We are looking for someone who is angry at injustice, who really believes in the ability of ordinary people to make change, who cares deeply about the institutions that are dotted across our neighbourhoods the churches, mosques, schools, charities, youth groups, etc. - and who is motivated to share the craft of Broad-Based Organising with others. If that is you, we d love you to join our growing team of organisers across the South-East of England and, more broadly, across the UK! We hope to work with you to build on already existing work in Colchester, Chelmsford, and Southend and support the building of new work across Essex.
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.
Citizens Essex is a relatively-young Chapter of Citizens UK, covering 3 main geographical areas: Colchester, Chelmsford, and Southend. Our ideal candidate for the position of Senior Organiser has high emotional intelligence, is curious about other people, politically astute, and is fundamentally relational. They will have a track record of making things happen, be able to work with a high degree of independence, are comfortable with uncertainty, and able to think strategically as well as operationally. They will be interested in understanding and working with different sectors and types of organisations, as well as engaging with people from a wide range of faiths and cultures which are different to their own. They are an excellent communicator. They will learn and teach the craft of broad-based organising and be interested in receiving feedback to support their own development and growth. They will build and maintain relationships with a large number of leaders across the County and coach them to take action together on a common agenda.
Our ideal candidate will have a strong track record in enabling leaders from schools/colleges/universities and faith institutions to deliver on issues of social justice.
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
At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. There are various project roles and operational, communication, finance and HR roles that support the organisation and project staff and organisers to deliver on this mission and work. 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
A Senior Organiser is mastering the craft of community organising and taking increasing responsibility for developing major campaigns, managing budgets and managing staff. They operate with a high degree of independence and are significant contributors to CUK-wide functions such as training. Senior Organisers model the broad-based community organising methodology in their work including 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.
You will bring communities together to drive change both locally, regionally, and nationally. This role will work closely with local civic institutions, such as churches, mosques, schools, universities, unions and other community groups to:
* develop the leadership of people within those organisations - our 'leaders' who lead the campaigns we work on
* help them identify the changes they want to see and create strategies to win those changes
* strengthen institutions own abilities to achieve their missions.
This includes listening to members of the community to find common issues, engaging local decision-makers through meetings, and planning in-person actions, where you might hold those in power to account. All of this work is underpinned by the knowledge that everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. This work will be rooted locally, but you will be a part of a bigger national drive to make change alongside diverse local alliances across the UK. In Essex, the work is currently focusing on the first Mayoral Election for the County but you will also work on other campaign priorities that are developed through the institutions you work with.
Working as a Senior Organiser for Citizens UK, reporting to Sebastien Chapleau, Regional Supervisor for the South of England and Wales, your main responsibilities will include:
Build relational power to further the goals of CUK
* Develop a comprehensive power analysis for Essex, particularly as the County will elect its first Mayor in May 2028
* Develop and grow strong working relationships with power players at a county-wide level or sector, including journalists; taking the initiative to establish new relationships as required
* Conduct one-to-one relational meetings in order to develop relationships with leaders; demonstrating timely and effective agitation to stimulate action
* Work effectively with local journalists and media outlets to further CUK s goals
* Develop a strategic plan to enhance people s participation in public life as well as enhance non-partisan political and democratic practices across Essex.
* Develop a strategy built on an acute sense of how communities and institutions behave within, and across, the cultures and contexts of Essex.
* Develop a plan that enables clear and impactful cross-institutional collaboration across Essex.
* Develop a clear strategy to address the shared interests between TELCO and Citizens Essex Leaders (eg around the Lower Thames Valley, overlaps between RC and CoE Dioceses in East London and Essex, etc.).
Identify and develop relational leaders prepared to act with others for the common good
* Work with and learn from the best veteran leaders on key actions
* Play a central role in the development of primary leaders; creating plans with them that are carried out
* Nominate leaders for training on the core taster curriculum and for National Training
Strengthen institutions and develop BBOs
* Organise diverse alliances to work together locally but, most importantly, at chapter level
* Create/develop a leadership team of positional leaders and representatives from all institutions at chapter and local levels that are successful in combining action with growth. Work closely with the co-chairs to develop leader-led strategies.
* Design organising strategies that combine internal & external action
* Ensure that core teams are developed across all institutions across the broad-based alliance to ensure that organising - rather than servicing - remains the top priority.
Support leaders through the Cycle of Action to create change
* Take the staff lead on chapter-wide actions and campaigns; aiming to achieve significant wins at chapter/campaign level
* Facilitate Issues Workshops and Delegates Assemblies and, in the run up to May 2028, a Mayoral Accountability Assembly
* Develop strategies for significant impact; with comprehensive plans & tactics
* Support actions, ensuring publicity, and facilitating high level negotiations
* 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; negotiating annual membership dues and letters of understanding as required
* Recruit and work with large organisations; ensuring that they invest into the alliance and not solely internal delivery
* Contribute to fundraising by securing £75k-£90k per annum overall, at least half of which should be hard money from retention and recruitment of member institutions and strategic partners.
Contribute to effective teamwork
1. Line manage other Organisers in Essex
2. Attract and help recruit new Organisers
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