COMMUNITY ORGANISER
SALARY SCALE:
£24,843 - £26,190.
ACCOUNTABILITY:
London Citizens Trustees -> Lead Organiser
-> COMMUNITY ORGANISER
1. MAIN PURPOSE
To build, support and develop a broad based
community organisation for South London. This will consist
of mediating institutions and trained leaders capable of acting
together in the public arena for the common good.
2. MAIN DUTIES
· To recruit and expand the
institutional membership of LONDON CITZENS and broaden the
geographical base with South London Boroughs.
· To provide leadership training for new and existing
member groups and their leaders.
· To assist LONDON CITZENS leadership teams with actions
and campaigns that will develop their skills and capacity
as effective institutions.
· To organise public assemblies and actions as and
when necessary.
· To organise and lead regular Retreats and training
sessions for COF and LONDON CITZENS.
· To raise the income (local dues and foundations)
needed for LONDON CITZENS and manage and extend the overall
budget of the organisation.
· To manage and mentor any staff and seek to recruit
and nurture new and potential Organisers.
· To write reports for LONDON CITZENS Trustees and
COF and ensure that LONDON CITZENS operates legally and constitutionally
as both a charity and Company Limited by Guarantee.
· To work with the COF Network on 'National Training'
and any 'national campaigns' which develop across the network.
· To keep informed and well briefed on relevant local
and national political developments etc.
· To represent LONDON CITZENS and COF cogently and
coherently in writing and verbally.
· To handle own administration efficiently and develop
administrative systems which ensure the smooth running of
LONDON CITZENS in South London.
· To undertake between fifteen and twenty one to one
meetings a week and build a network of power relations which
give energy, accountability and succour to LONDON CITZENS
in South London.
· To develop LONDON CITZENS as the primary 'First Sector'
civil society institution in London and its leaders as major
power players in all strategic decisions.
3. ABILITY AND EXPERIENCE
· At least five years employment
track record of successful Organising or training either in
the work place or community.
· Clear evidence of campaigns won and people developed.
· An interest in and experience of politics and public
life.
· A positive enthusiasm for working with faith congregations,
trade unions, schools and tenants groups.
4. TERMS, CONDITIONS
AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Community Organiser will be
appointed by and directly accountable to LONDON CITZENS.
The Executive Director of COF will be a mentor of this post.
The working week is 37 hours and some unsocial
hours are inevitable. 25 days holiday a year, plus public
holidays. LONDON CITZENS operates a contributory pension scheme
for its employees in conjunction with The Pensions Trust:
This scheme is flexible and can normally be adjusted to fit
with employees' needs/previous employment etc. LONDON CITZENS
contributes 10% of the salary to the pension and the employees
5%. Staff are entitled to an eight week sabbatical every five
years.
LONDON CITZENS affiliates to the COF Institute
annually. This gives staff access to the workshops; seminars
and mentoring which the Institute offers, as well as regular
meetings and training with other Organisers connected to COF.
Support for and the professional. development of the Organiser
is a priority for COF and considerable time and resources
invested into the apprenticeship of new Organisers and potential
Organisers -over 50% of the present team of Organisers connected
to COF were active 'leaders' in their organisations before
becoming staff
COF is committed to developing the career of
Organiser in the UK and so keen to appoint staff who see this
job as a career and who may be prepared to move to 'Organise'
with COF in another city/area in the UK in the future. COF
affiliates with the US based Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)
who supports over sixty similar 'Peoples Organisations' across
the US. Links are also being developed with similar organisations
in Germany and South Africa. COF has recently signed a 'Memorandum
of Understanding' with the Leicester based 'Islamic Foundation'
which binds the two organisations together for joint learning
and development.
5. PERSON SPECIFICATION
· Knowledge and Understanding.
· Good level of general education -probably to tertiary
level.
· Evidence of further and continuing study and investigation
including a possible professional qualification.
· A vision of greater things for yourself and others.
· An understanding and experience of strategic planning.
· An ability to envision a better future, particularly
for disadvantaged communities and to know the steps to take
to create it.
· Imagination.
6. ABILITY AND EXPERIENCE
· Experience of leadership and. management of staff/circumstances
and evidence of making things happen.
· Experience of risk taking to create a project/situation/event
that illustrates your values.
· Experience of raising money, applying to trusts etc.
· Experience of setting up a new project or consolidating
an existing project.
· Ability to inspire, motivate and lead (particularly
people who are different than you).
· Ability to organise yourself and others and to work
responsibly in an unstructured environment.
· Ability to plan and organise under pressure.
· Ability to work with and relate to all types of people.
· Ability to teach and run workshops.
· Ability to develop other potential and understanding
as well as your own.
· Ability to communicate well verbally and in writing.
7. ATTITUDES AND VALUES
· A passion for justice.
· A good sense of humour.
· More than comfortable with faith institutions.
· Like power.
· Asks 'why' more than 'what'.
· Likes people.
· Willingness to work within accountable relationships.
· Develops a commitment to citizen organising.
· Not set in your ways.
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©2005. Birmingham Citizens