Join our Team!
Who are we?
DesegregateCT is a pro-homes coalition of neighbors and nonprofits advocating for more equitable, affordable, and environmentally-sustainable land use policies in Connecticut, with a focus on expanding the diversity and supply of our housing stock. Formed in June 2020, in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and the renewed conversation on racial justice, our work is about first imagining and then enacting a new vision for local and state land use policies that promotes racial, economic, and climate justice. Read more about our work in our Annual Reports.
The work of DesegregateCT focuses on three primary functions: educating the public through workshops, trainings, and issue briefs; researching current land use policies and measuring the positive impact of reforms; and organizing advocacy campaigns at the state and local levels, focusing on empowering local residents to speak for the kinds of changes they want to see.
NOW HIRING: DesegregateCT Program Director
DesegregateCT is seeking a Program Director to lead its next phase of growth. The DesegregateCT Program Director will be a full-time RPA staff member responsible for managing and executing the DesegregateCT campaign reporting to the Connecticut Director of RPA. Candidates should share our passion for fostering equitably, healthy, and sustainable cities and communities. The ideal candidate will be an entrepreneurial individual with extensive experience in land use policy, grassroots organizing, and program development. The Program Director will help develop and execute the coalition’s mission; scale its programming capacity; and enhance its advocacy efforts at the state and local levels.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree or higher.
3-5+ years of experience in land use policy creation and advocacy or equivalent.
2 years of experience with non-profit management and program development.
Passion for racial, economic, and climate justice, and for mentorship, training, and promoting young activists and voices from historically marginalized communities.
Experience with fundraising and grant writing, supervising staff and projects, and coalition building across multiple spaces and types of institutions.
Confidence in public speaking ability, writing capacity, and public relations.
Preferred Qualifications
Graduate-level degree in relevant fields (urban planning, public policy, environmental policy, law).
Experience in affordable housing, land use, transportation, and climate adaptation.
Experience in crafting educational workshops or courses for the general public.
Experience in creating communication assets including briefs, videos, and social media.
Experience developing legislative strategy and managing relationships with elected officials.
Experience in Connecticut policy and politics.
Spanish language proficiency
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Manage 6-8 staff, volunteers, interns, and any part-time staffers.
Expand membership base and coalition partnerships.
Develop and manage educational programming for residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders on land use reform.
Develop annual state-level legislative goals and manage lobbying strategies.
Develop comprehensive tracking of all city/town Planning & Zoning boards, meetings, and openings to monitor for opportunities to advocate for a pro-homes agenda.
Develop an organizing model that identifies, trains, and supports local residents to lobby local officials, speak at public meetings, and run for open board seats.
Develop research priorities to further advocacy efforts and legislative goals.
Manage and design all communications strategy, marketing, and promotional materials including digital channels.
Develop and execute a fundraising strategy in close collaboration with RPA.
Develop an annual budget and ensure accountability to funders.
Help project manage a pro-homes conference in New Haven.
The position will be 40+ hours a week with some evenings and weekends expected. The position will be based in Connecticut but operate remotely. This is a two-year, grant-funded position, with the potential for extension based upon fundraising. Ideally, the candidate will be able to start at the beginning of January 2025. This is a full-time position with retirement, health, vision, and dental benefits. Expected salary is $70,000-$90,000, consummate with skills and experience.
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to info@rpa.org
Intern or Volunteer with DesegregateCT!
We are now accepting applications for Summer 2024!
The involvement, energy, and optimism of high school, college, graduate students and student-aged individuals has been critical to the success of the pro-homes movement in Connecticut!
In exchange for your contributions, we provide high-quality supervision, a fun and fast-paced collaborative environment, and the chance to “own” high-profile roles in the movement. We can also serve as site supervisors for college externship/internship credit. Interested?
Paid Internships: Please email us and check back for job descriptions!
Volunteering: Please fill out this volunteer form to join our team.
Want to Fund an Intern?
While we have many high school, college, and graduate students working on our core team without compensation, we love to provide them with stipends as funding becomes available. Please consider a contribution in the amount of $500 or more! We’ll recognize you in next year’s Annual Report.