SENIOR ORGANIZING STRATEGIST AT INDUSTRIOUS LABS in Remote, New York at Axis Talent Partners

NOTE: We encourage applicants to submit by Nov 30th for priority consideration. While the application process will remain open on a rolling basis, candidates who apply by this date are most likely to be included in the first round of reviews by the Search Committee.

About Industrious Labs

Industry is the foundation of modern society. We need materials like steel and concrete more than ever to rebuild our bridges and roads, construct wind and solar projects, and manufacture the electric vehicles and heat pumps that will undergird our future. But industry needs a second revolution. For as much as industry made the middle class and ushered in a remarkable era of prosperity for many, it also threatens our climate, reinforces environmental racism, wastes valuable materials and energy, and leaves communities and workers behind.

At Industrious Labs, our mission is to set into motion unstoppable policies, people power, and analysis to make a triple impact on climate, justice, and jobs — drastically reduce dangerous emissions, and make industry accountable to communities and workers. Over our first five years, we have grown from a $1M to a ~$10M annual operating budget, across a 501(c)(3) organization and an aligned LLC. Our 28 staff include a small but growing contingent based outside the U.S.

We are led by a team of four partners rather than a single executive director — a structure that reflects our commitment to distributed leadership and democratic decision-making. We are deliberately collaborative, equity-centered, and mission-driven. Everyone at Industrious Labs genuinely believes in this work, and that shared conviction is one of our greatest strengths.

Position Summary

Industrious Labs is at an inflection point. The cement and concrete industry isn’t the first thing most people think about when it comes to climate justice and the industry benefits from being hidden in this way. Yet cement and concrete create 8% of global emissions, and production across the Global South is projected to grow significantly over the next 25 years. Decisions made now—by governments, producers, funders, and communities—will shape whether that growth locks in decades of pollution or becomes a pathway to green cement, good jobs, and healthier communities.

To be clear, cement isn’t like coal or tar sands. It is an essential ingredient of the bridges, roads, dams, and buildings that will help communities adapt to a new climate reality, and of the construction trades that support livelihoods and pathways to build wealth. We don’t want to shut down this industry. We want to fundamentally transform it by putting it on a 1.5°C pathway while meeting humanity’s needs for economic opportunity, infrastructure, and shelter.

This year, Industrious Labs hired its first international staff and is actively expanding its Global South cement work across India, Southeast Asia, Tanzania, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Senior Organizing Strategist will sit within our Field Building team, reporting to Dominique Thomas, Chief Visionary Officer, and working closely with colleagues on the Cement Team. This is a relationship-driven, public-facing role at the intersection of organizing, coalition-building, and global strategy, for an equity-centered leader who can build capacity and collective vision across diverse perspectives and experiences. At Industrious Labs, organizing builds lasting power and our campaigns put that power to work to win. This role sits at that seam for our Global South cement work.

The purpose of this role is to build strategic, durable, and evergreen power with impacted people, working people, and beyond in the Global South, where cement production will increase over the coming decades. Our vision is a strong Global Cement Network of Global South leaders who are able to lead the transition to green cement. Industrious Labs sees itself as a jumpstarter, not a permanent owner, of this network. From inception, the intent is for it to become Global South-owned and Global South-led.

In the first year, the strategist will assess the global cement landscape, its current players and gaps, and identify and recruit Global Cement Network participants both inside and outside civil society: in-country advisors and consultants, government and bureaucratic contacts, NGOs, and community groups. They will become the connective tissue across countries and partners, lead power analysis and landscape assessment in target countries, and co-lead cement’s strategy for moving re-granting dollars to partners in a justice-oriented manner. Responsibilities will evolve as the team grows: expanding into additional countries, with particular investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, and helping shift the network toward Global South ownership.

This is not a technical cement role. Industry knowledge can be learned on the job. We are looking for an entrepreneurial organizer and convener — whether from climate, racial justice, labor, housing, or international organizing — who builds authentic and lasting relationships with communities impacted by industrial pollution, engaging them as partners in our mission. The ideal candidate sees transformational power-building as necessary to win and dismantle systems of oppression; takes a concept from idea to implementation without getting stuck; navigates across governments, bureaucracies, cultures, and time zones with discretion and care; and brings a genuine commitment to climate justice.

