Organizing Director

We here at The Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MEJC) are working hard to achieve a clean, healthy and safe environment for Michigan’s most vulnerable residents. We are seeking a visionary and dynamic leader to serve as our Organizing Director in Detroit, Michigan
. Our Organizing Director will lead our efforts in mobilizing grassroots support, implement effective wide-reaching campaigns, and drive meaningful change to shape the future of our organization and the communities we serve.

As our Organizing Director, you’ll lead and model a top notch organizing strategy while base building for energy democracy & political engagement with coalition partners. You’ll collaborate with the Executive team and Program Directors on the overall development and implementation of the organization’s strategic plan through the following day-to-day responsibilities:

• Cultivate and empower a diverse base of leaders, staff, members, and partners to effectively advocate for change
• Implement multi-level base building and leadership development organizing strategies, education, and advocacy campaigns to build grassroots power and drive impactful campaigns
• Facilitate and orchestrate the MEJC base of energy democracy supporters through development of a strong ladder of engagement, building a base of strong environmental justice leaders
• Develop, track, and evaluate data metrics, and establish the standards for review and evaluation of campaigns, grant reporting, and effectiveness of the MEJC strategies
• Manage and support action-based campaigns by engaging members; co-coordinate advocacy and electoral (C3 and C4) tactics to build the organization and the climate justice movement using tools such as popular education and activity with other appropriate staff
• Engage MEJC director-level leadership and ensure organizational health through open and transparent communication, fiscal responsibility, and promoting a culture of mutual care, foresight, discernment, and responsibility
• Provide strategic direction and guidance to organizing team members, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives
• Develop recommended program and grant budgets, allocate resources effectively, and implement program activities as appropriate for the growth and development of the Organizing Department

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 5-8 years in a supervisory role, initiating and setting goals for organizing strategy and campaign management. Experience working with environmental justice, climate change, social, or racial justice coalitions, networks, and alliances preferred.
• Strong knowledge of best practices and proven success in leading organizing campaigns, base building, leadership development, and grassroots mobilization
• Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate, collaborate, and connect with people of diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences
• Belief in and commitment to social, racial, and environmental justice
• Must reside in Michigan
• Ability to work nights and weekends
• Ability to travel 15-20% of the time within the metro Detroit area

The Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MEJC) is a statewide coalition working to achieve a clean, healthy and safe environment for Michigan’s most vulnerable residents. MEJC works to achieve this goal in alignment with the principles of Environmental Justice through increasing knowledge, enhancing networks and taking action for systemic change. We are a membership‑led organization, with over 40 individual and organizational members from diverse skill sets, backgrounds and identity.

MEJC first convened in 2011 to attempt the implementation of the 2010 Environmental Justice Plan created by Gov. Granholm.

We take a multi-faceted approach to systems change by aligning on intersectional goals with statewide power‑building organizations and small grassroots groups for policy change and disruption. Our organization operates within an understanding that the root causes of climate change are racism, capitalism, and the hetero‑patriarchy with the impact of these oppressive systems falling on BIPOC and low‑income communities. MEJC has…