General Description
The California Teachers Association is one of California’s largest and most dynamic labor unions. The Human Rights Department is a field-based department that supports and implements CTA’s mission and strategic plan. The Human Rights Department organizes and supports union programs and campaigns that address issues of educational equity and opportunity, racial, social, and economic justice, and other union issues that matter deeply and widely to educators and our communities.
This position will be responsible for identifying, developing, creating, coordinating, implementing and evaluating member engagement, organizing, advocacy programs, and strategies that advance the Association’s work on human rights, equity, racial and social justice in the region, as well as other parts of the state, and in statewide programs, such as the CTA Aspiring Educator Program, Human Rights Cadre Training Program, Community Schools, Equity Teams, and other assigned programs. Strong interpersonal communications and training skills, as well as a deep and thorough understanding of current issues of racial, social, and economic justice and the role of organized Labor are essential.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Works under the direction of the Human Rights Manager.
- Develops and delivers departmental programs and services to members, leaders, and staff both in-person and virtually at workshops, trainings, and conferences as well as students, parents, and community as needed.
- Serves as organizing support and resource to leaders, members, and staff on all matters relating but not limited to educational equity and opportunity and racial, social, and economic justice.
- Analyzes and develops materials and trainings for leaders, members, and staff on issues related to social justice, human rights, and other union efforts.
- Supports members and leaders in building relationships with educational and community-based organizations and coalitions for interest-based organizing for action on critical racial, social, and economic issues identified as essential to educational equity and union issues.
- Provides guidance, assistance, and organizing support to local, regional, and state Human Rights Contacts, Equity Teams, Community Engagement Teams, and similar groups of members and leaders as assigned.
- Organizing and membership recruitment as assigned.
- Performs such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Director or their designee.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's or higher degree preferred.
- Experience working in culturally diverse environments, with racial, social, and economic justice issues and community organizations.
- Willingness to learn about and become sensitive to diverse cultures.
- Effective interpersonal, verbal, written, presentation, and problem solving skills.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver human rights and community engagement programs to CTA leaders, members and staff through various trainings, workshops and individual consultation.
- Demonstrated organizing and coordinating skills necessary to successfully recruit members and potential members and complete complex group projects and activities.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with members, leaders, professional groups and/or labor organizations, and staff colleagues.
- Deep understanding of the issues facing the public schools and the education profession.
- Demonstrated support for racial, social, and economic justice; worker's rights; and a well-funded public education system.
- Adaptable and flexible. Able to adjust seamlessly and effectively to changing factors and conditions that impact CTA campaigns, projects and other union programs.
- Experience working in organizations with fast-paced campaign situations, including contract campaigns, strikes and political campaigns.
- Experience working in organizations focused in organizing and campaigning, with relentless drive to proactively surpass campaign/program goals under pressure and with the tenacity to tackle challenges head-on in a dynamic and rapidly changing environment.
- Computer proficiency and the ability to learn and use the Association's software programs.
- Ability to work and travel regularly, including evenings and weekends.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a valid California driver’s license.
*This position is in a bargaining unit represented by CSO. Salaries are established by a collective bargaining agreement. Step placement is also determined by the CTA/CSO Agreement.