Essential Leadership Responsibilities

Relationship and coalition / power building

• Identify, recruit, and build an aligned and powerful Global Cement Network with a shared vision of industrial transformation — engaging participants inside and outside civil society, including in-country advisors and consultants, government and bureaucratic contacts, NGOs, and community groups

• Build authentic, trust-based relationships with communities and organizations impacted by pollution from cement facilities, engaging them as partners in our mission and growing durable, evergreen power

• Serve as the connective tissue across countries, advisors, and partners, taking over relationship and coordination work currently held informally by consultants

• Identify partners with aligned efforts to accelerate action and leverage resources, relationships, and research

• Help build, and ultimately hand off ownership of, the Global Cement Network — supporting the shift toward a Global South-owned and -operated model

Comfort with ambiguity and conflict resolution

• Move work forward inside a young, still-maturing organization where structures, processes, and reporting lines are evolving — including as Industrious Labs builds its five-year strategic plan

• Navigate and help resolve tension and disagreement among partners and colleagues, including across lines of identity, geography, and power, with care and directness

• Hold real contradictions without resolving them away — for example, engaging with industry while centering frontline and impacted communities

• Make sound judgment calls when the playbook is unclear, navigating internal and external barriers as they arise without getting stuck

Organizing and movement-building background

• Assess the global cement industry landscape, current players, and gaps, and conduct power analysis, community mapping, and landscape assessments for target countries — applying Industrious Labs’ power and strategy lens to identify targets, allies, and leverage points

• Help build shared network goals, strategy, narrative, and assets, ensuring a balance of perspectives is represented

• Work with partners to introduce and enact ambitious clean cement and concrete policies in target geographies, and to push target companies to strengthen and accelerate plans for zero-carbon cement and concrete production

• Create local expressions of campaign work, including engaging communities living near cement and concrete facilities through power-building, mobilization, and leadership development

• Design and implement trainings and other opportunities for partners to collaborate, train each other, and build the foundational knowledge to develop and refine campaign approaches

• Co-lead the cements’s re-granting strategy — identifying Global South organizations to fund, shaping statements of work, moving resources in a justice-oriented manner, and balancing short-term strategic grants with long-term power-building investment

• Bring creative, risk-tolerant organizing approaches suited to industrial transformation, rather than defaulting to a traditional climate-campaign playbook

• Help build and refine a ladder of engagement and leadership pipeline for network participants and frontline communities, moving toward a network that is shaped and led by Global South leaders.

• Track organizing and network outcomes through Industrious Labs’ measurement and evaluation framework, and use what we learn to adjust strategy and support grant reporting.

Cross-cultural and multi-stakeholder fluency

• Work across real power differentials — Global North to Global South, industry to impacted communities, national governments to grassroots groups — adapting approach and communication to each audience

• Engage key leaders, organizations, and partners in strategy development to build institutional and country-based support for the cement campaign’s goals, in line with our values around equity and justice

• Navigate government bureaucracies and political systems across multiple countries (e.g., Indian state governments, East African ministries) alongside U.S. organizing and philanthropic spaces

• Coordinate across multiple time zones and help build equitable practices for working with in-country consultants, advisors, and non-U.S. colleagues

• Support expansion into additional countries, with particular investment in Sub-Saharan Africa

Discretion, judgment, and emotional intelligence

• Exercise sound judgment about what is appropriate to share with re-grantees, advisors, and funders versus what stays internal, protecting partner trust and organizational relationships

• Handle sensitive information — including funding, personnel, and strategy — with care, building trust without overexposing the organization or its partners

• Bring high emotional intelligence to complex relationships, reading the room and adjusting approach across cultural and political contexts

• Self-starting independence and bias toward action

• Operate with minimal day-to-day oversight on a small, distributed team, setting priorities and driving work forward independently

• Balance multiple countries, partners, and workstreams simultaneously without losing momentum

• Lead the development of the coordination infrastructure the international portfolio needs — a shared vision, theory of change, and capacity-building strategy with global partners — rather than waiting for structure to be provided

• Find and deploy resources creatively to solve problems, taking ideas from concept to implementation

• Collaborate proactively across Industrious Labs’ teams and campaigns, sharing information and connecting the Global South work to the broader organization

Essential Qualifications

Key Qualifications for the Role

• 5–8 years of experience in coalition development, power building, and capacity, field, or movement building, in climate, racial justice, housing, labor, international organizing, or another social justice movement, with a track record of accomplishment

• Demonstrated track record establishing, growing, and sustaining diverse coalitions or networks, bringing partners to the table, earning buy-in, and turning relationships into durable power and concrete outcomes

• Experience designing and implementing organizing efforts in local, state, regional, national, and/or international settings that build long-term, sustainable power to win, including leader development and base-building (short-term electoral canvassing experience alone is not sufficient for this role)

