Organizing Director

Position Summary:

The Organizing Director is responsible for leading statewide campaign and coalition advocacy for Health Access’ work to expand care and coverage for all Californians, implement and improve health reform, protect health care consumers from unfair practices or inflated costs by insurers or providers, win investments in our health care safety-net and public health, and encourage a healthier California.

Health Access seeks an experienced community, coalition, and/or political organizing director to develop and coordinate our statewide campaigns and advocacy activities—from organizing coalition meetings and advocacy, delegation visits with policymakers, press conferences, town halls and other events to recruiting individual and organizational support for our policy goals.

Specific responsibilities include: 

• Strategize and coordinate multiple issue, legislative, and budget advocacy campaigns
• Work with internal Communications, Policy, and Organizing teams to develop, implement, and monitor campaign activities.
• Serve as a key facilitator between external organizations in order to advance multiple campaigns including maintaining relationships with key stakeholders and informing them of developments in Sacramento and Washington, DC.
• Supervise organizers in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and elsewhere, providing direction on specific tactics and overall strategy.
• Support and continue to build a large coalition membership and network, developing strategic partnerships and alliances among diverse groups and constituencies in the specific regions of the state.
• Develop and manage online systems to support organizers on story collection, list building, and coalition building.
• Help organize press conferences, actions, and other events to support statewide issue campaigns.
• Serve as a coalitional spokesperson for the organization to external stakeholders, including giving presentations to groups, and testimony at public hearings.
• Communicate to partners and listservs about federal, state, and county policies regarding health care.  
• Identify and work with uninsured families, immigrants, seniors, and patients, including in developing leaders and people who can tell their stories to policymakers and the press.
• Develop grassroots leaders to be active on health care issues.
• Working with our Communications Team to expand digital organizing efforts
• Work with organizers to keep consistent records about meetings, events, contacts, and work schedule.
• Assist in research, fundraising, and other organizational operations.
• Work with Director of Operations, help maintain relationship with dues paying members

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• 2-4 organizers throughout the state

Qualifications and Requirements:

• A minimum of six years of relevant community or political organizing/advocacy experience required;
• General familiarity with health policy issues, California state politics, and nonprofit advocacy required;
• Previous project management and/or campaign management experience required;
• An independent thinker, self-motivated, problem solver, and team player, with a commitment to excellence;
• Have strong organizational skills, and ability to stay focused with attention to detail;
• Experience with social media, online organizing strategies, CRMs, and content development a plus;
• Excellent speaking and writing, and analytical skills. Able to translate complex policy into clear and actionable language in person and on paper;
• Strong computer skills (MS Office environment);
• Spanish speaker a plus but not required
• The position potentially could be based anywhere in California, but our Main Office is in Sacramento, and we have staff in the Los Angeles and Bay Areas.

Language and Communication Skills: 

• Ability to work collaboratively, in a team environment
• Strong public speaking, writing, and analytical skills;
• Excellent interpersonal and relational skills;
• Experience supervising and training organizers;
• Must be able to meet deadlines, be responsive, stay organized, attention to detail, and demonstrate excellent communication skills;
• Read, comprehend and write general instructions, professional correspondence, and memos.
• Ability to collaborate and participate in complex decision making processes.
• Effectively present information in one-on-one and group situations.