Santa Barbara County Community Organizer

Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR) seeks motivated applicants for a full-time Community Organizer position to mobilize communities to win anti-pesticide campaigns in Santa Barbara County and support anti-pesticide campaigns statewide. The position will be located in Santa Maria.

Founded in 1996, CPR is an environmental health and justice coalition of over 200 organizations committed to protecting public health, preserving environmental quality and supporting a sustainable and just agricultural system by building a diverse statewide coalition to change statewide and local pesticide policies and practices.

The Community Organizer will build a local coalition to grow capacity and empower community residents in Santa Barbara County to develop, plan, and implement campaigns to improve environmental health. The organizer will work closely with and mobilize Santa Barbara County organizations to address disparate environmental impacts on low-income communities of color caused by pesticide air pollution and water contamination.

DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES & EXPECTATIONS

Specifically, the Community Organizer is responsible for:

Community Training & Leadership Building

• • Recruit and train community members on pesticide issues using CPR’s pesticide training materials. Prioritize directly-affected community members, including farmworkers.
  • Coordinate at least one monthly meeting of community members.
  • Provide skills training (media, legislative, organizing, etc.) to Santa Barbara County community members as needed/requested.
  • Generate educational and training materials as needed for community use.
  • Arrange for translation/interpretation, as necessary.

Local Campaign Development & Implementation

• • Work with community members in Santa Barbara County to develop and implement locally-relevant pesticide campaigns and workplans that align with CPR’s policy priorities.
  • Coordinate with researchers.
  • Complete grant deliverables for local activities.
  • Provide policy analysis.
  • Testify at regulatory and policy hearings related to environmental justice and health.
  • Arrange for translation/interpretation, as necessary.

Coalition Building

• • Collaborate with community residents, allies, coalitions, and government agencies.
  • Build a strong local movement to change pesticide policy by recruiting strategic allies.
  • Recruit ally organizations to become members of the CPR coalition.

Coordination with Statewide Campaigns

• • Implement CPR work plans in collaboration with other coalition member organizations.
  • Join relevant CPR campaign strategy and planning calls.
  • Assist core staff and other coalition members coordinate statewide CPR activities including CPR’s annual meeting, as necessary.

Media & Communications

• • Organize strategic media events for local campaigns and in support of statewide pesticide efforts. Act as key media contact.
  • Participate in CPR’s statewide communications strategy development, as time allows.

Fundraising & Reporting

• • Provide timely updates on work progress.
  • Work with CPR’s Co-Directors and Development Director to assist in funding proposals and reports and communication with current and prospective funders, as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• • 2+ years of organizing experience preferred.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of grassroots organizing strategies and tactics.
  • Campaign development experience preferred.
  • Ability and willingness to work sometimes long and irregular hours, at times including evenings and weekends
  • Regular travel within Santa Barbara County, and occasional travel to other parts of the state, required.
  • Valid Driver’s License, current insurance, and personal vehicle required.
  • Computer literate (Microsoft Office, Internet, Power Point, etc.).
  • Ability to work well with diverse groups, under challenging deadlines.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Strong commitment to CPR’s mission.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT & TRAVEL

This position requires regular travel in Santa Barbara County, with occasional travel outside the local area to attend coalition events across the state. Due to the nature of community organizing, the organizer will be required to work some nights/weekends.

This position is highly self-directed; supervision is minimal compared to many positions but will require regular, formal check-ins with CPR supervisorial team (likely weekly and even more frequently at the beginning). It is expected that the organizer will be available to the supervisor and CPR Co-Directors by email, text or phone in between regular check-ins. There is no direct administrative support.