Senior Director of Grassroots Power

Title: Senior Director of Grassroots Power

Department: Community and Civic Engagement

Status: Exempt

Reports to: Vice President, Organizing

Positions Reporting to this Position: Director of Advocacy, Chispa Nevada Program Director, Chispa Texas Program Director

Location: United States

Remote Work Eligibility: Yes; Regular Remote Work

Travel Requirements: Up to 20%

Union Position: No

Job Classification Level: M-III

Salary Range (depending on experience): $117,000 – $162,000

General Description:

The League of Conservation Voters, Inc. (“LCV”), a non-profit organization, believes our earth is worth fighting for because everyone has a right to clean air, water, and a safe, healthy community. To ensure those rights are protected, we help people use their power to shape policy, hold politicians and polluters accountable, and influence elections.

For more than 50 years, LCV has grown into a potent political force for protecting our planet and everyone who inhabits it. We have built a powerful national movement with 30+ state affiliates, and grassroots and community organizing programs across the country.

Through grassroots community organizing, issue campaigns, and civic engagement, LCV’s organizing programs create local wins, led by communities of color that contribute to momentum for strong national action on climate change and environmental justice. At the same time, we are growing the infrastructure and leadership in communities that result in families and communities of color having the political clout to stand up to polluters and demand accountability from decision makers who have turned a blind eye to environmental racism and inequities in their communities. This leadership is essential not only at the community-level, but also for ensuring that LCV, our state affiliate partners, and mainstream environmental organizations become more racially diverse, integrate justice and equity into their priorities and analyses, and become more inclusive organizations that better represent and reflect all communities in the U.S.

The Senior Director of Grassroots Power should have extensive experience in community organizing practices and campaigns, with experience in base building, policy analysis, leadership development, staff training, and developing grassroots leaders through issue organizing campaigns and civic participation. The Senior Director of Grassroots Power will work closely with the National Organizing Team, including the Chispa team, and the growing multi-state organizing program, with the goal of building power in communities of color. They will work with the organizing teams of our 30+ state affiliates, collectively called the Conservation Voters Movement (CVM), to grow state-based organizing programs. This position is ideal for a creative, seasoned leader with a strong background in people management, training, and a proven track record in driving results and building movements.

This position is classified as “Regular Remote Work”, which means the position is not assigned to an office and can work remotely full-time.

This job operates in a professional office or home office environment, and routinely uses standard office equipment including, but not limited to, computers, phones, photocopiers, and audiovisual systems. This position is largely sedentary, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods. The person in this position frequently communicates with internal and external stakeholders using electronic platforms.

Applicants must be located in and legally authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership for the Organizing Team’s strategic vision, including effective community organizing, issue advocacy campaigns, engagement with elected officials and coalition-building across multiple states that advances both state and national goals for environmental and climate justice while connecting to national and federal strategies.
• Oversee the implementation and evaluation of strong state-based programs focused on community organizing, with some engagement around voter participation, and legislative and policy advocacy.
• Lead, inspire and manage a strong, effective staff team toward meeting ambitious and measurable goals.
• Work with the Chispa Communications Director and the Chispa Digital & Creative Campaigns Manager to ensure that all organizing programs are growing their online supporter base, telling the stories of power and impact, and using traditional and social media to pressure decision makers, and develop online campaign tools, increase online engagement and earned and paid media.
• Ensure that all Organizing efforts are advancing racial justice and equity and leading staff to a deeper understanding of the interconnection of racial justice and environmental issues.
• Assist with fundraising efforts, including cultivating individual donors, building relationships with foundations, and working with staff to produce high quality proposals and reports.
• Oversee the fiscal management of the program and track multiple budgets effectively.
• Actively participate as a thought leader in the Conservation Voter Movement and contribute to building an inclusive organizational culture.
• Work with state affiliates to build strong and effective organizing programs that recruit new members and develop them into strong grassroots leaders who lead organizing committees that drive our issue campaigns.
• Work with the Organizing team to develop and test innovative organizing strategies and tools that help move our communities and leaders towards high impact and measurable results.
• Partner with Civic Engagement colleagues on cross-departmental strategic visioning, and opportunities to collaborate with community engagement through programs.
• Ensure that all program activities are properly tracked in EveryAction and that all organizing programs have the skills and procedures to do so effectively.
• Travel up to 20% of the time for funder meetings, state organizing team meetings, staff retreats, training, and conferences, as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Work Experience: Minimum of 8 years experience in a senior leadership and/or management role in community organizing, with a focus on deep base building preferably with a multi-state program. Experience in organizational management and program planning with the ability to manage, lead and coach senior staff, develop and manage high-performing staff, and the ability to delegate. Experience in communications and social media, particularly in advancing organizing goals. Experience working across lines of race and class as well as in urban and rural communities and an understanding of state-specific political landscapes. Proven experience in and passion for fundraising from both individual donors and foundations. Must have experience on issue–based campaigns with communities of color and low-income families, and ability to set and meet base building and campaign metrics.
• Skills: Required – Superior leadership, strategic and systems thinking, and short- and long-term planning skills. Ability to set and execute a strong vision for organizing work across the Conservation Voter Movement that fosters strong local bases and campaigns, and scales regional work into federal organizing opportunities across communities and geographical locations. Excellent manager of staff and builder of effective teams. Superb written and verbal communication skills, including ability to write and implement training curriculum and organizing tools. A strong belief in everyday peoples’ ability to affect change and their fundamental right to be heard by decision makers and to influence the policies and decisions that affect their community. Proven ability to build and maintain relationships within the landscape of people of color-led organizations and coalitions. Ability to create a culture of feedback and accountability among teams and cultivate staff leadership and professional growth. Strong program and budget management skills and ability to develop and manage multiple program budgets. Preferred – Fluency in EveryAction or another CRM, highly preferred. Previous experience supervising a fellowship or internship.
• Racial Justice and Equity Competencies: Demonstrated awareness of how one’s life experiences influence one’s personal attitudes, biases, and assumptions. Demonstrated commitment to continual learning and ability to successfully deliver culturally responsive services. Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture. Understands how environmental issues intersect with racism, economic and social inequality in the U.S. and has a passion for working to dismantle these systems.

LCV offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes vacation, sick and parental leave, personal days, paid holidays, health insurance (two plan options for staff to choose from), dental and vision insurance, life and disability insurance (short- and long-term), Flexible Spending Account, 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contribution, commuter benefits program, sabbatical, and student loan assistance.

To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to hr@lcv.org with “Senior Director of Grassroots Power” in the subject line by February 24, 2025. No phone calls please.

LCV is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a racially just, equitable and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected status. LCV is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the employee selection process, including, completing the application, interviewing, or pre-employment testing, please contact hr@lcv.org.