Who We Are:
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a non-profit organization based in Southern California with a simple mission: Create a zero-carbon future through effective and equitable policy action.
We are fighting for a clean air and climate-safe future with 100% Clean Energy, All-Electric Buildings, Resiliency, World-Class Transit, and Bikeable, Walkable Neighborhoods (our Five Fights). CAC’s bottom-up theory of change puts cities, workers, nonprofits, and communities at the epicenter of climate action and climate solutions. Collaborating across sectors, we are leading the region to achieve zero emissions by 2035 to protect our health and future.
All of our Five Fights are fought through a lens of equity and justice. The communities that have suffered the most from environmental racism and disinvestment have contributed the least to the climate crisis and must be the first to receive the benefits from these policies.
We believe that change happens from the ground up, and we collaborate with trusted community-based organizations and other aligned interests on campaigns that advance our Five Fights and improve the quality of life within Communities of Concern. We follow the lead of and uplift calls-to-action and policy priorities of partner organizations working to advance racial and social justice. We consult our partners during campaign planning and decision-making to ensure that our policy priorities reflect the community's needs.
Culture:
We’re a small but mighty team that likes to move quickly and get things done. We thrive in a fast-paced, agile environment where we are constantly adapting and learning to most effectively achieve our goals. Our team is committed to climate justice, creating a dynamic, driven, nimble, and highly collaborative atmosphere. We know working to make a real and lasting impact in the local policy space is difficult and demanding, so we also value time for rest and joy.
Job Overview:
The Community Outreach and Organizing Coordinator will be responsible for leading our efforts for the statewide Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) program, which will help eligible residential customers electrify their homes at no cost, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing energy equity. This is a highly hands-on outreach role, and this position will spend most of their time identifying and creating productive outreach opportunities and connecting directly with community members at events, workshops, and public spaces. This person will expand and strengthen relationships with racial and social justice organizations, and will support other policy initiatives as needed to most effectively achieve climate justice in our region.
Major Goals and Responsibilities (including, but not limited to):
- Community Outreach and Event Planning: Design and lead the overall outreach strategy to effectively engage communities of concern in a free home decarbonization program. This includes identifying the most impactful outreach methods, tailoring approaches to cultural and local contexts, and setting goals for engagement. You’ll also be responsible for implementing this strategy through events, digital campaigns, and partnerships with trusted institutions like schools, churches, and community groups. Activities may include tabling, workshops, presentations, and hands-on demonstrations of technologies like induction cooktops.
- Relationship-Building: Build and maintain relationships with partner organizations, community members, elected officials, and others. Expand our network to include a multifaceted range of decision-makers, allies, stakeholders, donors, members, and volunteers.
- Administration: Track and report outreach activities, including attendance numbers, leads generated, and participant handoffs on a regular basis. Participate in regular meetings with program partners to report progress, receive feedback, and ensure alignment with program guidelines.
- Community Development/Organizing: Conduct outreach and partner with community members, volunteers, and partner organizations to build community power and advance campaigns to advocate for change.
- Policy Advocacy: Prepare for government hearings, conduct climate policy research, write position letters, meet with government officials and stakeholders, develop action alerts, and attend and testify at city council and other public agency meetings.
- Issue-Based Learning: Continue to expand knowledge and constantly seek to enhance understanding of climate and decarbonization issues in the face of ever-evolving and dynamic information and conditions.
- Communications: In coordination with the Communications Manager, grow understanding of key climate issues facing the Orange County region via messaging, storytelling, traditional media (press releases, media alerts, pitching, press events), email campaigns, social media, website content, newsletters and action alerts, and infographics.
- Philanthropy: Assist the Philanthropy team with proposals, grant reporting, securing event sponsors, speaking with donors, and any other Philanthropy team needs.
Qualifications and Skills:
We recognize that skills and expertise are gained in many ways: on the job, in the community, or through lived experience. While not all qualifications are required, they reflect what we believe contributes to success in this role. If your background possesses the right ingredients for success, we encourage you to apply.
- Experience in community outreach, ideally related to climate policy. Familiarity with key climate issues, including building electrification, clean energy, adaptation and resilience, public and/or active transportation, and/or land-use planning, especially in the Orange County region.
- Strong cultural competency and lived or professional experience working with diverse communities in Southern California, particularly underserved or frontline neighborhoods.
