NOW HIRING!

ABOUT ESSIE JUSTICE GROUP, FOR JOB APPLICANTS

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Full Time Positions:

• Senior Development Associate

• COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

• STATEWIDE ADVOCACY COORDINATOR

PART TIME POSITIONS:

• CHILDCARE PROVIDER

Classification: Full Time

Position Summary:

We seek a dedicated, values-aligned fundraiser to join to our impassioned, loving, and hard-working team as our first Development Associate. The Development Associate will play a key role in growing Essie’s funding base and pipeline, building towards growth and long-term financial sustainability. The Development Associate will provide support to all aspects of Essie’s foundation partnerships and individual donor engagement strategies. In collaboration with staff and Board members, the Development Associate will research and draft grant proposals and reports, evaluate new funding opportunities, and plan, organize, and coordinate fundraising events and activities.  In addition, this role will support the Executive Director in managing relationships with current funders and new prospects.

Core responsibilities will include:

• Research, write, edit, and submit proposals and reports to philanthropic organizations and individuals.
• Manage all deadlines and workflows for LOIs, grant applications, and reports, including internal deadlines for collection of information from other staff.
• Evaluate and recommend new funding opportunities in alignment with Essie’s strategic priorities and programmatic work.
• Support the management of individual donor relationships by tracking engagement, composing correspondence, etc.
• Lead the creation of Essie’s inaugural annual report.
• Prepare materials to engage current supporters, including thank you letters, event reports, and other communications.
• Plan and coordinate fundraising events and activities, including management of project timelines, guest lists, materials, and programming.
• Create and update supporter appreciation content on our website.
• Maintain all donor and fundraising files, including supporting our Salesforce database.
• Assist the Founder & Executive Director in preparing quarterly fundraising updates for the Board of Directors.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years of relevant fundraising experience; advocacy experience a plus.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including active listening.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a high level of attention to detail.
• Experience researching, writing, and editing foundation proposals and reports.
• Experience in preparing non-profit budgets for funding applications including applications for purpose-restricted funds and lobbying.
• A track record of evaluating and recommending foundation funding opportunities that align with organizational strategic priorities.
• Experience implementing fundraising strategies and tactics with both individual and institutional funders.
• Experience writing and preparing personalized funder communication materials (e.g., thank you letters, reports, invitations).
• Experience planning events in a professional setting.

Qualities:

• A strong commitment to the mission, goals, and philosophy of Essie, and a demonstrated alignment with anti-mass incarceration, racial justice, and gender justice causes.
• Exceptionally hard worker. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, focused, and small office environment where each staff person assumes multiple responsibilities while striving to achieve shared goals.
• Strategic communicator who is able to tailor language about Essie’s work to uplift connections to the interests and priorities of multiple funding partners.
•  Impeccable ethics, highly developed decision-making skills and unfailingly trustworthy.
• Advanced organizational skills; ability to develop and manage thoughtful systems for managing multiple deadlines, projects, and relationships in the development arena.  
• Anticipates needs and takes initiative to address them. Persists despite obstacles.
• Outcome-oriented, critical and creative thinker.
• Positive approach, can-do attitude, and a sense of humor.
• Enjoys an “all-in,” start-up, non-traditional work culture.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple deadlines.
• Ability to thrive in an environment that is characterized by growth and change.

To Apply: This full-time position is based at the Essie offices in Oakland, California. This is not a remote position. Please address a thoughtful cover letter to the “Essie Hiring Committee” and submit along with a resume with “Development Associate - Your Name” in the subject line to careers@essiejusticegroup.org.

Before applying, please read more about Essie Justice Group online. We highly encourage you to learn as much as possible about us in order to put your best and truest self forward in our community-driven hiring process. For more information about our program, here are a moving video created by our membership and recent articles in Essence and Huffington Post.

Please Note: Women with incarcerated loved ones, formerly incarcerated people, and those with direct experience with the criminal justice system are strongly encouraged to apply.

Classification: Full time

Position Summary:

We seek an exceptional, values-aligned individual to join to our impassioned, loving, and hard-working team as our first Communications Manager. The Communications Manager will use her specialized talents and critical analysis to expose the gender and race-based harm mass incarceration is causing and make visible the power and prevalence of women with incarcerated loved ones.

The successful candidate will enter into a highly collaborative, team-driven work environment. The Communications Manager will guide the strategy for all communications, website, and public relations messages and collateral to consistently articulate Essie’s mission. The Communications Manager will play a key leadership role in building Essie’s presence and expertise in the movement to end mass incarceration and gender oppression in the United States.

