Job Description

If you have a strong understanding of the impact of the violence, racial inequity and systemic injustice on marginalised communities and are passionate about empowering those most affected to create a change, then we can’t wait to hear from you!

ABOUT US

The 4Front Project is a member-led youth organisation empowering young people and communities to fight for justice, peace and freedom. The organisation was established in 2012 to provide a platform for those who have been impacted by violence to create change. We support members with experiences of violence and the criminal justice system to create change in their own lives, communities and society.

Over the last eight years, we have pioneered an approach that empowers those most directly harmed by violence and the criminal justice system to be at the forefront of a grassroots movement for change. Our holistic model has been designed specifically to support young people aged 13 - 25 with complex needs as a result of multiple systemic disadvantages and disproportionate exposure to serious violence. By advocating for a holistic approach to build peace, we are transforming the way in which society understands how to support young people who have been affected by violence and shaping the agenda around how to tackle the systemic causes of it. 

We acknowledge the impact of racism and discrimination on our members and actively work to dismantle these systems, whilst supporting members to recognise their strengths and identify systemic barriers to their progress. In this way, we support 4Front members to make changes in their own lives, whilst exploring the inequity they’ve experienced and amplifying their voices to create systemic change. Becoming a member means joining a powerful youth-led movement for change that is transforming the way peace and justice are understood by centring healing, rather than punishment.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for a formidable Campaigns Coordinator to develop our transformative campaigning work and support young change makers to take the lead. You care deeply about revolutionising society and are personally invested in fighting for justice and equity. You can hold emotion and know how to create safe spaces for people to explore their experiences and build their sense of identity. You have experience working on campaigns that transform policy. You are well networked, already a part of groups that are tackling social justice issues and keen to actively research and network with other organisations that will become our partners and allies. You understand the power of effective communication to change minds and have interesting and unique ideas about how to get a message across. You have worked or volunteered as a mentor and you’re dedicated to tackling social justice issues. You are comfortable with conflict and have experience of managing difficult conversations to successful resolutions. You see courage in vulnerability and believe in building the resilience of young people. Most importantly, you are committed to peace and you fundamentally believe in the potential to change, both at an individual and societal level. You will be a visionary leader, seeing your work at The 4Front Project as a crucial part of your identity and purpose in life. You will be committed to upholding our vision, mission, principles and values at all times. You will be bold, actively contributing to a workplace culture that centres justice, healing, change and hope. You will play a fundamental role in supporting The 4Front Project to change society for the better.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

COORDINATE OUR CAMPAIGNS

• Develop and deliver unique campaigns that support our mission and drive significant change in policy or opinion
• Identify new campaign opportunities and develop ambitious campaign strategies in collaboration with 4Front Members
• Develop full campaign plans with clear objectives and milestones to ensure that we can evaluate the success of all campaigning activities
• Support guide and empower our Youth Activism Coordinators and other members to develop and lead public-facing campaigns and activism projects that ensure their voices are amplified and platformed
• Facilitate weekly campaign meetings to enable members to learn, develop, grow and lead our campaigns
• Protecting vulnerable campaign members and accommodate their mental health, learning difficulties, disabilities, and other needs by creating a safe and supportive environment where they  feel accepted and welcomed
• Ensure our campaigning work represents the concerns of people affected by violence and the criminal justice system from across the UK
• Develop creative strategies to raise awareness of our campaigns, engage a range of people in our campaigning activity and grow our campaign supporter base
• Connect with national and international partners in order to collaborate on campaigns
• Coordinate direct actions across the country in collaboration with members and partners
• Develop campaign messages and write campaign materials (for online and print), briefings, comment pieces, op-eds and features for the mainstream media
• Maintain appropriate records using our database system and other monitoring systems when required,  incorporating regular assessment, supervision and review

LEAD OUR COMMUNICATIONS

• Develop and implement a new communications strategy which effectively captures and promotes all aspects of our work and advances our mission, values and overall strategic objectives to grow our reach and influence among key audiences
• Develop a shared understanding across the organisation of our key audiences and messages, and how communications can drive positive change 
• Lead our efforts to become better story-tellers and set out a vision and path to pursue our narrative-shifting goals.
• Identifying effective ways to illustrate the value and impact of our work and maximise our impact by presenting and disseminating our work in an accessible manner across various channels, including social media.
• Create and review metrics and indicators to assess progress on the communications strategy, and gather relevant data for this purpose, drawing on best practices
• Produce a wide range of communications materials and other outputs, including news blasts, reports, briefings, factsheets, blog posts, periodic bulletins, press releases, annual reports, OpEds, video and other audiovisual materials
• Maintaining content on our website, including writing, editing and content management; enhancing its design and accessibility
• Generate engaging social media content to grow our audience through our existing platforms (Twitter, Instagram and Facebook), as well as developing a presence on new platforms
• Proactively seek opportunities to bring our perspective and voice to public conversations on injustice and inequality, maintaining and expanding contacts with relevant media
• Managing relationships with web developers, designers,videographers, photographers and other communications-related service providers
• Work in collaboration with service teams to ensure that communications work (print and digital) is effectively built into project plans and is adequately resourced
• Edit and coordinate the production and dissemination of our research and advocacy publications ensuring these adhere to house style and quality standards, as well as promoting distinctive and consistent visual branding
• Develop proactive and reactive responses to the media and lead on the development of a media interaction strategy
• Provide advice to the team to ensure that the tone of voice is met throughout the organisation’s communications

You will also provide cover on occasion and undertake any other duties that may reasonably be requested of you outside of this role description.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

• First-hand experiences of the issues we address through our work
• Experience of campaigning, activism and social action work
• An understanding of social justice issues, systemic inequality and injustice, including the impact of the criminal justice system on marginalised communities
• Experience supporting and coordinating groups of people
• Proven experience of developing unique and effective communications in a range of formats
• Excellent teamwork skills and experience of supporting and motivating others
• Experience of working to targets, budgets, and deadlines
• Experience of working robustly within challenging and unpredictable environments as well as effectively managing change

DESIRABLE

• Experience of working in an organisation which promotes the rights of vulnerable communities with multiple disadvantages
• Experience supporting young people that have experienced injustice, inequality and other disadvantage
• Experience building and maintaining excellent relationships partnerships with community organisations and campaign groups
• Project management experience
• An understanding of safeguarding and child protection frameworks
• Experience of using CRM effectively
• A valid driving license and a car

HOW TO APPLY

THE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER 2020 AT 12.00PM

We would like this position to start as soon as possible. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, so we encourage early applications. 

To apply for this position, please send:

1. A comprehensive and relevant CV

2. A supporting statement addressing the person specification 

3. And either:

• An essay answering the questions below (no longer than 750 words for each question). 

• A video of you addressing the questions below (no longer than 8 minutes in total).

1) What do the words ‘justice’, ‘peace’ and ‘freedom’ mean to you and how have these concepts impacted your view of the world? 

2) What are your top three priorities for building equity in our society and how would you go about it?

3) What does empowerment mean to you and how do you feel it can be incorporated as a principle in your work?

This will be reviewed by 4Front Members, Staff and Trustees.

There is a 3-stage selection process:

1.  An initial video interview (30 mins)

2. An interactive in person interview with 4Front Members and Staff (including a preparation task)

3. A final round interview with the Board of Trustees.

We are an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate against candidates who may have previous convictions. We will also make reasonable adjustments for employees that may have access requirements.

Please ensure you quote the job reference number in the subject line of your email.