Senior Organiser, Citizens Essex in Chelmsford

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 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.

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.

At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. 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
• Line manage other Organisers in Essex
• Attract and help recruit new Organisers
• Lead other Organisers or Associates in a manner that supports high performance by providing clear expectations and providing proactive coaching, support and accountability.
• Teach entire training curriculum on National Training successfully; acting as a ‘Track Captain’ by providing meaningful feedback and support to other trainers
• Deliver sessions at Guild Days
• Produce all required reports and follow CUK’s procedures on time and to the required standards
• Contribute to the Craft of Community Organising
• Schedule an average of at least 4 to 5 1-2-1 relational meetings into your daily schedule as a core part of your professional practice
• Commit 10 working days pa (pro rata for part-time staff) to the preparation, delivery and evaluation of Citizens UK National Community Leadership Training;
• Contribute to the leadership of a Guild Team and help it develop as a Community of Practice that enables Organisers across the UK to develop their skills and experience.

Inclusion

• Displays self-awareness of DEI issues and good practice.
• Is alert to the impact on chapters and team members.
• Lead, support collaboration and acts within their area of responsibility and influence.
• Support in the resourcing, evaluation, and reporting of DEI work, as relevant
• 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 2026
• 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.

Personal Specification

• Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in any subject or equivalent (D)
• Evidence of further and continuing study including a possible professional qualification (D)
• Experience
• At least three-years employment track record of successful Organising (D)
• Demonstrated ability to lead a team; including motivating and developing more junior staff (E)
• Experience of risk taking to create a project/situation/event that illustrates your values (E)
• Experience of successful fundraising (E)
• Experience of successfully supporting young people in schools/colleges/universities to develop successful campaigns (E)
• Experience of successfully developing faith leaders across a range of denominations (E)
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects on time and to standard (E)
• Clear evidence of campaigns won and people developed (E)
• Key skills and knowledge
• Ability to build and maintain relationships (E)
• Ability to inspire, motivate and lead (particularly people who are different than you) (E)
• Ability to organise yourself and others and to work responsibly in an unstructured environment (E)
• Financial management skills including ability to set and manage a budget (E)
• Ability to use imaginative strategies to help improve disadvantaged communities (E)
• Ability to plan and organise under pressure (E)
• Ability to work with and relate to all types of people (E)
• Ability to teach and run workshops (E)
• Ability to develop the potential of others (E)
• Ability to communicate well verbally and in writing (E)
• Personal qualities & values
• A passion for justice (E)
• A good sense of humour (E)
• A positive enthusiasm for working with faith congregations, trade unions, schools and other community organisations (E)
• Good judge of character (E)
• High levels of emotional intelligence (E)
• An interest in and experience of politics and public life (E)
• Able to work in a team (E)
• Willingness to work within accountable relationships (E)
• Self-motivated and adaptable (E)

Our Organisers and some project teams work closely with our member institutions and will be expected to attend member events that take place in the evenings and occasional weekends. We operate a Time Off in Lieu approach and have very flexible working arrangements to ensure a good work-life balance. Please note that the role is Essex-wide and, as such, there is a practical expectation that the successful candidate will be able to drive between key locations across the county (with associated mileage costs being covered by Citizens UK). The successful applicant will be required to undertake a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check. DBS checks are renewed on a 3-year cycle.

About the application process

We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role. For questions and reasonable adjustments regarding your application including information in a different format, or our recruitment process, please email us.