- Experience building partnerships with diverse coalitions, community-based organizations, or networks.
- Preferred: Existing connections with community members, groups, or elected officials in the Orange County region, specifically Buena Park, Fullerton, Santa Ana, and/or Anaheim communities.
- Proactive mindset, with a desire to continuously deepen knowledge of climate issues and create partnerships in a fast-changing landscape.
- Adaptability and comfort in dynamic environments, able to pivot quickly in response to shifting political and funding landscapes.
- Strong communication skills, including the ability to write clearly, speak persuasively, and tailor messages to different audiences. Comfortable providing public testimony and presenting to community groups.
- Self-directed and results-oriented, capable of working independently while aligning with organizational goals.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to track multiple events, deadlines, and reporting requirements.
- Familiarity with decarbonization or energy efficiency topics is a plus, but not required. Training and materials will be provided.
- Knowledge of local government structures and functions, particularly climate-related policies or programs.
- Preferred: Experience working directly with local government agencies.
- Commitment to CAC’s values, mission, and approach
- Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency in written and spoken Spanish is highly preferred. Basic Spanish conversational skills required.
Climate Action Campaign Core Values:
Justice, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Inclusion, Health, Voice, and Safety are core values at Climate Action Campaign, and we’re passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment for all staff. We believe every member of our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver solutions.
Climate Action Campaign is an Equal Opportunity Employer:
Climate Action Campaign values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
Climate Action Campaign provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Location: We don’t currently have an office space in Orange County, so our team works remotely. However, this position will be regularly out in the community meeting with community members and groups, and therefore, must be based in Orange County with reliable access to and ability to drive a car.
Vaccination mandate: Climate Action Campaign requires, with few exceptions, that all staff be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Unvaccinated staff with a qualifying exemption will be required to take regular COVID-19 tests (frequency subject to change).
Position Details: This is a full-time, temporary contract position, anticipated to last three years, with the opportunity to extend, dependent on funding.
Based on the candidate's level of experience and the extent of independent work anticipated, we are seeking to fill the role of Community Outreach & Organizing Coordinator at either the I or II level. Only one position will be hired.
Community Outreach & Organizing Coordinator I - entry-level, full-time, hourly/non-exempt, and will include some evening and weekend work.
Community Outreach & Organizing Coordinator II - full-time, salary/exempt, and will include some evening and weekend work.
Compensation and Benefits: Climate Action Campaign conducts research, assessments, and comparisons of non-profit organizations of similar size in order to set salary ranges for different levels of positions, and to ensure that employees receive fair compensation. It is important to note that actual offers will take into consideration factors such as the length of service and tenure in a specific role, internal equity, qualifications, skills, experience, and other relevant factors.
Community Outreach & Organizing Coordinator - $28.85 - $32.20 per hour (commensurate with experience, not expected to exceed $30.50 per hour)
Community Outreach & Organizing Lead - $66,560 - $80,000 per year (commensurate with experience, not expected to exceed $72,000)
- 100% employer-sponsored health, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees. Dependents can enroll at the employee’s cost.
- 401(k) Retirement Plan with 4% employer match.
- $65 monthly cell phone and $100 monthly transportation benefits.
- PTO: 15 days of accrued PTO per year (years 0-1.99), 20 days of accrued PTO (year 2-2.99), 25 days of accrued PTO (years 3-4.99), 30 days of accrued PTO per year (years 5 and on).
- 27 paid holiday days
- Our office is generally closed for 7 holidays, plus a one-week summer break in July, a one-week closure in November, and a two-week winter break at the end of December. Flex time will be provided for roles that require occasional coverage during closures.
How to apply:
- Resume
- Video or voice recording answering the following three questions:
- What motivates you to work on climate issues, and how have your experiences (professional or personal) shaped your approach to this work?
- This job involves doing hands-on outreach most days; tabling at events, talking with residents, and helping them take next steps to eliminate pollution from their homes. What about that kind of work energizes you, and how do you know it's a good fit for you?
- When you first meet someone in the community who’s skeptical or unsure about a program or idea, what’s your approach to starting that conversation? How do you persuade them to see your point of view?
- (Optional) Where did you hear about this job posting?
Limit your total recording to 3 minutes maximum.
We can provide assistance or alternative ways of applying for those who need it.
Deadline: The first review date for this position is August 18, but the position will remain open until we find the perfect fit. We expect this position to start in late September.
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