CCWP IS HIRING A POLICY/CAMPAIGN ORGANIZER!

The incumbent needs to live in California and be able to travel frequently to Sacramento for legislative work. A lot of the work will be done remotely.

CCWP is a grassroots abolitionist organization, with members inside and outside prison, that challenges the institutional violence imposed on women, transgender people, and communities of color by the prison industrial complex (PIC).

We are looking for a passionate, systems impacted person who can anchor CCWP’s policy work, help set policy priorities, and contribute to CCWP’s key campaigns. As the policy anchor, the incumbent would prioritize in-depth work on a few pieces of legislation and develop broad expertise on criminal legal legislation in general. The position would work closely with CCWP’s many partner organizations on the bills we prioritize as co-sponsors.

For example this past legislative session CCWP was a co-sponsor of SB 300 which would have reformed the felony murder special circumstances part of the penal code, the Racial Justice Act for All (which passed into law), and the Vision Act which would have would have protected immigrant community members who have already been deemed eligible for release from being transferred by local jails and the state prison system to immigration detention.  The position would track other significant legislation, prepare support letters for a variety of bills that CCWP supports, and monitor the implementation of the legislation that has been passed.  

The incumbent would also work with CCWP’s other staff and volunteer members on one or two campaigns that are closely linked to our programmatic priorities. This year we are launching a  bold campaign to Close Women’s Prisons in California together with the CURB coalition – (Californians United for a Responsible Budget).  The incumbent would represent CCWP in this campaign, working closely with CURB and CCWP members.

All of CCWP’s work is guided by people inside women’s prisons, formerly incarcerated people and systems impacted family members and communities, prioritizing the values of racial and gender justice.  Our policy/campaign work needs to involve impacted people and communities to the greatest extent possible. 

We see policy and campaign work as tools to advance our goals of decarceration, abolition, collective care and community reinvestment.

Black, Latinx and other People of Color who are formerly incarcerated or loved ones of incarcerated people are strongly encouraged to apply.

We are looking for someone who shares:

• Support for CCWP’s mission, goals and programs .
•  Interest in developing progressive legislation that can make significant reforms in a variety of criminal legal areas including conditions of confinement, pre-trial detention, reducing  extreme sentences, parole processes, and immigrant detention.
• Excitement about  working on bold campaigns with a visionary perspective such as the Close CA Women’s Prisons campaign.
• Commitment to working with a wide variety of people inside and outside of prison, prioritizing the communities most impacted and inclusive of all those who want to work in solidarity with impacted people and communities.
•  Interest in working in a small, non-hierarchical organization with a small staff and extensive volunteer network. 

Responsibilities

• Anchor CCWP’s policy work and help to guide CCWP’s decision-making about legislative priorities.
• Work closely with CCWP’s partner organizations to decide upon legislative priorities for each session.
• Ensure CCWP representation in different policy work groups.
• Develop overview of current criminal legal legislation.
• Monitor the implementation of key legislation that impacts incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people.
• Anchor one or two of CCWP’s major campaigns, with the current priority on the Close CA Women’s Prisons campaign.
• Participate in CCWP’s leadership body, the coordinating committee
• Attend monthly CCWP statewide meetings.
• Work closely with CCWP staff, members, interns and Advisory Board.

Qualifications

• Prior experience with campaign development, policy work, legislative advocacy, research or other forms of organizing to change the criminal legal system or closely related systems.
• Direct experience with the criminal legal system.
• Excitement about visionary, bold projects as well as commitment to progressive reform legislation.
• Ability to work independently
• Comfortable working flexible hours, possible travel, working via phone and computer, and keeping in consistent communication with colleagues in other parts of the state.
• Commitment to the development of leadership skills in oneself and in others.
• Strong writing and other communication skills.
• Solid computer skills.
• Comfortable with a collective, non-hierarchical organizational structure.
• Commitment to mutual accountability, teamwork and collectivity.

Annual salary: $70,000 with possible increase after three month successful orientation period. Full package health benefits, vacation and sick leave.

TO APPLY SEND RESUME AND COVER LETTER DESCRIBING YOUR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND WHAT INTERESTS YOU ABOUT THE POSITION BY FEBRUARY 1, 2023 TO:

ccwppolicyorganizer@gmail.com