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We are looking for someone who is angry at injustice, who really believes in the ability of ordinary people to make change, and who is motivated to learn the craft of Broad-Based Organising. If that is you, we’d love you to join our growing team of 11 organisers in South London! We hope to work with you to build on already existing work in Greenwich and support the building of new work in Bexley. 

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.  

Community Organising

We train thousands of people each year to lead change in their communities, through the craft of Broad-based Community Organising, equipping them and their institutions with the skills to hold powerholders to account. We organise with 500+ member organisations in powerful alliances throughout the UK, and in South London Citizens we organise in ten boroughs with almost 100 member organisations. Our members include schools, universities, faith groups, parents’ groups, health practices, charities, migrant hubs and other civil society organisations. 

Purpose 

At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. This work is rewarding and can be challenging; it requires a personal commitment to inclusion, a willingness to listen and disagree respectfully, and an interest in working in an organisation where our staff, member institutions and leaders will come from a diversity of backgrounds and often hold views that may be very different from our own. More information about how we operate within this context and build trusted relationships across difference can be found on our website and is covered in induction. Onboarding and navigating this relational culture, and type of work, is supported by line managers and further training. 

Main Responsibilities 

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. You will work intensively with a small number of member organisations under close supervision, growing your 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 with Be Well Organisations in Greenwich and Bexley. Be Well Organisations may be faith, education, or community institutions, tackling isolation and poor mental health by: 1. Building relationships, 2. Signposting and offering practical support, and 3. Taking action on structural and systemic inequalities and injustices. But you may also work on other campaign priorities and responsibilities as needed across the team. 

We are looking for people who are angry about injustice, who believe ordinary people have the power to make change, and who are motivated to learn the craft of Broad-based Organising. The role is hugely varied, and involves working across the two boroughs, in different institutions and context, and with a lot of independence.

Working as an Associate Organiser in South London Citizens, 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

• Conduct 15-20 weekly 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, especially 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 

• Organise several Be Well Organisations to participate more fully in the alliance 

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

• Take the lead in supporting Be Well Organisations through the cycle of action 

• 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 fortnightly learning sessions with the wider SLC team 

Personal Specification 

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential 

Experience 

• Previous campaign experience (D) 

• Evidence of having acted in a leadership role with peers or in local community activities (e.g. organising a club or project, playing a role in a faith institution) (E) 

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

• 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) 

Personal qualities & values 

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

• A belief in the capacity of ordinary people to make change, and the ability to build relationships with people across divides (e.g. religious, racial, language, class, etc) (E) 

• An anger at 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 work closely with member institutions and will be expected to attend and lead events that take place in the evenings and 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 particularly love to see applications from people of faith, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people, 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.

For questions and reasonable adjustments regarding your application including information in a different format, or our recruitment process, please email us.

 Interview date: last week of August