About the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment

The Oakland-based Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment supports community driven action for the environment, community health, and people’s rights. Our New Voices Are Rising program engages high school students from Oakland’s most impacted neighborhoods, encouraging youth to step forward as a new generation of environmental justice leaders and policy advocates. Each year our Summer Climate Justice Leadership Academy provides intensive training for 16 students; and our school year Fellowship program engages 3-5 high school student Fellows in organizing, research and advocacy projects around climate justice and environmental equity. New Voices staff and Fellows also lead workshops and service activities on high school campuses and in the broader community.

Position Summary

The Policy Co-Director collaborates with the Youth Engagement Co-Director, as part of a shared leadership team, to guide and implement the program’s goals for youth leadership development and advancing environmental justice.  The Policy Co-Director leads in developing and maintaining partnerships with community partners and government officials in order to provide students with meaningful advocacy opportunities, and leads in maintaining fundraising relationships and writing the grants which provide the bulk of project funding. The Youth Engagement Co-Director leads on mentoring students, developing and delivering curricula, and coordinating the Summer Academy and school-year Fellows.

Salary, Hours, and Benefits

Full-time, exempt, at-will position, starting annual salary in the range of $55,000 - $65,000 depending on experience and qualifications. Benefits include fully paid platinum-rated health insurance (medical/dental/vision); sick leave which exceeds California standards; generous vacation and paid holidays; FSA, matched 401k and Clipper Card; plus sabbatical and professional development opportunities. The comparable annual cash value of the benefits package ranges from $8,500 - $21,000. General Rose Foundation office hours are 9:30am-5:30pm, Monday through Friday, but schedule is flexible and hours fluctuate to accommodate program activities.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is deeply committed to, and experienced in, community-driven environmental justice policy advocacy. They are excited to collaboratively set and implement the overall program direction and vision in a shared leadership model with other staff, community members and students. They are comfortable working with youth of color, including queer youth, and passionate about encouraging young people to step forward as community leaders. They are a strong writer with experience in nonprofit fundraising, particularly government grant writing and reporting. They have strong project management skills, and experience with program planning, assessment, and managing complex grant contracts.

We encourage candidates to apply who were born and raised in Oakland, and who are comfortable conversing in Spanish.  We also strongly encourage people of color to apply, as well as candidates who identify as women, femme, non-binary, or LGBTQ+.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Shared Leadership: With the assistance of the New Voices Advisory Board, the Co-Directors work together to set the vision and overall direction of the program, implement activities, and evaluate impact. 
• Policy Linkage: The Policy Co-Director identifies meaningful opportunities for student engagement in policy initiatives around environmental and social justice issues, and helps the Youth Engagement Co-Director translate those opportunities into curricula, student-led projects, and externships with program partners. 
• Fundraising/Development: The Policy Co-Director works closely with Development staff on program fundraising, especially to lead grant writing and reporting, and collaborate with the Youth Engagement Co-Director to design specific projects that respond to government and foundation initiatives. They are responsible for ensuring that grant deliverables are completed on time and that appropriate performance data is collected and tracked to document activities and student participation.
• Partnerships: Working collaboratively with the Youth Engagement Co-director, the Policy Co-Director leads in establishing and maintaining partnerships with community groups, government agencies, elected officials and schools to enable student-led projects to advance environmental justice.

Required Qualifications

• Strong personal commitment to environmental protection and social justice.
• A minimum of two years’ experience in community organizing and environmental justice policy advocacy, including developing and implementing programs, program planning, management & evaluation.
• Strong writing skills, including specific experience in grantwriting, reporting and/or nonprofit fund development.
• A commitment to the principles of shared leadership, and ability to work under multiple priorities and deadlines with a collaborative problem-solving approach, careful attention to detail, and the flexibility to thrive in a small office dynamic. 
• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule based on policy engagement opportunities and student, agency and partner scheduling constraints.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience engaging in environmental justice issues at a community level, especially working with Oakland youth, youth of color or queer youth.
• Familiarity with local, regional and statewide decision-making bodies and community-based organizations, especially environmental justice advocacy organizations and organizations serving youth.
• Experience securing and managing complex government grants or multi-partner grants from large foundations.
• Experience in program evaluation, including setting up evaluation systems for accurate and valid assessment, and analyzing data to draw conclusions and make recommendations.
• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish or another language commonly spoken in the Bay Area.
• Licensed driver able to help transport students to and from policy engagement activities.

How to Apply

Please send 1) a resume, 2) a letter that specifically discusses why you want this job and how your education and past experience make you an excellent fit for this position, and 3) a writing sample which illustrates your grantwriting and/or impact evaluation skills to: [email protected]. Please write “Policy Co-Director” in the subject line of your email, and include how you learned about the position in your application. Applicants will be acknowledged via email. No phone calls or mailed applications, please. 

Applications must be received by March 16, 2020. We encourage you to submit your application package as early as possible.

The Rose Foundation is an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity. Our office is in a commuter-friendly location five blocks from Lake Merritt BART; located near Jack London Amtrak, AC Transit including the 72R, 12, and Broadway Free Shuttle, and Oakland’s network of bike lanes.