Work With Us

Work With Us

WORK WITH US

Interested in working at CRPE? Fill out the form below to be notified of openings!

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) seeks applicants for a Development Director. The position is full-time and flexible with location. CRPE is a non-profit environmental justice organization based in Delano, California. Our mission is to achieve environmental justice and healthy sustainable communities through collective action and the law. We provide legal and technical assistance to the grassroots movement for environmental justice. We combine community organizing, legal representation, policy advocacy, and coalition building to help build healthy sustainable communities in low-income communities and communities of color. CRPE strongly believes in the maxims that communities should speak for themselves, and that advocates for environmental justice should be on tap, not on top. Our staff shares a deep commitment to social and racial justice.

The Development Director is responsible for leading our grant and individual donor programs. The Development Director works with the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, and Program staff to develop, implement, track, and evaluate our efforts to generate restricted and unrestricted money to fulfill our mission. The Development Director reports to the Executive Director.

Responsibilities:

  • Work closely with the Executive Director to plan, implement, manage, and evaluate a comprehensive fundraising effort to build support from individuals, foundations, and corporations. 
  • Manage major donor planning, cultivation, and data. 
  • Oversee planning for special fundraising events.
  • Research potential donors and new foundation prospects. 
  • Design and implement an annual campaign for individual giving (both targeted and broad-based).
  • Develop membership program and donor prospects. 
  • Manage our grants program, including working with staff to meet with funders and prepare grant report and proposals. 
  • Secure cash and in-kind sponsorships.
  • Support Board member activities to be effective ambassadors for the organization with current and potential donors and funders. 
  • Provide reports to the Board on fundraising activities and effectiveness.
  • Create and maintain a department budget and track expenses.

Qualifications:

  • Minimum of 5 years of nonprofit fundraising or related experience.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills that demonstrate an ability to incorporate key institutional messages targeted to identified constituencies.
  • Able to perform multiple responsibilities simultaneously, highly organized, detail oriented, and strong creative problem-solving skills.
  • Knowledge, experience and proven track record of success in cultivating and soliciting major gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations.
  • Successful experience with major gifts, capital campaigns, and membership programs desired.
  • Knowledge of prospect research, cultivation, and solicitation techniques.
  • Negotiation and follow-up skills to close solicitations successfully.
  • Knowledge of and experience in both strategic oversight and day-to-day department operations of a development program, including supervision of staff.
  • Experience in preparing, interpreting, and reporting budgets and performance.
  • Knowledge of and experience in special events planning and management.
  • Ability to develop long and short-range plans.
  • Flexible, creative, and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment and with diverse, complex organizations.
  • Comfortable working with both a team and independently.
  • Demonstrated ability to follow through on responsibilities.

Other Desired Skills:

  • Knowledge of GiftWorks or comparable fundraising database.
  • Experience working with and motivating volunteers.
  • Experience overseeing the production of print materials and publications.
  • Knowledge of environmental, environmental justice, and/or civil rights issues.

Compensation: Salary range $75,000-$95,000. Full and generous benefits including health, dental, vision, and retirement plan (IRA). While we are posting for a full-time position, we are open to flexible schedules, and less than full-time commitment with pro-rata benefits.

CRPE is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. We strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTIQ, and intersectional candidates to apply.

How to Apply

E-mail the following to Caroline Farrell at cfarrell@crpe-ej.org (and include “Development Director” in subject line):

  • Cover letter summarizing your interest, qualifications, and experience
  • Resume, including salary history
  • Writing sample; and 
  • Three professional references.

SENIOR OR STAFF ATTORNEY

The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) seeks applicants for a Senior or Staff Attorney. The position is exempt and full-time.  Depending on the experience of successful applicants, the position may be either a Senior Attorney or Staff Attorney.

CRPE is a 32-year-old non-profit environmental justice organization. Our mission is to achieve environmental justice and healthy sustainable communities through collective action and the law. We provide legal and technical assistance to the grassroots movement for environmental justice. We combine community organizing, legal representation, policy advocacy and coalition building to build community health, community power, and community resistance in low-income communities and communities of color, particularly in California’s San Joaquin Valley. CRPE strongly believes in the maxims that communities should speak for themselves, and that lawyers should be on tap, not on top. Our staff shares a deep commitment to social and racial justice. Our legal team collaborates closely with each other and community organizers to achieve a collective impact.

