Illinois Climate Bank Campaign Director

About the Illinois Climate Bank Campaign: 

Founded in 2024, the Illinois Climate Bank Campaign works to win investments that both decrease our state’s climate impact and improve people’s lives by building or repairing affordable housing, creating good jobs, and directing federal resources towards our communities’ priorities. This campaign will work to ensure that the newly created State of Illinois Climate Bank actively integrates specific, new place-based green projects and policies in our poor, working-class and Black and Brown communities across Illinois. The Illinois Climate Bank Campaign is powered and convened by four distinct organizations; ONE Northside, Illinois People's Action, The People’s Lobby and United Congregations of Metro East.  

Position Summary: 

The Campaign Director is primarily a campaign and community organizing position. The key responsibilities of the Campaign Director involve leading and managing a statewide community organizing and advocacy campaign to; 1) engage low-income communities and communities of color to identify needs related to environmental justice and the climate bank 2) Organize and consolidate a set of demands that address the issues raised by communities from across the state. The Director also engages in policy development, administrative advocacy and legislative advocacy in partnership with the Illinois Climate Bank campaign and informed community input. The Campaign Director forms and leads the Illinois Climate Bank campaign steering committee to build grassroots & grasstops power in communities across Illinois in order to win public support and political will to ensure that the Illinois Climate Bank and other environment funds have direct impact on poor and communities of color.  

Applicants should have experience with campaign management, community organizing, including managing a budget, workplan, and foundation fundraising. Applicants should also demonstrate a clear vision for building the campaign’s organizing work and an understanding of the statewide political arena. Applicants should also be familiar with the nonprofit foundation landscape in Illinois and be prepared to cultivate, sustain, apply for, and report on grants that will help in financially sustaining the Illinois Climate Bank campaign.

The Campaign Director reports to the Illinois Climate Bank Campaign Executive Board. The Director will lead the Steering Committee on a regular basis, including setting and implementing agendas at monthly Steering Committee meetings. The Director will coordinate and work with each of the convening organizations Climate Bank organizers. 

Responsibilities:

• Partner with and take direction from the Illinois Climate Bank Campaign Executive Board to advance the goals of the campaign;
• Lead the Steering Committee to implement a comprehensive organizing strategy to advance the goals of the campaign;
• Effectively communicate Illinois Climate Bank Campaign’s mission and vision to a wide array of diverse partners and community members;
• Lead bi-annual grassroots retreats with membership and key allies;
• Schedule, attend and actively participate in monthly Executive Board meetings, including drafting and implementing the meeting agenda;
• Schedule, attend and actively participate in the monthly Steering Committee meetings (including drafting and implementing the meeting agenda) and, with the assistance of the Executive Committee, help recruit new partners to the committee;
• Develop, expand, and maintain strong relationships with partner organizations throughout Illinois, with a focus on communities where environmental justice is prioritized, including, Chicago, Suburban Chicago, Metro-East, Bloomington-Normal, Decatur, Springfield and Peoria; 
• Plan and execute community meetings & trainings organized by Illinois Climate Bank Campaign;
• Identify and train community leaders for press events, community meetings & organizing trainings in both English and other languages; 
• Travel and work in Chicago, Bloomington-Normal and Metro-East to work and meet leaders from the campaign’s convening organizations; this includes working closely with legislative allies and potential allies to win support to advance the campaign goals.
• Organize rallies, press events and advocacy opportunities across the state as needed; 
• Coordinate in-district meetings with directly affected community leaders and legislative allies and targets;
• Support campaign communications, including social media, training materials, light media work, and partner speaking points. 
• Manage the budget as required for reporting purposes to funders of the campaign and to the executive committee;
• Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with foundations and help write and submit grant applications and reports.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Qualifications: 

• Dedication to the success of our campaign to ensure climate funds are properly appropriated to our poor, working class and black and brown communities. 
• Strong passion for climate justice, economic justice and realizing social justice in the present political climate;
• Strong project management skills;
• Organizing experience and statewide campaign experience of at least 1 year, or equivalent;
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral both in English and Spanish;
• Solid foundation in managing a budget;
• Ability to lead, motivate and inspire community members to develop into leaders and participate in key organizing activities; 
• Ability to think strategically, take initiative and be creative in engaging a diverse set of partners in the campaign and provide the support needed to be successful;
• Sound interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to establish and cultivate respectful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds;
• Sound organizational skills to manage and prioritize work subject to deadlines in a dynamic and changing environment, as an individual and as a member of a team;
• Good judgment and problem-solving skills;
• Ability to formulate and deliver on short-term and long-term campaign building goals;
• Basic working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Facebook, Twitter, databases and internet;
• Ability to implement rapid response communication strategies; 
• Thrives working in a fast paced, entrepreneurial, goal-oriented environments;
• Willingness to travel within Illinois;
• Valid Driver’s License and access to vehicle preferred; 
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent preferred but not required.

Work Environment: Office space will be available at ONE Northside (presently based in Uptown, Chicago). Director will likely be in and out of office in one-on-ones with partners, events, and other activities including in our partner organization areas (and potential Springfield activities from Jan-May 2022). Travel within the state is expected for this position and will be reimbursed. 

About ONE Northside (Host Organization):

Organizing Neighborhoods for Equality: Northside (ONE Northside) is a community organization resulting from the merger of Lakeview Action Coalition and Organization of the Northeast. Together, LAC and ONE have a history of nearly 60 years of powerful and effective community organizing. ONE Northside started on July 1, 2013. ONE Northside organizes people from over 30 institutions as well as individual community residents from Rogers Park, Edgewater, Uptown, Ravenswood, North Center, Lake View, and Lincoln Park.  

Mission: Organizing Neighborhoods for Equality: Northside is a mixed-income, multi-ethnic, intergenerational organization that unites our diverse communities. We build collective power to eliminate injustice through bold and innovative community organizing. We accomplish this through developing grassroots leaders and acting together to effect change.

Expected Hours of Work: Some flexibility in hours is allowed, but the Director must be available during “core” work hours. Some evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Start Date: ASAP

The Illinois Climate Bank Campaign believes that diversity across our staff and partners is an organizational strength, and recognizes and values the intersectional identities that staff members bring to our organization. We are enriched by the diverse experiences, beliefs, and ways of thinking that employees of different backgrounds bring. Fair consideration is given to all qualified applicants regardless of criminal record. The Illinois Climate Bank Campaign is committed to providing equal employment consideration without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, national origin, ancestry, military status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.