Sydney Alliance is seeking a dynamic person with extensive experience with migrant communities to scale up our organising on climate and energy with these communities in Sydney.

Voices for Power has grown over the last three years and so has the challenge ahead! We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced community organiser to join the team and grow the organising breadth and depth of migrant communities and leaders of colour. Help us get our communities and leaders to the negotiating table on renewable energy and climate justice in NSW.

Directed and supported on the campaign by Voices For Power Lead Thuy Linh Nguyen and leading a patch of community outreach work, this role would suit someone who understands community organising and the cultural diversity of Sydney, enjoys reaching out to migrant communities and is committed to climate action.

THE ROLE INVOLVES:

1. Building, maintaining and growing relationships with migrant leaders and communities to:
   1. Organising listening meetings
   2. Delivery of training on community organising and affordable energy
   3. Discerning issues related to energy and climate as they arise
   4. Research and planning on the renewable energy roadmap for NSW
   5. Collectivise power analysis and insight and,
   6. Move decision-makers in NSW on the issue of renewable and affordable energy.
   7. Train and develop organising and leadership skills through ongoing evaluation.
2. Recruiting new organisations and leaders to the Sydney Alliance through the exciting work of the campaign.
3. Supporting the Voices for Power Campaign Lead to secure ongoing resources for the project.

KEY ATTRIBUTES/QUALITIES/COMPETENCIES? - ABOUT YOU

Relationship building

You are a ‘people person’ with experience building and managing multiple relationships with a lot of people. This includes over the phone and email, because face-to-face is not always possible when our work spans across the greater metropolitan. You are able to coach and support volunteers to do hard things, because they know you genuinely care about them and will help them succeed. You like listening to people’s stories and can share your own in a powerful and persuasive way.

Resilience

Organising to create systemic change for the common good is often times challenging. Working with communities who are unfamiliar with this community organising approach and who have been systematically disempowered by the Australian political and energy system means there will be barriers and set backs. Additionally, getting action from government and companies on the contentious issue of climate change can be tough. You find proactive ways to work around obstacles, challenges, hurdles and setbacks. You can take critique in the spirit that it is given.

Persuasiveness

You have the confidence to ‘make the ask’ of community leaders for their support and time and encouraging them to reach beyond their comfort zone.

Outstanding team player

You have had experience working in small teams where your work is closely connected to others' work. Organisers receive a high level of trust that they can deliver in their patch without handholding while still working collaboratively with leaders and staff colleagues. You need to love working with others, in fact you thrive on it, including using online collaboration tools to communicate throughout the day. We are all about partnering with each other to get the work done. Shared mindsets and common objectives are critical to our success.

Organised and efficient

You are a no-stuffing-around, get-things-done kind of person. When you say you will do something by a certain date, you get it done - even if it means overcoming obstacles. You have had experience in a role where there are lots of moving parts to keep track of, like organising stalls or events with volunteers and you successfully balance multiple tasks at a time. You have the ability to break down objectives into smaller tasks, initiatives, and actions in order to get things done.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

What you bring to the role:

Essential

• You are a person with extensive experience working with migrant communities and/or people of colour
• Passion for action on climate change
• Familiarity or have experience with the Relational community organising approach
• Ability to work remotely and pick up the online systems we use
• Experience recruiting and managing teams of volunteers
• References from civil society organisations
• Driver’s license (for post-pandemic)

Desirable

Fluency in language(s) other than English spoken by communities in Sydney

• Experience in participatory meetings, teaching and training
• Knowledge of Nationbuilder (our constituent relationship management software)
• Existing relationships with leaders in Sydney’s migrant communities (not essential, but would be beneficial)

MORE ABOUT US:

Governance: Lead Organiser, Sydney Alliance.

Organising & day to day: Campaign Lead Voices for Power.

Duration: 1 year starting ASAP, with intention to continue based on success of program and continued funding.

Location: Sydney.

The Sydney Alliance brings together diverse community organisations, unions and religious organisations to advance the common good and achieve a fair, just and sustainable city. We do this by providing opportunities for people to have a say in decisions that affect them, their families and everyone working and living in Sydney. The Sydney Alliance is a non-party political organisation.

Voices for Power is an effort of the Sydney Alliance that brings together diverse Alliance partners and communities across greater Sydney on the issue of affordable and renewable energy. In 2020, Voices for Power is scaling up for mass participation of migrant communities and people of colour in the Alliance’s climate change and affordable and renewable energy campaigns.

The Community Organiser’s primary role will be to organise to scale as a member of the Voices For Power team. The organiser will be part of a dynamic team of 4 FTE VFP staff and work with an additional 4 FTE organising and admin staff at the Alliance.

Resources and Support

The role is a full-time work contract for 1 year to start immediately.

Salary is $84,000 (inclusive of 9.5% superannuation). Additional benefits include a phone usage allowance and 4 weeks annual leave.

A position description is attached.