Visit our website at www.crpe-ej.org for background on our work.

Job Duties:

CRPE’s attorneys collaborate with community organizers to support and work with low-income communities and communities of color to address health disparities, environmental inequity, and discriminatory regulatory and land-use practices by providing educational, technical, and legal resources.

Specifically, the Attorney will:

  1. Work with community groups, organizers, and attorneys to develop and support community-based, community-led strategies.
  2. Work with CRPE’s attorneys to provide legal representation to residents and grassroots groups in low–income communities and communities of color.
  3. Train community residents to effectively participate before decision-makers in administrative proceedings.
  4. Identify, develop and advocate for legislative solutions to address communities’ needs.
  5. Participate in and collaborate with social and environmental justice networks and other organizations as necessary to advance community strategies.
  6. Attend conferences and prepare policy papers, law review articles and legislative testimony.
  7. Participate in CRPE’s communications and fundraising strategies as needed, which may include providing content for CRPE newsletters, social media, and press releases; assisting with the development of grant proposals or reports; participating in outreach and planning for events; and cultivating relationships with funders and donors.
  8. Other duties, including administrative responsibilities, as may be required.

Qualifications:

  • J.D. and admission to the California Bar or eligibility for and willingness to take next California bar exam and pass within 1 year of hire. Senior Attorneys will have five or more years of experience in environmental or civil rights law.
  • Demonstrated commitment to public service, equity, or justice (including environmental or social justice).
  • Demonstrated competency in working with people with different social identities than themselves (including race, gender, sexual orientation, age, class, and disability).
  • Demonstrated ability to work as a team player, and to take on and complete complex projects.
  • Skilled at building relationships with colleagues, community members, and allies.
  • Excellent legal research and writing skills.
  • Detail-oriented, ability to prioritize and follow through with multiple tasks to meet deadlines.
  • Ability to travel occasionally (typically 1-2 times per month.)
  • Written and oral proficiency in Spanish (preferred.)

Compensation: $68,000 – $80,000 DOE. CRPE offers a generous vacation and comprehensive benefits package.

CRPE is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. We strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQI, and intersectional candidates to apply.

Please send a cover letter, resume, and short writing sample to Ingrid Brostrom, Assistant Director, at ibrostrom@crpe-ej.org.

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) seeks applicants for a Communications Coordinator in either its Delano, California office. The position is a full-time, non-exempt position.

CRPE is a 32-year-old non-profit environmental justice organization with offices in Emeryville and Delano (in Kern County), California.  Our mission is to achieve environmental justice and healthy sustainable communities through collective action and the law. We provide legal and technical assistance to the grassroots movement for environmental justice.  We combine community organizing, legal representation, policy advocacy and coalition building to build community healthy, community power, and community resistance in low income communities and communities of color. CRPE strongly believes in the maxims that communities should speak for themselves, and that advocates for environmental justice should be on tap, not on top.  Our staff shares a deep commitment to social and racial justice. We plan to increase our communications capacity to amplify the voices of communities most directly impacted by environmental injustices in the San Joaquin Valley. We see our communications work as a key part of the systems change work that we do. We are looking to strengthen our communications work and welcome applicants with a range of experience.

Visit our website at www.crpe-ej.org for background on our work.

Job Duties:

  • Create and implement communications platforms and products for CRPE, including:
    • Updating and monitoring CRPE’s WordPress website, including content updates and back-end maintenance.
  • Creating Newsletters and tracking CRPE’s mailing list (Constant Contact), drafting and releasing email blasts, and enabling more effective and targeted email blasts.
  • Growing CRPE’s social media presence through creative posts, including on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
  • Supporting campaigns by writing and developing press releases, maintaining a reporter database, and pitching
  • Working with staff to develop ideas and outreach opportunities for feature article placement, interviews, and appropriate activities that promote awareness of CRPE, our mission, and our
  • Support CRPE’s sponsored events and initiatives, and work with graphic designers to develop visually compelling promotional
  • In coordination with other staff, help write, edit and produce CRPE collateral materials, such as reports, brochures, factsheets, and other materials.
  • Provide communications assistance to the development staff, particularly on social media and digital fundraising campaigns.
  • Monitor environmental and social justice news to ensure CRPE is aware of big issues and topics and to frame CRPE’s communications work
  • Other duties as

