Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD)
AFSCME Local 206

Experienced Organizer
UC Physician Campaign

Travel-based role with sustained deployment to UC medical centers
and physician worksites across California
(periodic statewide travel)

 

Salary: $90,000 – $115,000 annually, depending on experience
Hiring priority: Highest hiring priority — two positions.

The Opportunity
The Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD/AFSCME Local 206) — the nation's largest union of fully licensed doctors, representing physicians and dentists in California since 1972 — is running a major campaign to organize physicians across the University of California system. UAPD already holds a ratified UC contract covering Student Health physicians. This campaign extends physician-governed representation to attendings across six campuses. Physicians are a sophisticated, decentralized workforce; this work centers on intensive one-on-one organizing, workplace mapping, leadership identification, committee development, disciplined assessment, and relentless follow-through.

Who we're looking for: 2–5+ years of successful external organizing. Healthcare, professional-worker, higher-education, or UC experience preferred; demonstrated organizing ability matters more than sector background.

Position Details    
Status: Full-time
Base & travel: Travel-based role with sustained deployment to UC medical centers and physician worksites across California; periodic statewide travel
Schedule: Campaign schedule: early mornings, evenings, and occasional weekends as the work requires
Benefits: Full benefits package; equipment, mileage, and travel expenses covered

Core Responsibilities

• Own an assigned physician universe: build relationships across departments, specialties, clinics, and hospitals.
• Conduct a high volume of substantive one-on-one organizing conversations and record honest assessments the same day.
• Identify the workplace issues and institutional pressures motivating physicians; identify and develop respected physician leaders.
• Recruit and develop physician organizing committees; move physicians from first contact through assessment, leadership, participation, and commitment.
• Create and maintain detailed workplace and relationship maps; use the data to set priorities, find gaps, and choose next moves.
• Prepare physician leaders to have organizing conversations and take increasing ownership of the campaign.
• Meet defined weekly and campaign-wide organizing goals; participate in debriefs and accountability systems; assist in developing Organizer Associates when assigned.

What We're Looking For

• Strong one-on-one organizing ability with a track record you can evidence — universes owned, leaders developed, committees built, results won.
• Ability to make and defend organizing assessments, and to manage an assigned universe independently.
• Experience working from maps, lists, or organizing databases with strong personal follow-through.
• Comfort and credibility with highly educated professional workers; sound judgment about when and how to move people into action.
• Comfort receiving direct feedback in a metrics-driven campaign environment.

What Success Looks Like
You can answer, for your universe, at any time: who have we talked to, what do they care about, where do they stand, who influences whom, who are the organic leaders, where are our weaknesses, and what is the next organizing move. Your job is not to contact physicians — it is to build durable physician organization.

Hiring Process
Résumé screen (decision within 24 hours) → 30-minute phone interview → scored organizing simulation with a skeptical UC physician → mapping and strategy exercise (experienced roles) → final panel → references and offer. Strong candidates move from application to offer in 5–7 business days; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and exceptional candidates may receive offers before the posting closes.

How to Apply
Submit a résumé plus a brief statement describing the strongest organizing campaign you have worked on: your specific responsibility, the approximate size of the worker universe, how leaders and support were assessed, and the result. Send to Pierre King, UAPD Director of Organizing — pking@uapd.com.

UAPD is committed to building a diverse organizing team and encourages applications from organizers of varied backgrounds and organizing traditions. Experience with AFSCME, SEIU, CIR, UPTE/CWA, UAW, NUHW, CNA/NNU, AFT, or comparable programs is relevant but not required.