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Citizens UK 

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

South London Citizens 

South London Citizens (SLC) is Citizen’s UK second oldest chapter, established in 2004. SLC has over 100 member institutions spread across seven south London boroughs, working together for the common good.

South London Citizens has developed 1000s of local leaders through training and action teams and won big national campaigns, for example delivering free school meals for children whose parents have no recourse to public funds.

The Living Wage campaign is part of SLC’s DNA and in the last 12 months a campaign to bring the Living Wage Campaign to the Southbank has delivered well over 1000 pay rises to south London workers. The Real Living Wage is currently £13.85 in London, compared with the National Minium Wage of £12.21 (for workers aged over 21).

Community Organising

Through our theory of social change, called community organising, we train thousands of everyday people to lead change in their communities, equipping them with the skills to hold politicians and other powerholders to account. We are made up of 500+ member organisations in powerful alliances throughout the UK. Our members include schools, universities, faith groups, parents’ groups, health practices, charities, trade unions and other civil society organisations. 

Purpose 

The principal responsibility of an Associate Organiser is their own development: learning the craft of Community Organising under the guidance of an experienced Community Organiser. They work intensively with a small number of member organisations under close supervision, growing their experience, skill and responsibility incrementally. An Associate Organiser is working towards becoming a competent practitioner of the craft of broad-based community organising methodology, and focuses on the building of relational power, the recruitment and retention of dues-paying institutions, the development of leaders, the strengthening of member institutions, leader-led public actions, and the winning of systemic change. 

This role is particularly to organise around the issue of low pay and precarious work and participate in Citizens UK’s flagship campaign, the Living Wage Campaign. We need someone who can speak Spanish as well as English, as south London’s Latin American communities are leading the work in South London. There is scope to involve leaders in campaigns around housing, health and migrants' rights, as we recognise that people affected by low pay are very often determined to take action on wider issues beyond work.     The purpose of the role is to develop leadership, especially grassroots leadership, workers from London’s lowest paid sectors, that can power the campaign. Crucially the Associate Organiser will work with colleagues in South London Citizens to build and execute a strategy that develops powerful leaders for South London Citizens and wins the Living Wage, Living Hours and other material gains for thousands of workers across the capital.

Main Responsibilities 

Working as an Associate Organiser in South London for Citizens UK, reporting to the Lead Organiser, South West, SLC, your main responsibilities will include: 

Build relational power to further the goals of CUK 

• Actively participate in the development of a comprehensive power analysis appropriate to the desired sphere of influence for each project/assignment 

• Establish working relationships with identified leaders and demonstrate ability to move them into action, including as part of the wider alliance; taking the initiative to establish new relationships as required 

• Conduct one-to-ones to develop relationships with leaders and understand their concerns. 

• Tell a wide range of Community Organising stories effectively to influence others and achieve CUK’s goals 

Identify and develop relational leaders prepared to act with others for the common good 

• Identify and discern actual and potential leaders with the passion and ability to drive change

• Proactively create opportunities for leaders to develop, in particular tertiary or new leaders; nominate for training on the core taster curriculum 

• Successfully deliver training workshops in local institutions and on the core taster curriculum at a local level 

Strengthen institutions and develop BBOs 

• Ensure good understanding of the basic interests and traditions of typical member institutions and worker leaders. 

• Organise a small number of member institutions or 1 strategic partner to work together for the achievement of common goals relating to the Living Wage campaign. 

• Support pre-existing core teams and create/develop new core teams to provide leadership 

Support leaders through the Cycle of Action in order to create change 

• Support leaders in running listening campaigns 

• Organise Living Wage actions; demonstrating increasing independence in working without the need for close supervision

• Take the lead in supporting groups of leaders through the cycle of action on the Living Wage; aiming to achieve new accreditations and other wins.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of actions; demonstrating ability to incorporate lessons learned into future actions 

  Contribute to CUK’s financial viability through effective fundraising & financial management  

• Recruit new dues paying institutions; work together with a more senior Organiser to negotiate annual membership fees and letters of understanding 

• Contribute substantively to fundraising to ensure the sustainability of the work 

• Liaise with the Finance & Operations team to update the membership database and ensure timely invoicing and fee collection 

Contribute to effective teamwork 

• Be proactive concerning personal professional development and wellbeing; i.e. by reading widely, developing a healthy work-life balance and demonstrating ability to reflect on own organising craft & improve on self-identified weaknesses 

• Demonstrate ability to work effectively with colleagues and participate in a team 

• Produce all required reports and follow CUK’s procedures on time and to the required standards 

Participate in the development of the craft of Community Organising and play a role in the Guild of COs 

• Schedule an average of at least three 1-2-1 relational meetings into your daily schedule as a core part of your professional practice 

• Commit 10 working days pa (pro rata for part-time staff) to the preparation, delivery and evaluation of Citizens UK National Community Leadership Training or other local or regional trainings; 

• Participate in a Guild Team and help it develop as a Community of Practice that enables Organisers across the UK to develop their skills and experience. 

Personal Specification 

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential 

Qualifications 

Bachelor’s degree in any subject (D) 

Subject of relevance to community work or community organising (D) 

Experience 

• Previous campaign experience (D) 

• Evidence of having acted in a leadership role with peers or in local community activities (e.g., organising clubs or societies) (E) 

• Experience of project management; evidence of having delivered work on time and to standard (E) 

• Able to demonstrate previous experience of ‘learning by doing’ in a work or project environment; evidence of being open to feedback and comfortably coachable (E) 

Key skills and knowledge 

• Excellent interpersonal awareness – ability to listen well and appreciate a viewpoint or opinion that is different from one’s own (E) 

• Excellent concern for impact – ability to adapt own behaviour to address the needs or concerns of someone else (E) 

• Good communication skills – able to speak with conviction and passion; and to make a logical argument (E) 

• Fluent in Spanish and English – written and spoken (E) - other community languages, especially Portuguese (D)

Personal qualities & values 

• A self-starter with ability to take initiative and work independently (E) 

• A passion for justice (E) 

• A positive enthusiasm for working with faith congregations, trade unions, schools, and other community organisations (E) 

• An interest in and experience of politics and public life (E) 

• Able to work in a team (E) 

• Willingness to work within accountable relationships (E) 

• Self-motivated and adaptable (E) 

  Our Organisers and some project teams work closely with our member institutions and will be expected to attend member events that take place in the evenings and occasional weekends. We operate a Time Off in Lieu approach and have very flexible working arrangements to ensure a good work-life balance. 

The successful applicant will be required to undertake a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check. DBS checks are renewed on a 3-year cycle. 

About the application process 

We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role.

 Interview date: Tuesday 22nd July