Glades Community Organizer
Sierra Club
Belle Glade, FL, USA
Posted on May 7, 2025
Job Title: Glades Community Organizer
Department: Florida Chapter
Location: Belle Glade FL Sierra Club office
Reports to: Senior Organizing Manager
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 800 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: Sierra Club Florida works at the local, regional, and state level – using a lens of equity and justice – to both stop the outdated, toxic, and discriminatory practice of pre-harvest burning sugar cane fields in and around the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA); and restore the Greater Everglades ecosystem. The organizer will work with other staff and volunteers to support grassroots power-building in the Glades through grassroots organizing, advocacy, and education. The Glades Community Organizer will collaborate with staff, volunteer leaders, and coalition partners to set strategic priorities and lead on the grassroots organizing aspects of those priorities in the Glades.
This organizer will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing strategic grassroots engagement, education, and mobilization in alignment with the strategic priorities in the state. They will communicate priorities and benchmarks, provide leadership, and represent the Sierra Club to media, community leaders, coalitions, allies, and the public. They will ensure that the campaign engages Sierra Club’s members and supporters, and builds powerful partnerships that are oriented toward a shared vision of climate and environmental justice.
Job activities include but are not limited to:
- Develops strong Sierra Club volunteer teams and committees and presence in the Glades. Coordinates the identification, recruitment, and organizing of volunteers. Identifies and develops volunteers who work as part of a team and take on the role of team leaders to build our grassroots power and networks. Helps those leaders succeed by training and coaching them how to strategize, organize, inspire, and motivate.
- Collaborates in developing organizing strategies. Develops and implements a variety of engagement strategies to support power building in the Glades. Coordinates and measures success of activities with manager and other Chapter and campaign staff to ensure progress towards the campaign's mission and goals.
- Maintains and develops new partnerships with affinity groups who share many common goals and values. Develops positive working relationships with existing coalitions and partner organizations. Engages people and develops volunteer leadership in both social and environmental advocacy activities that will create strong environmental communities and build power at the community level. Seeks opportunities to advance the Sierra Club’s equity initiatives through new partnerships and engagement strategies where appropriate.
- Represents Sierra Club to the public and in the media, including working with Sierra Club communications staff to develop public education and media strategy. Develops grasstop networks and cultivates relationships with public officials. When appropriate, lobbies public officials on no-burn/green harvesting issues. Coordinates preparation of special reports and other publications and alerts.
The successful candidate must have the following skills and experience:
- Demonstrated ability and effectiveness working with volunteers either professionally or as a volunteer leader. You are familiar with advocacy work and have an understanding of how to use public mobilization tactics to influence decision-makers.
- Strong written and oral communication skills. You can communicate clearly and concisely across different groups of stakeholders, internally and externally. You are able to synthesize information and present it in an easy to understand and engaging format.
- Ability to work closely in small groups with colleagues, volunteers, community members, and representatives from other organizations. You have demonstrated the ability to work with others, especially across different identities and roles.
- 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 constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.
The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following experience, skills and competencies:
- Understanding, developed either through lived, academic, or professional experience, of policy approaches to stopping the practice of pre-harvest sugar field burning in and around the EAA.
- Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast paced environment, while setting clear boundaries to avoid burnout.
- Previous experience in an organizing or campaign role.
- Self motivated; ability to work independently but also cooperatively and effectively with chapter staff and volunteers.
To Apply
The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club 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.
The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.
We will be accepting applications through Sunday, June 1, 2025.
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