Do you want to work on ending food bank use, one of the British public’s key issues for the UK General election? Do you share Trussell’s vision of ‘ending the need for food banks’? Well, this could be the role for you!
We are looking for a motivated candidate, who is keen to work across multiple constituencies, to try and influence prospective parliamentary candidates (PPC’s) across the political spectrum. This is a nonpartisan role, with the needs of food banks, and those who use foodbanks, at the centre.
Role outline
The Foodbank Campaign Coordinator is responsible for delivering Trussell’s influencing and mobilising work across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough during the General Election. You will do this by building strong relationships with other food banks in your Combined Local Authority, and building an alliance of anti-poverty campaigners. Campaign Coordinators implement Trussell Trust’s national General Election strategy, by using Organising techniques to put pressure on Prospective Parliamentary Candidates in each Combined Local Authority.
You will lead local community teams who want to end the need for food banks, to get local Prospective Parliamentary Candidates to commit to prioritising the problem of people going without essentials if they are elected, and to acknowledge that that must involve a strengthened social security system.
This Cambridge City Foodbank (CCFb) role is funded by Trussell Trust as part of their General Election strategy, and you will be part of a network of Campaign Coordinators around the UK doing this work.
Responsibilities of Campaign Coordinator:
To build trusted relationships within CCFb and other food banks before, during and after the UK General Election. You will work with food banks across the Cambridgeshire & Peterboorough Combined Authority to build a team and coordinate campaign activity.
To create and support campaigns teams of community volunteers. You will have 1-2-1s with food bank staff, volunteers, partner organisations and stakeholders in each community to build support bases and get people to take part in campaign actions.
To lead community outreach including door-knocking sessions. You will door knock with your community campaign team to drum up support for the campaign, provide members of the public literature on food bank use in their local community, and invite people to their local hustings.
To support local campaigns teams to engage with Prospective Parliamentary Candidates, including organising local hustings. You will ensure that your community campaign teams: attend national Trussell Trust webinars, receive national guidance on how to approach Prospective Parliamentary Candidates, understand the Trussell Trust legal General Election guidance, understand the logistics of organising a hustings, ensure that the hustings is as accessible as possible and ensure that the voices of people with lived experience are heard through the hustings.
To deliver the local campaigning strategy working with CCFb and other food bank staff, volunteers, visitors and social supermarket members. You will set objectives for the campaign, monitor progress and evaluate impact.
To work with the Organising and Local Mobilisation strategy of CCFb and engage with the training and support on offer, including work with other Campaign Coordinators in the Trussell Trust network
Person Specification
Experience and knowledge:
- Experience of campaigning or organising to achieve a change.
- Experience working alongside people with lived experience of poverty.
- Experience facilitating groups and organising engaging group activities.
- Experience influencing local decision makers.
- Knowledge of the UK political system.
- Knowledge of anti-poverty organisations across the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
- Good project management skills, and the ability to manage and motivate volunteers.
- Willingness to travel across the Combined Authority area as required.
Behaviours and competencies:
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships and gain trust of people with lived experience of poverty and using food banks.
- Confident in communicating and, able to seek and balance a range of views and stakeholders, influencing where required.
- Politically minded, with an understanding of charities’ obligations to be political independent.
- Be committed to the vision, respect the ethos and uphold the values of Cambridge City Foodbank and Trussell Trust.
Applications close on 16th May. Find out how to apply on the Charity Jobs website.