CMGE Community Director
Overview:
The United Auto Workers has created a new 501(c)(3) organization, the UAW Center for Manufacturing a Green Economy (CMGE), to lead the unions recruitment and training for careers in climate manufacturing, empowering a well-trained green workforce to meet the growing needs of manufacturing operations created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and the CHIPS Act. Many of these investments, while critical to onshoring green industry, at the same time offer low wages, limited safety training, and create barriers to support workers’ right to organize. This trend is exacerbating a serious shortage of qualified, motivated workers needed to rapidly scale this technologycrimping sectoral growth. Without high-road standards, these gaps will worsen and decarbonization will be delayed. CMGE is bringing a new standard of training to the green economy empowering workers with knowledge of these green manufacturing technologies, ensuring that their voices are amplified, and building a just transition towards new, diverse, climate industries where workers and communities can thrive. We believe that an investment in the workers driving the energy transition is an investment in the American climate economy.
This is a natural extension of the UAW’s strengths in training programs, and includes a focus on worker-led education, health and safety training, technical skill enhancement, problem solving skills, creative thinking, human-machine interface (HMI) best practices, troubleshooting, in addition to a strong emphasis on inclusive recruitment practices aimed at diversifying the workforce, which in turn significantly influences the nature of bargaining contracts and the provision of comprehensive workplace services. CMGE is a groundbreaking model that the UAW is building, leading unions into climate manufacturing and ensuring the climate transition centers the workers and communities powering it.
Job Description:
The Centers pilot project is the development of a high-road workforce training program for Sparkz, a lithium ferrophosphate (LFP) battery manufacturer in Sacramento as part of a labor peace agreement between Sparkz and UAW. The Sparkz program is the first of its kind in the battery industry. CMGE will build a robust and diverse recruitment pipeline for young people, women, communities of color and underserved communities, dynamic climate manufacturing pre-employment training including wraparound services to support cohorts, and a skills-based apprenticeship for green manufacturing production workers.
CMGE is hiring a Community Director to develop a comprehensive recruitment program for potential applicants, build relationships with community groups, civil society, labor, climate groups, cultural centers, and workforce development agencies to shape the cohort pathway for the CMGE workforce training program at the Sparkz factory in Sacramento. During the development program, this role will also be responsible for coordinating coaching, community, and support services that are available for incoming cohorts.
Beyond this initial project, this role will also be responsible for building broader community networks with labor, climate, environmental justice and community groups to establish partnerships and recruitment networks for new high-road green manufacturing jobs being established in California, Arizona, Nevada and Washington.
Job Duties:
Participate in the leadership team responsible for successful outcomes, including the CMGE Director and the Director of Workforce Development.
Collaborate with employer representatives to identify the job classifications, skills and job requirements of the project + other projects in the future.
Design a fair recruitment and selection process that identifies strong candidates for the training program, including recruitment sessions and interactive presentations with potential applicants.
Liaise with employers, partners, and applicants to ensure that detailed information about job requirements, training standards, and program is communicated to all parties.
Connect with and organize frontline, BIPOC, youth, refugee communities and Tribes to enter the training program and apprenticeship.
Create and implement recruitment protocol that considers equity, just transition principles, and inclusivity for communities that have experienced systemic barriers to work.
Identify potential recruitment partners in the local community such as workforce centers, job centers, labor, carceral justice and environmental justice organizations, cultural centers, community colleges, Tribes, and community-based organizations, etc.
Identify contract staff that can assist, support, and work with potential applicants to resolve life issues that might interfere with successful employment: childcare, transportation, family responsibilities, etc.
Develop a coaching program to work with potential educational program participants, and with newly hired workers.
Conduct recruitment sessions and provide coaching support to potential candidates.
Maintain timelines, and deadlines for completion of the recruitment process.
Build relationships and networks between the Center and labor, workforce, agency, legislative, environmental justice, climate, cultural and community-based organizations in different parts of California.
Preferred Experience and Skills:
6-7 years of work experience in labor, climate, or community development with preference for those with experience working in or with community-based organizations, or in a union that provides support services.
Experience in community and network building, union organizing, political coalition work and building relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Ability to self-organize and set priorities, goals, and manage multiple competing workstreams.
Understanding of racial and socio-economic equity principles including systemic economic and social barriers to work.
Experience working in a team, with contractors, and employer representatives.
Ability to adapt in a startup environment and manage a team.
Ability to research and understand issues outside scope of knowledge in a timely manner.
Proficient with Microsoft Office and Google products such as Gmail and Google Drive (docs & sheets)
Understanding of decarbonization pathways, climate policy, energy industry, and green manufacturing
An understanding of labor and its role in the climate transition.
Understanding of the linkages between political, workforce, and climate education.
Demonstrated experience facilitating a group through decision-making regarding strategic, programmatic, and/or policy issues
Working proficiency of Spanish
Prior experience leading programs or projects from ideation through to design and implementation
Experience developing a functional expertise in at least three new issue areas and the ability to articulate your personal learning style
Motivated by the mission of a just, and worker-centered climate transition.
Strong oral and written communication skills
Organizational Relationship:
The Community Director reports to the Executive Director, and collaborates with other staff, consultants, and partners.
Location:
This is a hybrid position with the selected candidate needing to initially be in California. The first program will take place in Sacramento so the selected candidate will be expected to travel to Sacramento frequently at least 1-2 times a week, or as necessary. Preference for someone Bay Area or Sacramento based.
Time:
This is a full-time, exempt position working an average of 40 hours a week. At times, evening and/or weekend work may be needed to complete tasks.
Physical Demands:
Ability to work at a computer for 8 hours per day, communicate with a variety of people. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Compensation and Benefits:
The salary is $101,000. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes fully employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, a 4% employer match, paid holidays, 20 vacation days, 8 weeks of parental leave, and sick time.
How to Apply:
Please send your cover letter and resume to [email protected] with the subject line Community Director Position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions. We encourage and will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Applicants with Disabilities:
Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. If you are seeking accommodation, please advise in writing at the time you apply.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $95,000.00 – $105,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Schedule:
Ability to Relocate:
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Oakland, CA 94612