About Courage California:
Courage California works to unite communities organizing for progressive change, fight the forces of corruption, and hold our representatives to account in order to ensure that California’s elected officials act with courage. Our community of members envision California as a model of progressive, equitable, and truly representative democracy that sets the standard for our country. Courage has developed digital tools to empower all Californians to engage in our democratic processes — including our Courage Voter Guide, Courage Score annual state legislative report card, and our Your Power is Your Vote voter registration and education initiative.
Courage prioritizes deep collaboration with partners, constantly working to ensure that our policy goals reflect the needs of our communities, that our campaigns highlight work led by others, and our programs complement those of our allies. We leverage cutting-edge technology to engage voters through innovative tactics and messaging via online, mobile, and social platforms/tools.
Courage operates across 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), Issues Committee, StatePAC, and SuperPAC vehicles. We are part of several statewide and national coalitions – including California Working Families Party, Dream Alliance, Healthy California Now, California Green New Deal, and ProgressNow – and coordinate political strategies with partners via convenings.
We are a fully remote team, with staff based around California. All staff are supported to work from home with the appropriate accommodations. We have a strong preference for candidates based in Sacramento.
About this Position:
The Political Manager is an exempt full-time employee reporting to the Executive Director, exercising discretion and independent judgment in their portfolio of responsibilities, and making recommendations that influence diverse stakeholders to help lead Courage California to fight for a more progressive California and country.
Compensation: $60,000-$70,000 salary, with a benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, and life insurance, retirement options, and paid vacation and sick leave.
The Political Manager will manage our electoral and policy work, with the goal of electing more progressive leaders and passing more progressive policies, primarily at the state level. The Political Manager will work closely with the whole Courage team, especially the Executive Director and contract Policy and Partnerships Lead.
Their portfolio includes the following responsibilities:
Policy Advocacy and Lobbying
- Consult with partner organizations to identify priority legislation to champion.
- Manage requests from partners for sign-on letters or public statements in support or opposition of bills.
- Develop and strengthen relationships with elected leaders and their offices, especially at the state level, to support passage of progressive policies.
- Project manage our annual Courage Score state legislative report card, including coordinating a team of contractors and a process of sourcing information from partners, publishing the Courage Score, and disseminating Courage Score via ads, direct member, partner, and legislative office engagement, etc.
Electoral Strategy
- Manage Courage’s work to elect progressive candidates in California, including overseeing our candidate endorsement process and supporting partner electoral coordination.
- Project manage our Courage Voter Guide, including coordinating a team of contract researchers/writers and a process of sourcing information from partners, publishing the voter guide, and disseminating the voter guide via ads, direct voter engagement, etc.
- Co-develop our voter mobilization strategy for our endorsed candidates and ballot measures, in consultation with our partners.
Organizational Leadership
- Support the Executive Director and other leadership in setting and meeting organizational goals.
- Leverage relationships with key allies and forge organizational partnerships that will support Courage to be a player in CA and advance political goals.
- Manage coordination between teams and functions within the organization.
- Represent Courage at relevant coalition meetings to support joint strategies.
- Support board and staff in maintaining an equitable and forward-thinking work culture.
- Participate in hiring processes for other positions, as needed.
The Political Manager may be called on to perform any of these tasks at any time, or to take on other duties as assigned. Courage California strives to help all team members thrive in their position with a workload that integrates personal interests, professional goals, and organizational needs.
Candidate Qualifications:
Position requirements
- 2+ years of organizing, campaign, advocacy, and/or other political experience.
- Existing network of partner organizations and other aligned stakeholders in social justice and progressive political spaces.
- An understanding of the progressive political landscape of California, including nonprofit and political organizations, labor, elected officials, and other stakeholders.
- Experience in and commitment to intersectional organizing, bringing a strong equity lens to all aspects of the work.
- Ability to navigate complex partner relationships and agendas while collaborating toward shared goals.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- A strong track record of project management and cross-team collaborations.
- Strong work ethic and a marked ability to produce work independently.
Application Details:
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to [email protected] by Monday, June 26, 2023. Please put “Political Manager” in the subject line.
In your cover letter (maximum of one page), please address the following:
- Why are you interested in this role?
- Why are you interested in working for Courage California?
- Briefly explain a successful accomplishment relevant to this position, your specific role in achieving the goal(s), and how you engaged other important stakeholders toward the goal(s).
- What is one policy that you’d like to see pass in California, and why? What is your relationship to this policy or issue?
Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. Courage California is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and all applicants for employment. All employment decisions at Courage California are made without regard to race, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, AIDS/HIV status, genetic testing info, pregnancy, childbirth, medical condition or political activities or affiliations.