Core responsibilities will include:

• Define and develop the strategic communications plan for the organization across all audiences and partners in collaboration with the Executive Director and Director of Strategy.
• Develop messages that elevate Essie’s brand and social critique.
• Raise Essie’s local and national awareness through new communications vehicles and consistent messaging that uplifts Essie’s unique organizational voice and expertise.
• Manage the development and distribution of all print and electronic publications including Essie’s website, emails, programmatic marketing collateral, and donor outreach materials.
• Produce thought leadership pieces including blog posts, op-eds, keynote speeches.
• Lead the creation of online content (including video and social media) that engages different audiences to lead to measurable action and engagement.
• Conduct media trainings, provide individualized coaching, and secure media opportunities for Essie member spokeswomen. 
• Secure national speaking opportunities for Essie’s Founder & Executive Director. 
• Support the Executive Director in her speaking engagements and executive communications, including speechwriting, messaging, talking points development.
• Manage all media contacts and cultivate relationships with local and national journalists and media personalities.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of relevant professional experience.
• Impeccable and effective writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Experience writing reports and publications, listserv emails, Op-Eds, speeches, etc.
• Experience creating and activating strategic communication plans.
• Ability to influence different audiences and lead communications discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels.
• A track record as a collaborative leader who excels in managing multiple projects.
• Experience managing relationships with multiple stakeholders including partners, Board members, community members, and donors.
• Experience creating and implementing new communications campaigns and initiatives.
• Experience supervising creative professionals, either in-house or outside vendors.
• Demonstrated skill in creative problem solving and embracing change.

Qualities:

• A strong commitment to the mission, goals, and philosophy of Essie, and a demonstrated alignment with anti-mass incarceration, racial justice, and gender justice causes.
• Exceptionally hard worker. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, focused, and small office environment where each staff person assumes multiple responsibilities while striving to achieve shared goals.
• Active listener who relentlessly observes the world around her, scanning for opportunities and imagining creative responses to build on resonant moments.
• Ability to consistently and sustainably hold space for people through difficult situations with compassion and empathy.
• Impeccable ethics, highly developed decision-making skills and unfailingly trustworthy.
• Anticipates needs and takes initiative to address them. Persists despite obstacles.
• Outcome-oriented, critical and creative thinker.
• Positive approach, can-do attitude, and a sense of humor.
• Enjoys an “all-in,” start-up, non-traditional work culture.

To Apply: This position is based at the Essie offices in Oakland, California. This is not a remote position. Please address a thoughtful cover letter to the “Essie Hiring Committee” and submit along with a resume with “Communications Manager - Your Name” in the subject line to careers@essiejusticegroup.org.   We will respond to all applicants, Thank you!

Before applying, please read more about Essie Justice Group online. We highly encourage you to learn as much as possible about us in order to put your best and truest self forward in our community-driven hiring process. For more information about our program, here are a moving video created by our membership and recent articles in Essence and Huffington Post.

 

Classification: Full Time

Position Description

We seek an exceptional, values-aligned individual to add to our impassioned, loving, and driven team. With Essie’s growing base in California, the Statewide Advocacy Coordinator will lead the development and implementation of our strategy to engage graduates of our Healing to Advocacy model as leaders in the movement to end mass incarceration’s harm to women. The Statewide Advocacy Coordinator will design programming to deepen our collective community consciousness and further develop our power as advocates – overseeing political education, campaigns, and actions. She will lead on the implementation of criminal justice change initiatives that uplift the stories and solutions of women with incarcerated loved ones. The successful candidate will enter into a highly collaborative, team-driven work environment and will work closely with the Manager of Advocacy and Programs to ensure coordination between community organizing and base-building activities.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years relevant professional experience.
• Experience with grassroots community organizing and supporting the leadership of people directly impacted by the social problem you are working to address.
• Experience creating and implementing new campaigns and programs.
• Experience with recruitment and retention of community leaders.
• Demonstrated success and comfort facilitating community meetings and group discussions.
• Enthusiasm and expertise for political education and building collective community consciousness.  
• Enthusiasm for developing and maintaining 1 on 1 intentional relationships with community members working to achieve a common goal.
• Track record as a collaborative leader who excels in managing multiple projects.
• Experience managing relationships with multiple stakeholders including partners, community members, and policy influencers.
• Demonstrated skill in creative problem solving and embracing change.
• Spanish fluency ideal.

Qualities:

• A strong commitment to the mission, goals, and philosophy of Essie, and a demonstrated alignment with anti-mass incarceration, racial justice, and gender justice causes.
• Exceptionally hard worker. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, focused, and small office environment where each staff person assumes multiple responsibilities while striving to achieve shared goals.
• Holds a deep level of consciousness about systems of oppression and approaches the work of political education with humility and openness.
• Creative strategist in touch with the political moment and consistently identifies opportunities to amplify the impact of advocacy through campaigns, events, and partnerships.
• Impeccable ethics, highly developed decision-making skills and unfailingly trustworthy.
• Anticipates needs and takes initiative to address them. Persists despite obstacles.
• Outcome-oriented, critical and creative thinker.
• Positive approach, can-do attitude, and a sense of humor.
• Enjoys an “all-in,” start-up, non-traditional work culture.

To Apply: This position is based at the Essie offices in Oakland, California. This is not a remote position. lease address a thoughtful cover letter to the “Essie Hiring Committee” and submit along with a resume with “Statewide Advocacy Coordinator - our Name” in the subject line to careers@essiejusticegroup.org. We will respond to all applicants!

