• Responsible to: AYCC Board of Directors
• Location: Flexible within Australia (with regular travel to Melbourne and Sydney)
• Employment Basis: Permanent full time
• Salary: $120,331 (AYCC Executive Level - consistent with SCHADS Level 8.1)

Can you lead the Australian Youth Climate Coalition through its next chapter, delivering critical climate justice campaigns and empowering a movement of young people to take action? We are looking for someone who can empower a passionate, diverse, and talented team to lead the youth climate movement and deliver effective and strategic climate justice campaigns.

This is a rare opportunity for a young person to lead one of Australia’s most exciting organisations into its next stage of development and growth, working on the most important issue of our generation.

About the role

The National Director leads AYCC in pursuing its mission of building a movement of young people leading solutions to the climate crisis. Reporting to the AYCC Board, the National Director has overarching responsibility for the management and strategic direction of the organisation. They work closely with the senior leadership team to oversee the broader staff team and volunteer networks, set and implement the AYCC’s strategic plan, and manage budgets, risk, and projects across the organisation.

​​The AYCC is a youth-led organisation with an exemption from the Anti-Discrimination Act - we seek applications only from people under the age of 30.

About AYCC

The AYCC is a non-profit, non-partisan organisation building a movement of young people leading solutions to the climate crisis. We are Australia’s largest youth-led organisation and one of the most effective organisations dedicated to tackling climate change, with hundreds volunteers nationally and more than 200,000 supporters. Our major program areas are:

• Campaigns to solve the climate crisis: We run bold campaigns to make sure Australia moves from fossil fuels to renewable energy as quickly as possible. We are currently focussed on holding back fossil fuel expansion through campaigns to stop the funding, social licence, and political support for climate-wrecking gas projects.
• Training & movement building: AYCC’s power comes from community organising and a network of grassroots action groups across the continent. Our movement is radically inclusive, equitable and accessible, and prides itself on its diversity and scale. We empower volunteers to take on meaningful leadership and responsibility while supporting each other to learn and grow. Each year thousands of young people participate in our online, in-school and in-person training programs to build their skills and confidence to take action on climate change.

Key Responsibilities

• Driving strategic planning and goal-setting, including developing and implementing long-term campaigning and organising strategy in line with AYCC’s mission, vision, and values.
• Team management and support, including direct management of coordination team (level 4 staff), as well as oversight of staff team and project management processes across the organisation (including hiring process and decisions, work planning, cross-team communication processes, management culture, and staff training).
• Development of fundraising strategy, including pitch development and relationship management across philanthropy, major donors, grants, and partners (with support from the coordination team).
• Policy and process development, including financial management, legal compliance, HR, decision-making, and internal communications (in collaboration with the operations team).
• Driving the annual planning, goal-setting, and budgeting processes in collaboration with the wider staff team and other key stakeholders.
• Proactive and reactive risk management, including acting as Child Safety Officer and as key point person for escalation of grievances, complaints, and emergencies.
• External relationship management, including representing the organisation in the media and in meetings with political representatives and other decision-makers, as well as participating in movement collaborations and public forums.
• Oversight of external communications and messaging, including feedback, approvals, and team support for AYCC messaging, visual / brand strategy, and digital strategy.
• Reporting to AYCC Board of Directors on organisational performance, progress towards objectives, financial health, and risk. The National Director also sits on the Board.

Who you are:

• Passionate about the AYCC’s mission and values and committed to climate justice.
• Strongly committed to building and supporting a diverse and powerful youth climate movement.
• An exceptional writer and verbal communicator.
• A big-picture and ambitious strategic thinker.
• An empowering and inspiring manager and leader.
• Positive, ambitious, and a great problem solver.
• Highly organised with a great eye for detail.
• A fast learner who can adapt to new and challenging environments.
• Able to juggle lots of priorities in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment.

Your skills and experience:

• Several years of leadership experience within the non-profit sector.
• Experience empowering and working with volunteers and volunteer networks.
• Experience in grassroots campaigning including strategy, supporter and volunteer mobilisation and support.
• Management experience, preferably from managing staff and teams of staff.
• Experience working in a complex and high-pressure environment, including sound time management and prioritisation skills.
• Experience with project management.
• Experience with public speaking.
• Experience with fundraising.
• Great stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working with people from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, including First Nations people.

And bonus points if you have some of the following:

• Experience in media and communications strategy.
• Experience and relationships in the climate movement.
• Fundraising strategy and financial management experience.
• Governance experience.
• The National Director will be required to undergo a police check and Working with Children Check.

We encourage you to apply if you think you would be a great fit for this role but don’t meet all of the qualifications and experience listed above – as a youth organisation, we believe in investing in young people’s potential.

To submit your application, click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

A position description is attached.