Community Organizer

Job Title: Community Organizer

Department: Michigan Chapter

Location: Detroit, MI

Reports To: Chapter Director

Supervises: None

Hours: Part-time, 28 hours

Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future.

By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers.

We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

Scope: As Michigan Chapter community organizer, you will help lead and execute assigned components of Sierra Club Michigan’s water, air, land, wildlife, and energy campaign work, with a primary focus on projects in Detroit, MI. You will work with Sierra Club staff, volunteer leadership, donors, and partner organizations to implement strategically coordinated campaigns; help educate and engage Sierra Club members, supporters, partners, and the general public on our priority issues;

and support networks of engaged volunteer activists across the state. This position requires frequent evening and weekend work for volunteer meetings and public events; requires an ability to travel within the state with a valid driver’s license and satisfactory driving record; and may require occasional out-of-state travel to regional or national meetings.

• Programmatic Strategy and Implementation. Plans, coordinates, and implements campaigns for various programs and projects in collaboration with the key staff and volunteers. Develops tactics and metrics, tracks policy and regulatory proceedings, identifies opportunities for engagement, mobilization, or intervention for one or more campaign outcomes. Coordinates and measures the success of these campaigns with the State Director and volunteer leaders to ensure progress towards meeting the campaign's goals.
• Great Lakes Protection. Collaborate with the Chapter Director, legislative and political staff and volunteer leaders to further the Chapter’s goal of protecting the Great Lakes. Lead green stormwater infrastructure and Great Lakes protection programs. Facilitate educational and hands‑on workshops to install rain gardens, rain barrels and provide training for green stormwater infrastructure maintenance. These tasks involve physical labor and the use of manual gardening tools/equipment, hacksaws and drills.
  
  May also support campaigns related to air, land, wildlife, and energy as assigned.
• Volunteer Development & Engagement. Identifies, trains, informs, and motivates volunteers to build and sustain grassroots power that centers frontline communities, influences decision makers and achieves campaign victories.
• Communications. Supports communications and base building by leveraging digital organizing tools and internal and external communications. Represents the Sierra Club to the public and in the media. Writes newsletter articles, op‑eds, and action alerts.
• Fundraising. Assists with grant writing, engaging donors or foundations, grant management, data management and reporting in partnership with the Chapter Director and other relevant stakeholders.
• Collaboration. Identifies and is responsible for developing strong relationships with key organizations and people, including community leaders and public officials, to positively influence campaign or program outcomes. Seeks opportunities to advance the Sierra Club’s diversity initiatives…