ACORN is looking for two Community Organisers to build power in Birmingham (x1 position) and Leeds (x1 position).

ACORN is a mass membership organisation – is a vehicle for collective action. By taking action on issues, we build the hopes, expectations and experience of our members and the communities they come from. 

Our organising is premised on two simple truths: problems affecting working class communities – from unhealthy, unaffordable and insecure housing, to cuts to public services – stem from a lack of power; and the most effective means of building power is for people to get organised. 

About the job

As a Community Organiser with ACORN, you will be responsible for recruiting, supporting and working with members to take action on issues affecting them and the communities they come from. 

ACORN is a union in the community. Like any union our members pay membership dues so that they can have a sustainable independent organisation to fight for their interests.

You will be the organiser for ACORN in your respective city. Your daily work will involve: 

• Recruiting individual ACORN members through door knocking, social media and other means.
• Managing organising drives to build new and maintain existing ACORN branches, groups, teams.
• Identifying issues of common concern at the neighbourhood and wider level;
• Identifying and supporting potential leaders to enable them to take on leadership roles in the organisation.
• Supporting elected leaders to enable them to carry out their roles. 

QUALIFICATIONS

No formal qualifications are necessary. We’re primarily looking for someone with a strong work ethic with good listening skills and the ability to motivate others. 

*Applications from women and/or people from a BAME background are strongly encouraged to ensure our workforce reflects the communities we service as much as possible, and to help us meet our commitments to diversity and inclusion. 

Experience, skills and abilities

The successful applicant will have:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• The ability to recruit dues-paying members to ACORN
• The ability to support the development of groups and teams
• The ability to motivate people
• The ability to work independently and manage a team of volunteers
• The ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment and be detail-oriented
• A willingness to work sometimes long and irregular hours, including evenings and weekends, usual working hours are between 12-8pm

In turn, ACORN is committed to investing in the continued professional development of our organising staff. Training and support will include:

• First week: ACORN Foundations of Community Organising training (5 days)
• First 3 months: Weekly 121 management supervision; daily recruitment practice with fellow organising staff; weekly group team call; on-call daily management support.
• After 3 months: bi-weekly 121 management supervision; daily recruitment practice with fellow organising staff; weekly group team call; on-call daily management support. 
• Additional ongoing training opportunities where identified.

Salary 

£16,926 – 19,000 pa dependent on experience and level of responsibility.

For a full job description, person specification and application form, please visit our website.