Qualifications:

  • Minimum of 1 year of experience with social media and communications.
  • Commitment to advancing social, environmental and economic
  • Excellent writing skills – ability to write for a range of audiences and in a range of
  • Excellent, detail‐oriented project management skills.
  • Ability to work well both independently and with the small staff
  • Ability to work in a fast-pace office setting.
  • Ability and willingness to travel for meetings and have a flexible work schedule to work evenings and weekends when needed to support special events or community events.
  • Ability to function well in a work environment that requires collaboration with many
  • Internet fluency, web research a
  • Strong working knowledge of Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point) and social media platforms.
  • Experience working with low‐income communities and communities of
  • Bilingual English‐Spanish (strongly desired).

Preferred Qualities

  • Design software skills (Adobe Creative Suite)
  • Familiarity with the San Joaquin Valley
  • Good sense of humor and grace under pressure
  • Detail-oriented, ability to prioritize and follow through with multiple tasks to meet deadlines
  • Skilled at building relationships with colleagues, community members, and allies.
  • Highly organized

Salary Range: $50,000-$60,000 annual salary

Benefits: Includes health, dental, vision insurance, retirement plan, generous vacation and sick leave.

CRPE is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.  We strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTIQ, and intersectional candidates to apply.

Please send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to Caroline Farrell, Executive Director, at cfarrell@crpe-ej.org.

LEGAL DIRECTOR

The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) seeks applicants for a Legal Director. The position is full-time and flexible with location. CRPE is a non-profit environmental justice organization based in Delano, California. Our mission is to achieve environmental justice and healthy sustainable communities through collective action and the law. We provide legal and technical assistance to the grassroots movement for environmental justice. We combine community organizing, legal representation, policy advocacy and coalition building to help build healthy sustainable communities in low-income communities and communities of color. CRPE strongly believes in the maxims that communities should speak for themselves, and that advocates for environmental justice should be on tap, not on top. Our staff shares a deep commitment to social and racial justice.

The Legal Director oversees the legal representation CRPE provides low income and BIPOC communities in the San Joaquin Valley. The Legal Director supervises staff, supports developing and conducting litigation, and works with organizers to ensure litigation connected to community needs. The Legal Director reports to a designated supervisor on the executive team.

Responsibilities:

  • Assist in the implementation of CRPE’s mission, goals, and core values
  • Oversee development and implementation of CRPE’s legal services
  • Represent CRPE and its mission externally to funders, donors, allies and at conferences and convenings
  • Develop and maintain good relationships with co-counsel, community residents, and allies.
  • Direct Supervision of Senior and Staff Attorneys
  • Work with Executive Director to assist in the hiring of CRPE legal staff
  • Assist in Human Resource compliance
  • Assist in Conflict Resolution process
  • Co-ordinate implementation of personnel policies and procedures for attorneys
  • Support the Development Director by contributing to grant applications and reports, newsletters, website updates, and action alerts and by cultivating individual donors.
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

  • JD and admission to the California State Bar
  • At least 7 years of legal practice, with a focus on Environmental Justice or Civil Rights law
  • Experience with Community Lawyering model
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills
  • Experience with rural issues or in rural areas
  • Knowledge of and experience in both strategic oversight and day-to-day department operations of a development program, including supervision of staff
  • Highly organized and able to prioritize multiple tasks
  • Flexible, creative, and able to thrive in a fast paced environment
  • Comfortable working with a team and independently
  • Able to work flexible and variable hours
  • Experience working with diverse, complex organizations
  • Able to perform multiple responsibilities simultaneously, detail oriented, and strong creative problem-solving skills
  • Demonstrated ability to follow through on responsibilities

Other Desired Qualities

  • Experience working with and motivating staff and volunteers is desired
  • Written and oral fluency English/Spanish, preferred
  • Experience with Microsoft and Windows software

Location

  • Reside in or be willing to relocate to the State of California, with a strong preference for close proximity to Kern County
  • Must be ready and willing to provide regular in person time with staff and community in Kern County, as well as travel to Sacramento as required

How to Apply

E-mail cover letter, resume summarizing your interest, qualifications, and experience, writing sample and three professional references to Claire Moynihan, Interim Executive Director, cmoynihan@crpe-ej.org. Please include “Legal Director” in subject line.

