Community Organizer

The Opportunity

Essie Justice Group (Essie) is a powerful community of women and gender nonconforming people with incarcerated loved ones, working to dismantle the US incarceration system—the most egregious driver of racial and gender injustice today. Our community includes cisgender and transgender women, formerly incarcerated people, elders, and young people across California and beyond.

After twelve years of building an active membership across California and beyond, Essie is deepening its base-building and leadership development strategies with the 1 in 4 women with incarcerated loved ones to propel bold decarceration agendas across the nation. We seek to transform the criminal legal system and create a Black feminist future rooted in care, equity, community safety, and liberation. In a period of continued organizational growth, Essie seeks a
people-oriented, adaptable, and highly motivated Community Organizer to help us implement campaigns to upend systems of control and confinement. 

The person filling this position believes deeply in people power and is passionate about supporting the leadership development of those most impacted by the criminal legal system. The Community Organizer is a key member of Essie’s team, responsible for supporting the day-to-day implementation of our organizing programs and campaigns. This role involves recruiting and engaging members, helping them participate in programs, committees, and campaign activities, and supporting their growth into leadership roles. The Community Organizer assists with campaign tactics such as press events and meetings with elected officials, helps track member participation and retention trends, and contributes to outreach efforts like canvassing and phone banking. They also provide logistical support for meetings and events, help produce member- and partner-facing materials, and support staff in maintaining strong relationships with community allies—all in ways that reflect Essie’s values of care, equity, and empowerment.

Core Responsibilities

Member Recruitment and Retention: Support the recruitment of women with incarcerated loved ones to join Essie’s membership and help maintain an engaged, welcoming community.

• Assist in recruiting new members and stewarding participation of existing members in Essie's programming and campaign tactics, tracking participation and turnout goals.
• Assist in stewarding participation of existing members in Essie’s programs and campaign activities, tracking participation and turnout goals.
• Help monitor member retention trends and suggest strategies to improve engagement.
• Learn members’ strengths, stories, and interests to support their leadership development through committee participation and other opportunities.
• Assist in organizing meetings and gatherings in ways that are engaging, inclusive, and aligned with Essie’s values.
• Help identify and reduce barriers to member participation through logistical support and problem-solving.

Member Activation & Campaign Engagement: Assist with implementing campaign activities, such as direct actions, rallies, press events, or meetings with elected officials, following the campaign strategy.

• Support members in planning and executing campaign activities and help prepare them for public speaking or advocacy opportunities.
• Participate in canvassing, phone banking, and other outreach efforts to engage the community and grow membership.
• Help produce member- and partner-facing communications and materials.
• Support staff in maintaining relationships with select partners and community allies.

Who We’re Looking For 

Ideal Qualifications

• 2-3 years of experience in organizing (community-based, issue-based, electoral, and/or labor); previous experience in decarceration advocacy is a strong plus.
• Commitment to supporting the leadership of women and gender expansive people with incarcerated loved ones and our 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 in managing multiple projects and is comfortable working in a fast-paced and non-traditional work environment. 
• Adept with Mac operating systems, Google Suite, and MS Office Suite (especially Excel, PowerPoint, and Word).
• Commitment to the beliefs and values of Essie with a demonstrated passion for progressive politics, specifically in gender justice, race justice, and ending mass incarceration.

Qualities

• Connecting with others is your superpower. You find tremendous joy in building relationships and supporting the leadership development of others. 
• A determined, methodical executor. You are extremely organized and coordinate meetings and events with skill and grace, especially in a fast-paced, focused environment. You relish strong work plans and time management tools to support your and the project’s success. You anticipate needs and take initiative to address them. “I persist despite obstacles” is one of your mottos.
• Discernment and honesty we can trust. You are a thoughtful team member who acts in alignment with your integrity and are unfailingly trustworthy. 
• Committed to evolution. You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. And, you easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
• Uplifting and additive. You see mistakes as opportunities for growth; problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a positive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.

The Position

The Community Organizer is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. This position is supervised by the Senior Manager on the Membership & Organizing team. The salary for this position is between $70,000- $74,000, depending on experience, with full medical, dental, and vision benefits, an optional 401(k), a substantial vacation package, and a monthly personal wellness stipend. The position is based in Essie’s Los Angeles office. 

To Apply

Please address a personal, specific, and thoughtful cover letter to the “Essie Hiring Committee” and submit along with a resume through our hiring portal (https://essiejusticegroup.bamboohr.com/jobs). Your resume tells us what you can do; your cover letter should tell us who you are and why you want to work with Essie.

Essie Justice Group provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and skills. Essie does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Essie values and specifically seeks applicants who are people with incarcerated loved ones; formerly incarcerated people; people of color; women; queer, transgender, gender expansive, and gender fluid people. 

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, performance assessment, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

About Essie Justice Group

Essie Justice Group is a non profit organization of women with incarcerated loved ones taking on the rampant injustices created by mass incarceration. Our award-winning Healing to Advocacy Model brings women together to heal, build collective power, and drive social change. Essie is Great Place to Work-Certified™ by Great Place to Work. 

Learn more at www.essiejusticegroup.org.