Classification: Part-Time
Compensation: $25/hour
Application Deadline: Rolling. 

Position Description

Central to how we do our work is our understanding that in order for women to fully participate and lead, we must reduce as many barriers as possible. This includes providing high-quality childcare for children that women are responsible for.

We seek exceptional, values-aligned individuals to provide intentional, loving, outcomes-driven childcare that reflects the goals of our Healing to Advocacy program. We are launching 9-week cohorts of women with incarcerated loved ones in four Bay Area counties. Each cohort will meet once a week in the evening with an accompanying childcare team so that participants can be fully present during cohort sessions. The Healing to Advocacy cohorts will end between mid-August and September. Essie childcare providers will be available to support anywhere between 1 and 6 cohorts for approximately 3.5 hours per session at a rate of $25.00 per hour.

Qualifications:

• 2+ years of relevant experience working with youth or in childcare related fields.
• Enthusiasm for maintaining one-on-one relationships with young people of varying ages.
• Experience with setting up and facilitating stimulating environments for children and young people, including snack preparation.
• Ability to follow risk management protocol to ensure the physical and emotional safety and well-being of all childcare participants.
• Demonstrated ability and comfort facilitating age-appropriate group discussions about the justice system.
• Proficiency with tracking attendance and documenting daily childcare activities.
• Must be able and willing to travel to all cohort sessions and any additional meetings as necessary.
• Must have your own phone and be willing to coordinate with the Childcare Specialist should there be a need to miss a childcare session.
• Availability to work evenings between 5:00pm and 9:00pm, depending on the specific schedule of the cohort.
• Direct experience with incarceration through yourself or a loved one preferred.
• Spanish fluency preferred.

 Qualities:

• A strong commitment to the mission, goals, and philosophy of Essie Justice Group.
• Deeply committed to fostering youth empowerment and self-efficacy.
• Ability to consistently and sustainably hold space for children, youth, and caregivers through difficult situations with compassion and empathy.
• Exceptional follow-through and commitment to creating high quality childcare environments.
• Anticipates needs of all children and other colleagues sharing the childcare space and takes initiative to address them.
• Outcome oriented, critical and creative thinker.
• Positive approach, can-do attitude, and a sense of humor.

Please Note: Women with incarcerated loved ones, formerly incarcerated people, and those with direct experience with the criminal justice system are strongly encouraged to apply.

To Apply: This position is based at the Essie office in Oakland, California, but individual childcare sites will be co-located with each Healing to Advocacy cohort throughout the Bay Area. This is not a remote position. 

Please draft well-written and thoughtful responses to the following questions in an email to the “Essie Hiring Committee” with “Childcare Provider Application - Your Name” in the subject line to careers@essiejusticegroup.org. We will respond to all applicants!

Essie Justice Group (Essie) was founded in May of 2014 with a mission to harness the collective power of women with incarcerated loved ones to end mass incarceration’s harm to women. We are building a large, bold policy advocacy network of predominantly Black and Latina women who have incarcerated loved ones across California in 2017. Today we live in an age of mass control. Patriarchy, racism, and punitive criminal justice policies have been devastating for women’s health, resources, and civic engagement, particularly for low-income women, women of color, and queer and trans women whose loved ones are caged and criminalized. 2.3 million people are incarcerated. 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 2 Black women has a family member in prison. In partnership with our formerly and currently incarcerated loved ones, we root ourselves in a gender analysis and a race justice analysis – working in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives, the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, and a variety of coalitions aimed at bringing about a more compassionate future free of race and gender violence.

Central to how we do our work is the belief that those directly impacted by oppressive systems must lead our liberation movements. We dedicate ourselves to a 9-week Healing to Advocacy model, developed by Essie Justice Group in order to engage women as change agents. The Essie sisterhood grows through our nominations process, in which incarcerated women and incarcerated men nominate women they love to our program. Community members also nominate women and women self-nominate through our website. When women graduate from the 9-week program, they are invited into the “Essie sisterhood,” which serves as our mobilizable base. In 2017, we are building a strong infrastructure of staff and organizational leaders to grow and transform our base into an advocacy network that will serve as the statewide organizing apparatus through which we bring about decriminalization, decarceration, and an end to state-sponsored violence against women and communities of color. So far, we have run our Healing to Advocacy 9-week model five times by forming cohorts of 15 women each in two cities in the Bay Area. Approximately 50 women with incarcerated loved ones in the California Bay Area have graduated as Essie Sisters and many are now leaders within our organization as Essie Fellows. In 2017, women graduates (known as “Essie sisters”) will facilitate and run up to eleven new cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County in 2017.

Essie Justice Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer!

Essie Justice Group provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Essie complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Essie values and specifically seeks applicants who are people with incarcerated loved ones, formerly incarcerated people, people of color, women, LGBT, and gender fluid people. If this is you, know that your contributions and leadership are especially valuable at Essie. No background check will be conducted.