CRPE is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. We strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTIQ, and intersectional candidates to apply.

Compensation

Salary range $85,000-$95,000. Full and generous benefits including health, dental, vision, and retirement plan contributions.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER

The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) seeks applicants for Community Organizer in our Delano, California office. The position is a full-time, non-exempt position.

CRPE is a 34-year-old non-profit environmental justice organization based in Delano (in Kern County), California. Our mission is to achieve environmental justice and healthy sustainable communities through collective action and the law. We provide legal and technical assistance to the grassroots movement for environmental justice. We combine community organizing, legal representation, policy advocacy and coalition building to build community health, community power, and community resistance in low income communities and communities of color. CRPE strongly believes in the maxim that communities should speak for themselves, and that advocates for environmental justice should be on tap, not on top. Our staff shares a deep commitment to social and racial justice.

The Community Organizer will be part of a team of organizers dedicated to building power around environmental health and justice issues in low-income communities and communities of color in the Central Valley of California specifically in the counties of Tulare, Kings and Kern. Community Organizers are responsible for developing, planning, implementing, and coordinating campaigns and programs. By working in communities and increasing their leadership to engage in campaigns and programs, Community Organizers help identify environmental impacts, build the organization’s base and the visibility of issues and support community’s action around the issues.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

In addition to the listed duties and responsibilities, others may be assigned.

  • Mission Leadership
    • Ensure CRPE carries out its mission, vision, goals and core values
    • Participate in the development of CRPE’s Strategic Plan
    • Represent CRPE and its mission externally to funders, donors, community leaders, partnering organizations, affiliated boards and committees and at conferences and convenings
    • Develop and maintain positive and dependable relationships with:
      • Environmental and social justice organizations
      • Individuals including labor officials, politicians, religious leaders, community leaders, and individuals associated with CRPE’s work
      • Media
      • Communities CRPE’s organizing work is focused on
      • Residents and community groups who are interested in EJ but not part of community committees.
  • Programmatic Leadership and Coordination
    • Implement CRPE’s work plans in collaboration with other staff.
    • Develop and implement campaigns and programs in communities
      • Build CRPEs base of community leaders
        • Identify, develop and train community leaders
      • Host and facilitate regular meetings with community members and leaders to increase their capacity to take action on issues impacting their communities
      • Identify and leverage community environmental justice issues
      • Develop and implement workplans with community leaders
      • Assist in the formation of community-run projects
      • Conduct personal visits and employ organizing tactics
      • Identify potential allies
      • Collaborate with community residents, allies and agencies
    • Work with and participate in coalitions advancing similar goals
  • Program Leadership
    • Lead campaigns for progressive environmental justice and health policy issues and system change at local, regional and state
    • Provide policy analysis
    • Generate educational and training materials
    • Provide testimony at regulatory and policy hearings related to environmental health and justice.
  • Events
    • Attend and represent the organization at all special and fundraising events
  • Communications and Media
    • Contribute content such as pictures for social media
    • When needed, participate in newspaper, television, or radio interviews

Requirements

The Community Organizer must be able to perform each of the duties satisfactorily in order to be
successful within this position. The requirements listed below are representative of the
knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

  • Education
    • BA or equivalent life experience
  • Experience
    • 3-5 years of community organizing experience
    • Experience working with coalitions
    • Planning experience preferred
  • Technology Skills
    • Moderate computer skills required
    • Microsoft Office 365 software familiarity
  • Language Skills
    • Fluent in Spanish and English, speaking, reading and writing required
  • Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
    • Valid Driver’s License required

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee
encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations
may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and
responsibilities.

  • Moderate to extensive travel within the San Joaquin Valley
  • Noise level in the workplace is usually quiet
  • Ability and willingness to work irregular hours

Salary Range

$58,000+ depending on experience, plus generous benefits

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample to Gustavo Aguirre, Director of
Organizing, at gaguirre@crpe-ej.org.

Thank you for your interest. There are no openings at The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) at this time.