Lead Organizer

Californians for Justice (CFJ) is seeking a Lead Organizer to support and expand our organizing efforts in Oakland. This role is central to advancing our mission by building strong, youth-centered campaigns, developing local leadership, and supporting community-driven strategies that create meaningful, lasting change.

Organization Overview

Californians for Justice (CFJ) is a dynamic, youth-powered organization leading the charge for racial and educational justice in California. Committed to uplifting marginalized communities, CFJ empowers young people—particularly from communities of color, immigrants, low-income families, and LGBTQIA2S /TGNC youth—to drive change in their schools and communities. Through grassroots organizing, leadership development, and advocacy, CFJ equips youth with the tools and knowledge to challenge systemic inequities and shape education policy. This youth-led approach ensures that students, not just adults or policymakers, are at the forefront of efforts to transform their educational experiences and opportunities.

With regional offices in Fresno, Long Beach, San Jose, and Oakland, CFJ has scaled its impact across California, serving a diverse cross-section of the state’s youth. Our organization’s team remains deeply connected to the communities it serves. CFJ’s work is rooted in the belief that the future of education in California hinges on the voices of young people. Through its campaigns, CFJ ensures those voices are amplified, empowering students to be key drivers of change in education policy and practice.

CFJ is known for its collaborative, purpose-driven culture, where staff are valued for their diverse perspectives and contributions. The organization fosters trust, inclusivity, and shared ownership of its mission, empowering team members to bring their skills and insights to the work of racial and educational justice. With a strong focus on professional development, mentorship, and leadership growth, CFJ ensures that its staff not only make a difference in their communities but also continue to evolve in their careers. Through this approach, CFJ is reshaping education and fostering a more just and equitable future for all students in California

Position Overview

The Lead Organizer plays a key role in anchoring the organization’s work in strong, trust-based relationships with young people and community partners. This position supports youth-led organizing efforts across schools and community spaces while fostering the growth and leadership development of emerging organizers.  The Lead Organizer is responsible for guiding both the day-to-day implementation and the long-term direction of organizing strategies, ensuring alignment with community needs, organizational priorities, and campaign goals. Through coaching, coordination, and strategic planning, this role strengthens the organizing team’s skills, supports sustainable movement-building, and helps create meaningful political and organizing spaces where young people can build power and belong.

Additional Details 

This full-time,  exempt position involves discretion and independent judgment and is based out of one of CFJ’s four office locations (Fresno, Long Beach, Oakland, or San Jose).  All members of the Organizing Team are required to work in person within their designated community and home office; this is not a hybrid or remote position. The role also requires occasional statewide travel and work on weekends. 

Organizational Competencies 

All Lead Organizers at CFJ are expected to demonstrate proficiency in the following competencies:

• Impactful Collaboration -Engages peers and teams to root themselves in the work.Recommends projects or programs needed for achieving dept goals and implements processes to ensure high-quality, impactful results for the community. Interprets department-level goals and completes or delegates tasks to be done in order to achieve goals.
• Problem Solving -Asks and answers: Who can help us? Leverages other teams' expertise to solve long-term foreseeable problems that affect the department or function. Proposes solutions that fall outside of already defined processes and procedures to operate more efficiently.
• Sustainability - Possesses a high degree of emotional intelligence; coaches peers to develop presence and rootedness. Speaks about and trains community leaders on developing resilient protagonism. Solicits and shares effective feedback regularly with peers and supervisors.
• Communication - Begins to lead communication efforts to external parties or partners - may own relationships. Listens to their peers and seeks connection. When identifying problems affecting the team to others, proposes strategies and gets buy-in on solutions. Makes others better through work reviews, thorough documentation, area of expertise guidance, mentoring, or leading a project.
• Relationship-Building - Uses accumulated experience to lead projects that require multiple teams to contribute and helps teams overcome obstacles through well-developed working relationships with cross-functional peers. Helps to facilitate relationship-building for more junior members of the team.
• Fostering Growth - Provides first-line support for job tasks in which employees need assistance. Mentors and encourages team in areas of potential development. Learns to be an effective hiring manager. Develops strategies to balance their own individual work and driving results through a team of direct reports

Essential Responsibilities

Campaign Leadership & Development (40%)

• Develop and facilitate member & community-driven processes that center the voices and needs of the most impacted youth, grounding and informing our campaign strategy and aligning with CFJ’s long-term strategic orientation.
• Develop and maintain a strategic structure for local education campaigns, including planning, evaluation, and adaptive strategy. Facilitate two key monthly meetings: a campaign check-in with staff and a progress/feedback session with members. Collaborate with the Organizing Director to provide coaching as needed.
• Plan and manage yearly community-centered events alongside our members as a campaign tactic to engage the broader community and elevate CFJ’s presence and leadership. 
• Develop and implement youth-friendly campaign materials, including, but not limited to, campaign plans, curricula, and training. Identify, build, and nurture meaningful relationships with community members and leaders, key targets, and allies in the region through consistent engagement and authentic partnership in local campaigns.  

• Track student engagement and leadership development in all stages of local and statewide campaigns, promoting ownership and growth informed by CFJ’s “Youth Voice Continuum” and our leadership pathways.
• Support statewide initiatives and projects by providing strategic thought-partnership, assessment, and leadership on campaign events, regions statewide delegations, and electoral efforts. 

