The Utility Justice Manager will lead SanDiego350’s efforts locally and as part of statewide and national campaigns centered on renewable energy and energy affordability. They will build a shared vision for just and equitable utility reform, create campaign strategies and action plans, develop a volunteer team, coordinate community outreach and education, and advance collaborations and coalition work. This is a full time position that reports to the Executive Director.
SanDiego350 is an inclusive volunteer-led nonprofit organization building a movement to prevent the worst impacts of climate change and climate injustice. We support a livable planet and a just society through education and outreach, public policy advocacy, and mobilizing people to take action. We represent approximately 8,500 local supporters in San Diego County.
Primary Responsibilities
- Build collaborative spaces and a shared vision for utility reform: Hold meetings, cultivate relationships with community members, organizations, elected officials, and government entities; create and sustain a San Diego utility justice table; and maintain shared resources. Participate actively in statewide and national coalitions – represent SanDiego350 in coalition spaces, attend meetings, participate in strategizing, working groups, and other collaborative efforts.
- Develop and execute campaign strategies and tactics that center justice and equity: Campaign for institutional and social change. Research campaign targets, conduct power analysis, develop strategies, design and execute effective tactics, and organize events. Develop an understanding and analysis of complex policy issues, position papers, calls to action, and resources. Work to shift the narrative on utilities to center renewables and affordability through outreach and education efforts.
- Build people power and movement: Identify, recruit, engage, motivate, and retain volunteer members and leaders to engage in campaign roles and activities through one-on-one meetings, canvassing, phone-banking, and community events. Develop campaign volunteer leadership through training, coaching, and facilitating peer learning. Design, facilitate, and participate in team meetings, planning processes, and development of project roles, timelines, and tasks.
- Develop and implement communications strategies: Integrate diverse communication, marketing, and storytelling methods to educate and inform SD350 members and the public on campaign narratives and calls to action – in collaboration with partners, staff & volunteers. Serve as a spokesperson for the campaign in public hearings and media interviews.
- Support the organization: Assist with grant writing and reporting, events, and other organizational needs.
Essential Skills
- Presenting and Communicating: excellent verbal & written communication skills; comfortable with public speaking, outreach and meeting facilitation
- Organizing and policy advocacy campaign skills
- Good organizational and project management skills
- Able to plan, manage, and execute projects
- Able to recruit, engage, organize, and motivate people
- Able to execute complex campaigns and projects while exercising good judgment
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with and maintain positive relationships with diverse constituencies and people; emotional intelligence and resilience
- An understanding of institutional and systemic racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities, including disproportionate climate burdens
- Able to build consensus, inspire and organize volunteers, and effectively manage conflict.
- A strong commitment to integrity, transparency, accountability, and democratic decision making
- Demonstrated ability to research, learn and understand complex policy issues and communicate them to the general public
- Proficient in Google Suite, databases, and learns new software easily
Required Experience
- 2+ years of leadership roles in campaigns (e.g., grassroots, political, policy advocacy, union organizing, etc.) and a demonstrated ability to design and effectively run a campaign for social change
- Experience building collaborative relationships, working effectively in coalition, convening community partners, leading meetings, and public speaking.
- 2+ years of organizing, including recruiting, engaging, training, coaching, and coordinating volunteers from diverse backgrounds, experience levels, and learning/communication styles, and supporting their growth, political education, and leadership development.
- Experience with project management, including timelines, deliverables, tasks, etc.
Preferred Experience
- Knowledge, experience, and interest in utility and energy policies, issues and legislation, especially related to San Diego County and California
- Knowledge and experience with California’s legislative processes
- Knowledge of climate change policy and issues, especially relevant to San Diego County
- Knowledge of San Diego neighborhoods, organizations, and regional policy issues and politics; existing relationships with relevant organizations, elected officials, and community leaders
- Earned media – giving interviews, preparing press materials, etc
- Bilingual (Spanish)
- Lived experience in a community of concern and/or experience serving and building power in communities of concern
Is this job for you? Are you:
- Self motivated, ready to take initiative and provide leadership?
- Passionate about building people-power and movement to drive social and political change?
- Eager to meet new people and build relationships with diverse members of our community?
- Able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, meet deadlines, respond to unanticipated challenges, balance conflicting demands, and adapt to changing priorities, deadlines, and roles?
- Committed to centering environmental justice in climate action and utility reform work?
- Determined – got grit? Excited to embark on a big learning curve and stretch, and bring your creativity?
Applicant Must
- Be based in the San Diego area and have the ability to work remotely as well as out of our Hillcrest office. Regularly travel around San Diego County and infrequently elsewhere in California and nationally.
- Be able to work flexible hours, evenings and weekends regularly required.
- Have access to reliable transportation and be willing to use it for job-related tasks. Mileage reimbursement is provided.
- Own a cell phone, laptop, and reliable home internet to use for job-related tasks.
Employment Details
- Full time, working hybrid (mostly remote and occasionally in our office).
- Benefits: Reimbursement for health care costs for employee, sick leave, paid time off, and home internet/cell phone supplement.
- Hiring range: $30-37.50 per hour, commensurate with experience. (Roughly $63K-78K)
- Reports to the Executive Director.
To apply: Send a single PDF saved as your Last Name, First Name that includes your resume and a cover letter describing your interest and why you’re the best fit for the position to Jobs@SanDiego350.org. Applications on other platforms will not be reviewed.
Deadline: The position is open until we find the perfect fit, though the Hiring Committee will likely begin screening resumes in late June 2025. Everybody who applies for the position will be notified about the status of their application. Thank you for the time and effort you put into applying!
SanDiego350 is committed to being a collaborative group that values a diversity of approaches and perspectives to the work we do because we know this allows the movement to be as strong as it can be. People of color, and of all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, and abilities, and particularly members of communities on the frontlines of climate change, are welcome and encouraged to apply.
