Organizing Director

Organizing Director
Job Description
The Los Angeles Black Worker Center (LABWC) is a growing organization at the forefront of LAs racial justice and
worker rights movements since 2011. The LABWC is recognized as a national leader in the effort to address the
challenges of the Black jobs crisis of unemployment and underemployment and the growing inequality in the labor
market. The LABWC works towards economic justice in low-income communities of color by building power among
Black workers and their communities to expand access to quality employment and promote public policies and
corporate practices that foster sustainable economic development in South LA neighborhoods.
The Organizing Director will lead the vision, strategy, and execution of LABWCs organizing work, ensuring the
integration of community-based and labor-based organizing models that build durable power for Black workers across
industries. The Organizing Director will oversee robust Organizing and Campaigns Departments, develop and execute
winning campaigns, and steward leadership development pipelines that strengthen both LABWC and the broader
movement ecosystem. Ideal candidates bring deep experience in both community and labor organizing, including
managing complex organizing universes, navigating internal disagreement, and supporting workers through grievance
processes, claims, or other labor lawadjacent pathways to resolution.
This position reports to the Co-Executive Director of Organizing & Programs and works in close partnership with senior
leadership. Candidates must be able to empathize with, organize alongside, and develop Black workers across varied
employment sectors and political contexts.
Duties and Key Responsibilities:
Organizational Leadership
 Provide strategic leadership for LABWCs organizing vision, including long-term power-building strategies that integrate
community organizing, workplace organizing, and policy-adjacent campaigns.
 Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of organizing campaigns, projects, and power-building initiatives
across multiple industries and constituencies.
 Guide the Campaigns and Organizing Teams in deploying a full range of organizing tactics to win worker-centered policy
and enforcement campaigns in partnership with the Policy Advocacy Director. Work closely with partner organizations
(e.g. California Black Power Network, Working Families Party, ACT-LA, to advance shared worker demands through
leadership development, base-building, direct action, negotiations, and coalition work.
 Communicate organizing strategy, campaign goals, and political analysis clearly to staff, member leaders, board members,
and external partners.
 Represent LABWC at external meetings, coalitions, and public forums, and serve as a strategic spokesperson for organizing
campaigns when appropriate.
 Participate in cross-departmental planning, hiring, and organizational strategy teams, ensuring alignment between
organizing, leadership development, policy, and communications.
 Design and facilitate organization-wide training, political education, and leadership development spaces for staff and
member leaders.
 Serve as a senior thought partner to the organization by contributing analysis, mentorship, and leadership to organization-
wide projects and strategic moments.
Supervision
 Directly supervise the Organizing Manager and Campaigns and Coalition Manager, providing coaching, mentorship, and
accountability.
 Oversee team structures, workflows, and organizing plans to ensure clarity, alignment, and measurable progress toward
goals. Lead performance management and professional development processes, including goal setting, feedback, and
progressive discipline when necessary.
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 Support organizers in managing and growing a complex organizing universe (500+ workers), including navigating dissent,
opposition, and internal contradictions within the base.
 Cultivate a strong leadership development culture within the department, including supporting staff to mentor emerging
organizers and develop protgs who contribute to the broader movement beyond LABWC.
Planning
 Collaborate with senior leadership to align organizing strategy with organizational goals, funding priorities, and long-term
sustainability.
 Oversee organizing department planning, administration, and reporting, including tracking outcomes, maintaining data
integrity, and ensuring compliance with internal systems.
 Develop and refine organizing work plans, accountability systems, and evaluation frameworks that reflect both
quantitative growth and qualitative leadership development.
 Ensure effective use of databases and organizing tools to manage large universes, track engagement, and assess organizing
strengthincluding surfacing dissent and areas of challenge.
Qualifications and Experience:
The ideal candidate demonstrates a deep commitment to social and economic justice, has experience with the Black jobs
crisis, values Black worker self-determination, and builds collective power through organizing. This role requires strategic
leadership, political clarity, and the ability to develop workers leadership within campaigns.
 Minimum of 57 years of organizing experience, including significant leadership experience in both community and labor
organizing contexts.
 Minimum of 35 years of supervisory experience, including managing managers or lead organizers.
 Demonstrated experience organizing or overseeing campaigns with large universes (500+ workers or members), including
navigating dissent, opposition, or internal disagreement.
 Working knowledge of labor law, worker rights, or grievance processes; experience supporting workers through claims,
investigations, negotiations, or resolutions is a strong plus.
 Strong strategic thinking, political analysis, and campaign planning skills.
 Excellent written, verbal, and facilitation skills; ability to communicate across staff, members, and external audiences.
 Proven ability to coach, mentor, and develop organizers, including supporting protgs who advance in the broader
movement ecosystem.
 Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
 Ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, and lead through complex and fast-moving political
environments.
 Knowledge of issues affecting unemployed and underemployed Black workers, poor and working-class communities, and
the Los Angeles labor movement strongly preferred.
 Strong commitment to racial justice, workers rights, and Black community empowerment.
 Flexible work schedule, including evenings and weekends as needed.
 Valid CA drivers license and access to a car for work-related travel.
Compensation and Benefits:
Full-time, exempt position; salary commensurate with experience and scope of responsibility up to $95,000 a
year. Plus, a generous benefit package of health and dental insurance, retirement plan, sick, vacation, and floating
holidays. We are committed to our employees' health, safety, and well-being by providing flexible work hours and
wellness opportunities. We are temporarily working a hybrid schedule.
Application Process: This position will remain open until filled. Email resume and cover letter to
careers@labwc.org, add Organizing Director in the subject line. The LABWC welcomes applicants' use of AI as a
tool for preparation - such as researching, organizing ideas, or refining their resume and cover letter. However,
we kindly ask that AI not be used to create original content related to the performance-based parts of our
recruitment process, such as application question responses, interviews, and the completion of performance
tasks. It is important to us that those reflect your own authentic perspective, ideas, and experiences. We are
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excited to get to know the real you and believe your genuine voice is your greatest strength. No phone calls,
please.
LABWC is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. In addition, the organization will
consider for employment, qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los
Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring. The LABWC is also an affirmative action employer. Members of the African Diaspora,
including Men, Women, LGBTQ, Returning Citizens, and Afro-Latino, ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.