Base Building and Leadership Development (30%) 

• Provide leadership in designing base-building and leadership-development programs that build our members' capacity to advance our regional projects. Including yearly and semester assessments of your base and the planning, executing, and evaluating base building drives and activities to meet annual goals.
• Work with the regional organizing team to provide ongoing training and support for your staff and members in base building, including, but not limited to, after-school and community outreach, classroom presentations, phone banking, and one-on-ones.
• Provide year-round support for developing regional school-based chapters through onsite observations and collaborative assessments with organizers and interns, as well as coaching and strategic support as needed.
• Establish a high level of rigor in managing our leadership development programs by creating, co-designing, and facilitating skill-building and political education workshops for interns and core leaders. 
• Work with organizers to ensure rigorous tracking of regional members' leadership development using administrative systems, one-on-one check-ins, and individual development plans.
• Build and manage your regional Distributed Leadership Model (DLM) structure by providing organizers and interns with the orientation, training, resources, and year-round support they need to develop a robust, staff- and youth-led DLM. 
• Develop and implement community-based weekly outreach plans for your team that connect with young people beyond school campuses, including parks, neighborhoods, transit hubs, and community spaces.

Supervision (20%)

• Supervise and develop staff: Provide consistent supervision, coaching, and leadership development for direct reports through bi/weekly 1:1s, training, and feedback.
• Lead effective team meetings and coordination: Plan, schedule, and facilitate recurring team meetings and check-ins (weekly/bi-weekly), including agendas, tools, and clear next steps to support alignment, collaboration, and follow-through.
• Drive accountability toward goals: Guide staff in creating and executing work plans; track progress toward team, regional, and organization-wide goals through evaluation, metrics, and structured accountability practices.
• Strengthen team culture and cross-team collaboration: Foster a supportive, values-aligned team culture and coordinate with internal teams, departments, and external allies as needed to advance strategy and sustain coalition/community relationships.

Organizational Leadership Responsibilities (10%)

• Fundraising & Development: Participate in organization-wide grassroots fundraising campaigns and support philanthropic fundraising efforts, relationship-building, and funder site visits.
• Shared Leadership & Staff Participation: Actively participate in all required staff spaces, including meetings, retreats (virtual and in person), and organization-wide campaign events; rotate facilitation and note-taking responsibilities as part of shared leadership practices.
• Culture & Committee Engagement: Contribute to a healthy organizational culture by participating in culture-building efforts and serving on at least one organization-wide or cross-functional committee (e.g., staff planning, political education, retreat planning), as aligned with organizational needs.
• Regional & Office Responsibilities: Engage in region-specific responsibilities, including participation in campaign-related events/actions as needed, regional meetings, community-building activities, and shared office or site-based roles that support team cohesion and effective operations.

And other duties as needed. 

Essential Qualifications

• Minimum three years or more of organizing experience in and knowledge of the culture and history of youth organizing and education advocacy. Other relevant experience as an organizer in other social justice movements could also be considered. 
• At least one year of direct supervisory experience. Must have a proven ability in coaching team members, holding them accountable, and conducting performance assessments.
• Demonstrated success with a minimum of 1 year of experience in community, youth, and education organizing or education capacity building work.
• At least 1 year of experience and expertise in racial and educational justice, combined with a deep commitment to student engagement.
• Expertise in training and facilitation, with a demonstrated ability to engage diverse interest holder audiences.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, ensuring effective conveyance of ideas and information.
• Outstanding organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines, attention to detail, and thorough follow-through.
• Proven ability to problem-solve and initiate effective solutions in a dynamic work environment.
• Thrives in a collaborative team environment, contributing positively to team dynamics and outcomes.
• Strong computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Office and various applications relevant to the role.
• Demonstrates the capacity to build and maintain meaningful relationships with our community, colleagues, and youth members while consistently maintaining professional boundaries and ensuring all interactions are appropriate, respectful, and aligned with organizational standards.
• Must be able to travel locally to support program needs, including transporting youth to and from meetings or events when required, in compliance with organizational policy. A valid driver’s license and access to insured transportation are required.
• This role requires schedule flexibility, which may include working evenings or weekends based on program and organizational needs. This expectation applies to both salaried and hourly positions.

Physical Requirements

This role involves performing job duties that may include: 

• Working primarily at a computer workstation for extended periods of time.
• Using standard office equipment, including a keyboard and computer.
• Accessing and engaging with information presented on a computer screen or in printed materials.
• Communicating effectively with colleagues, partners, and community members through verbal and written methods, including phone, digital, and in-person communication. 

• Receiving and responding to information shared verbally or in writing, including via phone or virtual platforms. 
• Following written and verbal instructions related to job responsibilities. 
• Occasionally moving or handling materials or equipment weighing up to 20 pounds.

Compensation

The salary for this position is $3,406 per pay period ($81,736 annually), which aligns with all CFJ Manager-level salaries

CFJ offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial wellbeing, and work–life balance. This includes employer-sponsored health coverage, an FSA, a 401(k) retirement plan, half-day Fridays, a generous holiday schedule, and the opportunity to take a sabbatical after five years of service.

Apply Today! 

Californians for Justice (CFJ) is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We strongly encourage individuals with the skills and experience needed for this role to apply. Applications will be accepted through May 2, 2026.

Salary : $81,736