Director of Labor and Coalition Relations

Jewish California’s advocacy depends on relationships beyond the Jewish community. These include labor unions, institutions that govern California’s schools, and LGBTQ, interfaith, and identity-based organizations that share many of our policy goals. We work alongside these partners on anti-hate, social justice, human services, and civil rights priorities because they reflect our values.

Some of these relationships have grown strained. In recent years, some education unions and civil liberties organizations have opposed major antisemitism initiatives, at times in ways that have deepened distrust with the Jewish community. Other relationships, particularly across faith and identity communities, were tested after October 7, 2023, and have not yet been rebuilt.

This new role gives Jewish California dedicated capacity to build and repair these relationships. That means identifying partners for shared advocacy, showing up for their priorities as well as our own, representing the Jewish community’s values and concerns to them, and helping ensure the organizations we work with understand and take antisemitism seriously.

Responsibilities

Labor and Institutional Relations

Build and sustain working relationships with California’s major labor unions and education governance bodies. These include education unions, school management and governance associations, and labor organizations outside education where partnership is possible.
Represent Jewish California’s priorities and concerns, including antisemitism, directly to their leadership.
Where a relationship is strained, work with the CEO on a staged path toward repair, including when a concern needs to be raised more directly.
Coalition and Intergroup Relations

Build reciprocal partnerships with LGBTQ, interfaith, and identity-based organizations across California, and help rebuild relationships strained after October 7.
Identify shared policy priorities and turn them into joint action, such as coalition letters, events, and advocacy campaigns.
Represent Jewish California at community events, coalitions, and convenings outside our network.
Coordinate with member organizations already doing intergroup or labor work locally, and with colleagues managing relationships within the Jewish community, so our efforts complement theirs.
Strategy and Communications

Contribute to letters, statements, coalition materials, newsletters, press releases, and social media posts tied to this work.
Track relationships and engagement systematically and document them so they are shared across the team and stay with the organization.
Report regularly to the CEO on progress, risks, and opportunities, and help set priorities across a broad portfolio.
General Support

Take on special projects as assigned by the CEO, including policy work.
As on any small team, help coordinate day-to-day operations and event logistics, and staff events.

What Success Looks Like

First six months: You’ve mapped the leadership and landscape across the state’s major education unions and management associations. You’ve identified a first set of LGBTQ, interfaith, and identity-based partners, and work on at least one shared priority is underway.
Year one: You have at least three visible, credible partnerships to point to, such as a joint letter, event, or shared advocacy win. You also have a clear read on which relationships are moving toward partnership and which need a different approach.
Year two: These are durable, recurring relationships built on mutual respect, with a track record of showing up for partners before we need something from them.

Qualifications

Essential:

7+ years of experience in coalition-building, government relations, community organizing, or related advocacy work, including experience in politically complex, multi-stakeholder environments
A demonstrated track record of building relationships across difference, ideally including during periods of tension or historical distrust
Working knowledge of California’s labor and education-governance landscape, or an equally strong foundation in multi-stakeholder coalition work; we don’t expect deep expertise in both on day one
A clear personal commitment to combating antisemitism and to Jewish California’s mission • Sound political judgment and diplomacy, and the ability to navigate difficult conversations, including knowing when to build trust gradually and when a situation calls for a more direct approach
Strong, clear writing
Comfort working with autonomy on a small, fully remote team

Strong preference, not required:

Direct experience with labor unions or the labor movement
Existing relationships with LGBTQ, interfaith, or identity-based organizations in California
Background in K-12 or higher education policy