Chapter Director

Chapter Director

Job Title: Chapter Director

Department: Angeles Chapter

Location: Los Angeles

Reports To: Deputy Regional Field Director

Supervises: Chapter staff

Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 700 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

Scope: The Angeles Chapter is led by an all-volunteer Executive Committee (ExCom) which drives the conservational and organizational development of the Angeles Chapter. Through Sierra Club's 100,000 member activists in LA and Orange Counties, 13 Local Groups, Conservation Committees and its Outings programming, the Chapter engages in grassroots activism that supports the objectives of the Sierra Club mission.

The Chapter Director carries out the policies, priorities, and objectives of the Executive Committee for the assigned areas of Chapter programs and operations. These assigned areas include but are not limited to: conservation issue organizing, political and legislative programming, fundraising, budgeting and financial management, staff supervision, volunteer development, and media relations. The Director represents the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter to government officials, the media, business and community leaders, donors, allies, other organizations, and the public. Evening and weekend work is sometimes required. Occasional travel throughout Southern California for advocacy events, team/group meetings, and other as needed/requested. Occasional regional/national travel may also be required.

Job activities include but are not limited to the following:

1. Advise and support the Chapter Board and volunteer committees in adopting annual strategic, programmatic, and financial goals and priorities, and evaluate progress toward objectives throughout the year. Regularly report to the Chapter Board, staff supervisor, and regional and national Sierra Club campaign staff on chapter progress toward program and organizational development outcomes, and seek their input and guidance as programs are implemented and evaluated.
2. Work with the Chapter Treasurer to develop an annual budget and ensure regular financial tracking and reporting to the Board on financial metrics.
3. Manage chapter staff. Help staff develop annual work plans and conduct regular reviews of progress toward priority outcomes. Meet weekly with each staff member to support progress on specific projects. Review staff time and expense reports weekly for accuracy and required timely submission. Conduct performance appraisals and take personnel actions as appropriate. Provide ongoing coaching and support to staff, and perform other administrative and supervisory functions as needed.
4. Develop, oversee, and help implement a comprehensive chapter fundraising program. Working with assigned chapter staff and lead volunteers, identify and meet with individual donors regularly; implement regular and effective donor communications; identify grant opportunities and develop proposals; and support all other fundraising activities. Coordinate with regional and national staff on joint fundraising opportunities.
5. Support staff and volunteer leaders in developing and implementing administrative advocacy; volunteer and leadership development; and legislative, electoral, and communications strategies that advance the chapter's goals and priorities.
6. Represent the Angeles Chapter to the public and in the media, building positive relationships and broadening the audience that receives our messages, to increase the chapter's visibility, credibility, and power. Interact with decision makers and influential local and state leaders, and support and coach staff and volunteer leaders to become persuasive spokespeople.
7. Coordinate closely with regional and national Sierra Club staff to ensure full integration between the Chapter, regional field structure, communications and digital outreach staff, and national campaign staff. Ensure that chapter strategies comply with Sierra Club policies, guidance, practices, and requirements.
8. Build organizational power. Working with other staff and volunteer leaders, help achieve the Angeles Chapter's shared power building plan to increase membership, recruit and engage volunteers, develop volunteer leaders, strengthen existing partnerships, and develop new partnerships.
9. Perform other duties as needed or assigned.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate the following skills, experience, and capacities:

• Grassroots organizing. Experience in training and motivating volunteer teams; coalition building and lobbying. Demonstrated ability and effectiveness working collaboratively with volunteers, staff, community and other partner organizations. Staff management. Experience managing staff, including managing interpersonal and organizational conflict. Demonstrated ability to hire and onboard staff and hold staff accountable. Experience supporting and coaching staff to develop and execute work plans.
• Fundraising. Prior success in organizational budget management and fundraising that includes donor relations with major funders, and membership programs to build a broader donor base.
• Communication. You can demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills. You are comfortable speaking in front of large and small groups, and leading group discussions. You are able to clearly and concisely convey information (both written and verbal), and you can point to examples where you persuaded individuals or groups to take action for a cause. You can articulate the components of a comprehensive communication strategy to support an advocacy campaign. Your personal communication style includes active listening and proactive communication with others to establish shared expectations. When miscommunications occur, you address them promptly and directly.
• Committed to evolution: You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. 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 constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.
• Issue knowledge. You understand environmental and social justice issues that are relevant and important in [Insert Chapter State], including public land management, wildlife, and energy; and how these issues may affect Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and other marginalized communities or groups of people in this state. You have applied this issue knowledge in the context of local, state, or federal advocacy.
• Strong work ethic. You are effective and efficient working independently on your own as well as cooperatively with others to accomplish complex work projects and can point to specific examples of your experience with each.

The strongest candidates will also demonstrate some or all of the following experiences, skills and competencies:

• Extensive expertise in federal public land management, wildlife, and energy issues.
• Extensive fundraising experience.
• Working knowledge of tools such as Google suite, Salesforce, NetSuite, Marketing Cloud; or experience with similar tools.
• Working knowledge of social media platforms.
• Experience working with marginalized or underrepresented communities.

Compensation and Benefits The salary for this position is $130,000 annually. The Sierra Club offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan. This is a category 2, exempt, non-represented position. Sierra Club values the expertise and talents of foreign nationals. Sierra Club sponsors both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas when certain criteria are met, based on immigration laws and organizational needs. Such sponsorship is at the discretion of the Department Head and Sierra Club People Department in consultation with the employee's manager. The Sierra Club cannot guarantee the approval of a visa petition. The Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce belonging.