, exempt position with an annual salary range of $85,000–$95,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Benefits include medical and dental coverage, a matching retirement plan, paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
Contact / To Apply
Please submit a resume and letter of interest to jobs@trustsouthla.org with the position title and your first and last name in the subject line: Director of Policy & Organizing_First Name_Last Name
Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants selected for an interview will be asked to provide three professional references and examples of prior work in community organizing, policy advocacy, or campaign development.
The position will remain open until filled.
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 based on 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 applicable law.
We support this commitment through professional training, employee benefits, and policies that promote a healthy work-life-family balance.