A unique opportunity has arisen to work closely with the very experienced former Leader of the Green Party Natalie Bennett in her campaign to be elected MP for Sheffield Central, as well as promote the broader electoral goals of Sheffield Green Party.
For an initial four-month period, a contractor, working up to 21 hours a week is sought. The individual should ideally have experience of community and volunteer organising, of election campaigns and campaigning and have excellent organisational and communications skills. Application is by CV and covering letter, by midnight on March 16. Interviews are expected to be conducted on Monday March 20 from 5pm onwards. If this is a problem for you please advise in your application and we will make alternative arrangements if you are selected for interview.
Schedule of Work and Person Specification
The campaign organiser is to be in post initially from mid-March (or as soon as possible) until the middle of July, to ensure Sheffield Green Party is operating at optimum efficiency in the case of an early general election, and is well prepared for the 2018 council elections. There is the possibility of an extension of to May 2018 and beyond.
Purpose of the role
The campaign organiser is responsible for coordinating the delivery of the Sheffield Central campaign plan (while also considering priorities for the 2018 council elections and possible Sheffield City Region election – including figures on numbers canvassed, leaflets and letters distributed, social media and press “hits, etc), fundraising from local members and supporters (working with the election agent and treasurer), and reporting on the progress of the campaign to the party executive.
Pay and employment conditions: Self-employed contractor, paid £11 an hour up to a maximum of 21 hours a week at times to be mutually agreed, but likely to include weekend and evening work.
Location: Home-based with the possibility of working from a potential “pop-up” Green Party office. Contractor to use own basic computer equipment, working with Sheffield Green Party’s e-canvasser software and other standard programmes.
Reporting to: Helen Milner, chair Sheffield Green Party.
Key relationships: Election agent, candidate, Sheffield Central ward coordinators, Sheffield Green Party executive members, particularly press, publications and membership.
Application process: Applications to be submitted by midnight on March 16
Please email your completed application form to natalie.bennett@greenparty.org.uk.
Principal Roles and Responsibilities
- Coordinate the delivery of the Sheffield Central campaign plan, including, but not limited to, preparation and delivery of newsletters and other public-facing literature, management and coordination of canvassing, ensuring unity of messaging across various media including press, managing volunteers and data lists, coordinating internal messages to members and supporters, and ensuring compliance with election law in coordination with the election agent.
- Support and fill-in for ward organisers and other volunteers where personal circumstances or other matters mean they are unable to complete planned activities, ensuring no “gaps” in activities.
- Work with a team to prepare and deliver a fundraising plan focused on raising regular standing order income and local high-value donor giving.
- Work to ensure that members are regularly contacted and encouraged to become involved in party activities.
- Report monthly to the Sheffield Green Party executive on work done and progress of the campaign.
- Carry out any other reasonable tasks, as decided in consultation with the key members of the team.
Person specification
Highly Desirable Experience for the role
Experience
- Experience of modern community organising techniques – recruiting, mobilising, motivating, organising and managing volunteers to achieve a common aim.
- Experience of election campaigning and effective techniques to win elections
- Experience developing and presenting training to groups of all sizes
- Experience producing compelling written internal communications
Essential Attributes for the role
Experience
- Experience of managing volunteers, particularly of identifying, motivating and empowering volunteer leaders
- Experience of building and maintaining relationships with volunteers and volunteer groups
- Experience of managing own workload
Skills/abilities
- Excellent organisational skills
- Outstanding verbal communication skills, with the ability to connect with individuals and groups of varying sizes
- Good written communication skills, with the ability to respond to emails efficiently and effectively
- Strong leadership and persuasiveness skills
Personal attitudes
- Motivated to see improvement in Sheffield Green Party’s election performance
- Sympathy with the aims and policies of the Green Party, and with the development of a more sustainable society
- Open-minded, with a willingness to innovate in pursuit of the objectives of the role
- Initiative and a can-do attitude; ability to do a lot with limited resources
- Outcomes-driven, with experience in getting results and meeting goals
Personal circumstances
- Eligible to work in the UK
- Able and willing to work occasional unsocial hours and outside of normal office hours as required
- Not a member of another UK political party
Equality
- Committed fully to the principle of Equal Opportunities for all in line with Green Party policies
General points applicable to all Green Party roles:
The Green Party strives to be an Equal Opportunities employer and requires its contractors to carry out their work in accordance with its policies on equality of opportunity in relation to employees and volunteers, in promotion of the party’s policies and access to the Party’s services.
Green Party contractors are required to abide by any policies in place to ensure, for example, health and safety at work, data protection, etc.
The Green Party has a democratic structure with annual elections. Contractors need to be aware that the organisational priorities which determine their work priorities are decisions of the Executive and may be subject to change as an Executive changes.
Contractors are expected to show initiative within this framework in managing their workload to meet the overall goals of the role in line with the campaign plan.
Whilst every endeavour has been made to outline all the duties and responsibilities of the post, a document such as this does not permit every item to be specified in detail.
This work schedule may be periodically reviewed in consultation with the contractor.
Please include in your application a complete equalities monitoring form, to be found here: https://www.greenparty.org.uk/jobs
Download Sheffield Central Campaign Organiser Schedule of Work and Person Specification (pdf)