American Federation of Teachers Local 2121
Union of Faculty at the City College of San Francisco

Staff Organizer

Based in San Francisco, CA

 

AFT 2121 (CFT/AFT/AFL-CIO, CLC), the union of faculty at the City College of San Francisco (CCSF), seeks a full-time Staff Organizer. We are looking for a talented, hard-working individual who is committed to building a powerful and democratic union.

City College is the largest source of higher education degrees and workforce training in San Francisco. From Nursing and Firefighting to English and ESL, City College serves over 60,000 students every year. The college is an indelible part of San Francisco politics and community, and in joining AFT 2121, you will be a part of this legacy.

AFT 2121 represents over 1,300 faculty, and for decades has played a leading role in defending the college from a series of austerity-driven attacks. Representing full- and part-time faculty, AFT 2121 is a model of higher education union organizing and has long been a leading voice nationally in this work.

Job Summary
AFT 2121 believes in organizing–that means actively engaging every single worker through 1 on 1 conversations, assessing issues, taking notes, identifying and recruiting workplace leaders, building collective power, and strategizing over how best to exercise that power. As a Staff Organizer, you will be trained in this work and help lead it for the good of faculty and the college as a whole.

Candidates should have excellent communication and listening skills, an ability to work independently, be self-organized, and have a strong aptitude for learning.

What you will gain from this position

• Hands on training in union organizing, from the organizing conversation, to strategic communications, to campaign strategy
• An opportunity to be creative and work independently when and where needed–we are a small staff in an active and well-connected local so you will have opportunities to identify and fulfill an array of potential needs, such as working with the press, building community and student coalitions, and recruiting political candidates for office
• Opportunity to build a professional development plan with other staff to gain training and experience in organizing, contract enforcement, bargaining, and strategic communications

Necessary Qualifications

• Ability to motivate workers to take collective action
• Strong planning, time-management, problem-solving, and organizing skills
• Excellent listening, oral, and written communication skills
• Strong capacity for strategic thinking
• Ability both to work independently and to facilitate collaborative group interactions
• Capacity to establish and cultivate relationships with people from diverse backgrounds
• Willingness to work flexibly as needed
• Willingness to conduct work site and home visits
• Proficiency in computer applications including GSuite, Microsoft Office, Gmail, and use of the Internet
• Ability to manage a member database

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior union organizing experience, whether as staff or member leader. Rank-and-file leaders, especially from other higher education locals, are encouraged to apply.
• Familiarity with public education issues and politics.

AFT 2121 Offers:
Competitive salary ($70,000 – $90,000) commensurate with experience and in compliance with the staff collective bargaining agreement.
Excellent benefits package including health, dental, and vision coverage with no employee contributions; generous comp time policies, paid vacation, paid holidays, personal days, and sick days; 401(k); and mileage reimbursement.

How to Apply:
Applications will be accepted via email until the position is filled. Please submit:

• A Letter of Application explaining how your background, training, outlook, and experience have prepared you to assume the duties and responsibilities of this position.
• A current résumé reflecting qualifications for the Organizer position
• Please send your letter and résumé as a single PDF file with your last name as the first part of the filename (i.e. smith_application.pdf).
• Please use “AFT 2121 Organizer Application” as the subject line. No phone calls, please.
• Send E-mail and attachment to: aft@aft2121.org.