Community Organizer
About the role
Essie Justice Group is a community of women and gender nonconforming people with incarcerated loved ones working to dismantle the US incarceration system. After twelve years of building membership across California and beyond, Essie is deepening its base‑building and leadership development strategies to propel bold decarceration agendas nationwide. The Community Organizer is a full‑time, salaried, exempt position reporting to the Senior Manager on the Membership & Organizing team, based in Essie’s Los Angeles office. The role supports day‑to‑day implementation of organizing programs and campaigns, recruits and engages members, assists with campaign tactics (press events, meetings with elected officials), tracks participation and retention, provides logistical support for meetings and events, helps produce member‑ and partner‑facing materials, and sustains relationships with community allies—all guided by Essie’s values of care, equity, and empowerment.
Responsibilities
- Member Recruitment and Retention: support recruitment of women with incarcerated loved ones; steward participation of existing members in programming and campaign tactics; track participation and turnout goals; monitor member retention trends and suggest engagement strategies; learn members’ strengths, stories, and interests to support leadership development; organize engaging, inclusive meetings and gatherings; identify and reduce barriers to participation through logistical support.
- Member Activation & Campaign Engagement: assist with implementing campaign activities (direct actions, rallies, press events, meetings with elected officials); support members in planning and executing campaign activities and preparing them for public speaking or advocacy; participate in canvassing, phone banking, and other outreach efforts; help produce member‑ and partner‑facing communications and materials; support staff in maintaining relationships with select partners and community allies.
Requirements
- 2‑3 years of experience in organizing (community‑based, issue‑based, electoral, and/or labor); prior decarceration advocacy experience is a strong plus.
- Commitment to supporting the leadership of women and gender expansive people with incarcerated loved ones and their families.
- Excellent time‑management, organizational, and event‑planning skills.
- Effective writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
- Track record as a collaborative team player who excels at managing multiple projects in a fast‑paced, non‑traditional work environment.