• Experience developing and implementing a power analysis, community mapping, and/or landscape assessment, including the ability to get up to speed on complex information and articulate key findings and patterns

• Experience assisting or leading strategy development in coalition spaces and with diverse people and perspectives

• Strong relationship-building skills, ideally with existing relationships across diverse constituencies, e.g. environmental justice communities, labor, big greens, government, and policymakers

• Strong analysis of movement theory and the intersectionality of racial capitalism and other systems of oppression, applied to power-building work

• Cross-cultural fluency and experience working across countries, cultures, or time zones, adapting approach to government officials, bureaucracies, funders, NGOs, industry, and community groups

• Sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive information with partners, grantees, and funders

• Comfort navigating ambiguity, internal tension, and conflict, with experience mediating or resolving disagreements constructively

• Demonstrated ability to work independently with limited oversight, manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, and move work forward under conditions of incomplete information or evolving scope

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working internationally and familiarity with the international advocacy and civil society landscape in the Global South (e.g., India, Brazil, East Africa, or Sub-Saharan Africa)

• Experience re-granting, grantmaking, or subcontracting with local partners and moving resources equitably, or philanthropic program work

• Entrepreneurial drive and prior experience as an early team member in a growing organization

• Corporate campaign experience, or other work that bridges industry and community perspectives

• Environmental justice experience

Industrious Labs Core Qualifications

These are shared across all roles at Industrious Labs:

• Deep alignment with our mission, values, and goals.

• Highly collaborative work style and service as a peer and thought partner.

• Commitment to learning, curiosity, and personal growth.

• Strong communication skills — able to break down complex issues into clear strategies and decisions.

• Excited by the unknown and eager to build.

• Proven leadership and commitment to equity, transparency, and team culture.

• Demonstrated experience working across lines of race, class, gender, and geography.

• Skill within a dynamic, fast-paced environment and moving between solo efforts and teamwork.

• Openness to giving and receiving compassionate, direct feedback.

Location, Travel & Availability

Industrious Labs is a fully remote organization. This is a remote role open to US-based and International candidates. International candidates cannot be located more than ten hours from the EST time zone. US-based staff must be eligible to work in the United States indefinitely without visa sponsorship or renewal.

Travel of approximately 3-4 days at a time, two weeks per quarter (i.e. approximately 5-6 trips per year), is expected for team gatherings and conferences.

Compensation & Benefits

The annual salary for this position is $126,000. Industrious Labs has a policy not to negotiate on salaries. Rather than rely on negotiation, the organization offers transparent pay aligned with experience, responsibilities, and organizational values.

Industrious Labs offers competitive benefits, including 100% employer-paid health coverage (medical, dental and vision), a work-from-home stipend, up to 5% 401k employer match, 11 paid holidays, and unlimited vacation (with a minimum of 15 business days).

To Apply

Industrious Labs has engaged Axis Talent Partners to lead this search process. With a strong track record of recruiting successful leaders from diverse backgrounds, Axis is a consultant and executive search firm that partners with social impact organizations to center equity and inclusion in search processes.

Axis Talent Partners is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and to providing equitable and inclusive access throughout the hiring process. Interview questions will be provided in advance. Alternative interview formats (e.g. phone only, closed captioning transcription, etc.) and flexible scheduling (e.g. extended interview times) will be made available. For any additional candidate accommodation requests, please contact Nadia Khan at nadia@axistalentpartners.com.

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Our Commitment to Racial Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Climate Justice

We believe diversity isn’t just a value — it’s essential to solving the climate crisis. If you’re excited by this job, even if your experience doesn’t match every bullet point, we hope you apply. We welcome candidates from a range of backgrounds and with skills that may be transferable. Industrious Labs is an equal-opportunity employer committed to equity in hiring, advancement, and workplace culture.


A Note About Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Industrious Labs’ policies limit the use of AI and emphasize original work, including writing and rigorous source verification, so that our work is driven by human intelligence and creativity.

Please provide your original thoughts and ideas in your cover letter and answers to our questions. We hope to understand how you think your experience may contribute to being successful at Industrious Labs! Your authentic and unique perspective is important to us. We value this opportunity to gain an understanding of your independent thoughts without the use of artificial input or search tools.

We understand that your resume may have been built or developed with AI; however, your resume should represent your qualifications and skills accurately. Otherwise, the use of AI in the Industrious Labs hiring process, including responses to interview questions, thought exercises or writing prompts, may disqualify your candidacy.