Council of UC Faculty Associations Organizing and Advocacy Director

Council of UC Faculty Associations Organizing and Advocacy Director job posting

About CUCFA

The Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA) is the coordinating agency for the ten employee associations of University of California Senate faculty, with a current annual budget of approximately $300,000. CUCFA and its member faculty associations advocate for the rights of faculty in the workplace and for higher education as a public good. CUCFA regularly collaborates with other University of California unions and the Academic Senate to further these goals. CUCFA is a partner organization of AAUP (American Association of University Professors) and a member of Higher Education Labor United.

The organization is currently undergoing a transformation with new leadership and a shift in strategic direction from a service model to an organizing model. We aim to significantly increase the collective power of our chapters through deeper and more sustained faculty organizing and focused workplace campaigns. We are currently hiring for two staff positions, an Organizing and Advocacy Director and Operations Director, who will work closely with CUCFA’s new leadership to shepherd the organization through this exciting period of change.

About the Position

The Organizing and Advocacy Director is responsible for creating and implementing an organizing program across the ten UC campuses that expands membership, develops new leaders, and builds the power and voice of faculty in the fight to defend and renew public higher education.

Hand in hand with CUCFA’s new Operations Director, the Organizing Director will play a key role in identifying opportunities to expand the organization’s capacity to launch and run successful organizing campaigns in the next 1-2 years.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizing and Basebuilding

• Collaborate with CUCFA leadership to develop an organizing plan and strategy, including short-, medium-, and long-term goals and milestones
• Lead organizing, recruitment, and relationship building at the chapter and statewide levels with faculty organizers with the goal of building the collective power, visibility, and impact of CUCFA among UC faculty and in the wider public.
• Support the development of political education and skills trainings for members and leaders that deepen political analysis and help us achieve our campaign goals, such as labor and workplace organizing, workplace mapping, member recruitment and engagement, and campaign development
• Develop and deliver trainings and coaching for members and leaders on topics related to labor and workplace organizing, including member recruitment, engagement, and campaign development
• Coordinate and mobilize members for events and actions on the campuses and at the California State Legislature in Sacramento that advance CUCFA’s organizing and advocacy objectives

Advocacy and Partnerships

• Track California state legislative and budget actions affecting higher education
• Monitor policy and budget actions of the UC Regents and UC Retirement System
• Represent CUCFA in UC labor and other coalition spaces, including the UC Union Coalition and Higher Education Labor United
• Serve as point person for national partnership with AAUP/AFT

Communications and Data Management Support

• Maintain CUCFA’s social media presence
• Develop content on CUCFA activities for the organization’s website, newsletter, and for use by chapters
• Regularly use CRM member database to track and update member info and activity

Organizational Development

• Work closely with leadership and the Operations Director to identify opportunities to streamline organizational processes and build new systems that strengthen CUCFA and advance our organizing goals

Qualifications

You may be a good fit for this role if you have the following:

• At least five (5) years experience in labor organizing, either as a member or as staff
• At least three (3) years work experience serving in a lead role overseeing campaigns and organizing strategy in a membership organization
• Experience creating and executing successful leadership development programs and organizing campaigns, especially in a workplace context
• Experience working in and facilitating coalition spaces
• Personal experience in a college or university setting and familiarity with the field of higher education
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate democratic participation and processes in membership organizations
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage projects, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated commitment to racial, gender, economic, and educational justice
• Strong ability to cultivate relationship building, both 1-on-1 and across teams
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to be flexible, creative, and innovative while managing competing demands and working within resource constraints

Working Conditions

This is a full-time position with standard working hours, with flexibility to accommodate evening and, less frequently, weekend events. CUCFA is a remote workplace and candidates should have access to a home office or equivalent. The person in this role can expect regular travel to in-person events and meetings at the UC campuses. Candidates located in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area are preferred, but we are open to candidates in other locations for the right fit.

Compensation

Yearly salary is set at $92,000 with expectation for increases as our membership grows. We expect to have our health insurance plan in place by the start date for this position, and will be building out our benefits program through the coming year. The person in this role will have the opportunity for direct input into the shaping of their own benefits.

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume in a single PDF to CUCFA Co-Presidents Annie McClanahan (anniejmcclanahan@gmail.com) and Jessica Taft (jessicaktaft@gmail.com). We expect to begin interviews in mid September. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; the deadline for priority consideration is September 15th. The position is open until filled.