University Professional & Technical Employees
CWA Local 9119

Strategic Research and Political Director

For working in Sacramento, Los Angeles, or SF Bay Area, CA

 

UPTE, CWA Local 9119 (“UPTE”) is a dynamic and growing member-run, statewide union representing 18,000 University of California technical, research, and health care professionals. UPTE is seeking to hire an experienced labor organizer and leader to drive the Union’s research and political program. This person will play a key role in developing the strategy to leverage our members’ collective voice at the University of California.

This person will be part of the union’s senior staff.

Please visit us at http://www.upte.org/ to get a sense of who we are and what we stand for.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop and support a Unionwide political and research program. This includes strategic research to design and implement comprehensive campaign elements in support of key Union campaigns.
• Develop and implement the Union’s political and community organizing strategies, advancing the Union’s political and policy priorities and building the Union’s power.
• Working with the Systemwide Director and Union leadership to help develop strategic plans for major union priorities including contract campaigns, new organizing, or legislative goals
• Support bargaining and organizing through market, strategic, and institutional research, and play a flexible role in those campaigns as a strategic campaigner.
• Drive strategic campaign elements including identifying key leverage points on employers, means of targeting decision makers, and crafting escalating campaigns.
• Work with Systemwide Director to develop goals and execute plans for members participation in candidate interviews, lobby visits with elected officials, town halls, and political education of the membership
• Responsible for designing and executing UPTE-CWA’s state legislative and political strategy in the state of California
• Develop and lead campaign and legislative meetings with the goal of growing UPTE-CWA’s Legislative & Political (L&P) committee
• Lead or develop Labor and Community coalitions around key issues or strategic initiatives. Design and drive public pressure campaigns as assigned.
• Responsible for monitoring and lobbying on legislation as it pertains to UPTE-CWA members and affiliates and bringing information forward to the L&P committee to develop recommendations to bring forward to the systemwide executive board
• Develop relationships with key local and state allies, legislators, key office holders and their staff, other unions and progressive organizations.
• Provide support to internal organizing staff for the recruitment, training, leadership development and coordination of member political activists for political fundraising, electoral campaigns and lobbying
• Work with staff and members to integrate political and research strategy into planning for contract and organizing campaigns.
• Develop members to represent UPTE-CWA’s interests in Central Labor Councils, constituency groups, and community organizations, in their region.
• Supervise staff as assigned

Qualifications:

• Minimum of three years political organizing, strategic campaigning, or labor research, with state or local agency or association, non-profit community organization or progressive elected official
• Understanding of strategic research methods including power mapping, opposition research
• Ability to write clear and compelling campaign messaging, and help frame campaign and union goals
• Strong analytical skills. Ability to understand complex issues, gather and assess information, identify campaign leverage, and develop strategic pressure points.
• Experience with research databases and methods.
• Knowledge of state legislative and budget processes and California political landscape
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to motivate, lead, build strong working relationships and hold others accountable;
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to creating a positive work environment that encourages personal responsibility, initiative and innovation;
• Proven ability to work with diverse group of people, from union members to union staff and leaders to elected officials to other community and issue stakeholders;
• Commitment to building a Militant, Progressive, and Democratic labor movement
• Knowledge of professional campaigns including media, research, field, communications
• Previous experience in speech writing, media work, and other communication/public relations fields is highly desirable; and,

Compensation: Starting salary range of $110,000 – $120,000 commensurate with experience, and an excellent benefits package including a defined benefit pension, all university holidays, auto allowance, and flexible work arrangements.

To Apply:
Send your submission to: Unionsearch Managing Partner Patricia Johnson at: patjohnson@unionsearch.org.

Please include the following:

• A résumé with the months and years of employment for each position.
• A cover letter addressing your qualifications and ability to carry out the duties of the position as described above.

To Arrange a Confidential Conversation About This Position Please Contact: Daniel Carrillo, Unionsearch Associate phone/text: (323) 303-4434, Daniel.jorge.carrillo@gmail.com

Position open until filled.