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Gippsland Renewable Energy Community Campaigner

Friends of the Earth

Victoria is beginning to undertake an unprecedented shift to renewable energy, a key solution to the climate crisis. The transition to renewable energy underway in Gippsland will shape the future of the state’s energy system, with the region currently home to the state’s three remaining ageing coal fired power stations. With the highly polluting Yallourn coal fired power station set to close by 2028, and action on the climate crisis becoming more urgent, it’s essential that governments deliver a fair and just transition to renewable energy that prioritises the needs of the community and workers.

This is a 3 days/ week position, being offered for 8 months.

  • Employer: Friends of the Earth Melbourne
  • Work Type/s: Fixed term contract, part time at 0.6 FTE (or 3 days a week)
  • Duration: 8 months
  • Salary: $ 73,840.00, per annum, pro rata, plus superannuation and entitlements
  • Classification/s: Advocacy and campaigns
  • Sector/s: Not for Profit/Environmental Charity
  • Location: Gippsland region of Victoria (regional)

About Us:

Friends of the Earth Melbourne is a not-for-profit community based organisation working for a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable future for more than 40 years. Friends of the Earth Melbourne is an anti-hierarchical organisation and a local member group of the national federation known as Friends of the Earth Australia, which in turn is the country member of Friends of the Earth International.

The broader Friends of the Earth International network has over 5,000 local branches across the globe and is the world's largest grassroots environmental network with over 2 million members and supporters around the world.

Friends of the Earth campaigns from the local to the global on today's most urgent environmental and social issues; challenging the current model of economic and corporate neoliberal globalisation, and promoting solutions to create environmentally sustainable and socially just societies.

Friends of the Earth encourage First Nations, LGBTIQA+, People of Colour, and women applicants to apply.

About the Role:

Friends of the Earth is seeking a passionate, skilled and self motivated person to work in the Gippsland region of Victoria to empower local community members to build support for the transition to renewable energy in the Latrobe Valley and throughout Gippsland.

Victoria is beginning to undertake an unprecedented shift to renewable energy, a key solution to the climate crisis. The transition to renewable energy underway in Gippsland will shape the future of the state’s energy system, with the region currently home to the state’s three remaining ageing coal fired power stations. With the highly polluting Yallourn coal fired power station set to close by 2028, and action on the climate crisis becoming more urgent, it’s essential that governments deliver a fair and just transition to renewable energy that prioritises the needs of the community and workers.

Recent announcements that the Victorian government will develop six new ‘Renewable Energy Zones’ marks a significant turning point in the speed and scale of wind and solar development throughout the state: it’s essential that the wider community and workers are prioritised as part of this transition. There are a number of key projects proposed for the region such as the country’s first offshore wind farm the Star of the South and the Latrobe Valley’s first wind project the Delburn wind farm that will play a key role in the energy transition, creating new jobs while cutting emissions. Friends of the Earth believes securing the advancement of key renewable energy projects is critical for Victoria’s clean energy transition, and the best way to do that is a combination of working with the grassroots local community, key stakeholders and allies. Our work is focussed on shifting the politics and changing the story by focussing on the themes of climate change risks and the huge potential benefits of renewable energy development to the region and local community.

Friends of the Earth is recruiting a part-time campaigner to promote the benefits of a fair and just transition to renewable energy in Victoria’s Gippsland region. The primary focus of the position is to build active community support for the rapid development of renewable energy in Gippsland - including wind, solar power and energy storage -- build public support for the development of a Gippsland Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), and ensure that this new policy delivers for the community and workers.

The campaigner will develop a final workplan in conjunction with the Yes2Renewables and Friends of the Earth campaign coordinators.

Activities:

  • Empower local communities organising to build the for a renewable energy transition in the Latrobe Valley and throughout Gippsland.
  • Work in alliance with existing grassroots groups of the area to achieve shared goals for local communities and the broader region.
  • Identify and empower community champions for renewable energy in the Gippsland region to take strategic campaign actions.
  • Deepen FoE’s connections with trade unions in Gippsland.
  • Contact and meet with Traditional Owner groups in the region (Gunaikurnai) to determine their approach to the REZ and renewables in general
  • Organise stalls, events and creative campaign actions promoting renewable energy and involving the community in the Gippsland region.
  • Organise site tours to current and prospective renewable energy projects in Gippsland
  • Create engaging content for social media and other digital platforms (eg. video interviews, social media graphics etc.)
  • Collaborate with the Yes2Renewables Coordinator to craft a powerful vision to influence state government policies on energy and climate.
  • Contribute to campaign research, policy and submission writing etc.
  • Assist with lobbying state and federal politicians.

Accountability:

The Gippsland Community Campaigner will be part of Friends of the Earth's Yes 2 Renewables collective and therefore report to the collective and the Yes 2 Renewables Coordinator. The Gippsland Community Campaigner will also report to the Operations Coordinator, Campaigns Coordinator and the Strategy Collective where required.

Salary & Conditions:

This is a fixed term contract, part time at 0.6 FTE (or 3 days a week) for 8 months, with a view to extend the role.

The Gippsland Community Campaigner would be employed under the Friends of the Earth Melbourne workers agreement. Friends of the Earth Melbourne has a policy of wage equity and as such all workers are paid at the same hourly rate.

This position will require a willingness to travel to events and organise stalls and other awareness raising tactics in the Gippsland region of Victoria and the employee must have access to or be able to organise their own transport.

The current commencing pay rate for this position is $35.50 per hour, or $73,840.00 per annum, pro rata, plus superannuation and entitlements. Upon agreement with the collective travel costs to and from stalls and events will also be reimbursed.

Hours of work:

This is an 8 month contract for 3 days (0.6 FTE) per week position.

At Friends of the Earth Melbourne we consider a working day to be 8 hours, with the option of flexi-time within a working day or week.

Selection Criteria:

Essential:

  • Demonstrated commitment to social and environmental justice
  • Knowledge of renewable energy, climate policy, and just transition.
  • Demonstrated community organising skills and ability to organise with local community organisations and for local events.
  • Strong interpersonal skills – proven ability to build relationships and communicate with a diverse range of people
  • Strong public speaking, media and social media skills.

Desirable:

  • Experience in community organising and working as part of an anti-hierarchical collective or group.
  • Proven ability to build coalitions of interest and influence government policy.
  • Experience in consensus decision making within group settings
  • Experience coordinating stalls.
  • Experience with online databases (particularly NationBuilder) and website maintenance.
  • Driver’s licence and access to a car.

To apply - please submit a cover letter, your CV and a statement addressing the key selection criteria to [email protected] using the subject line: Gippsland Renewable Energy Community Campaigner application via EthicalJobs.

Please do not submit your application via the EthicalJobs form.

How to apply

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