About us

Driven by a passion to achieve climate justice, The Sunrise Project is a team of changemakers with a mission to scale social movements to drive the global transition beyond fossil fuels. With programs and teams in Australia, and affiliated programs and teams in Europe, and North America, we have developed a unique model of campaigning and grant making that supports networks of organisations to drive powerful change towards our mission.

We have a dynamic and nimble organisational culture and we’re serious about supporting all of our people to thrive. We recognise the scale and urgency of the climate crisis and are trying to work in ways that transform the structural injustices that underpin it.

We believe that a diversity of experiences and perspectives will help us build stronger strategies, teams and movements. We strongly encourage First Nations people, people of colour, people living outside of cities, and people living with a disability to apply. We are continually working on becoming a better workplace for everyone. You can read our commitment to this work here.

About you

Your Head: You can’t wait to wake up everyday thinking about how to transform Australia from global laggard to world leader in climate solutions. You are confident in your ability to identify strategic opportunities to drive the country beyond fossil fuels and have good ideas for how to deal with opposition to this vital transition. Your focus is in building powerful social movement networks, organisations and individuals to have the biggest impact possible working together.

Your Heart: You strive to be an inspiring leader with a passion for supporting people to reach their full potential. You care deeply about climate justice and have a hunger to be part of the solution. You are empathetic and can adapt your leadership style to meet the needs of the context and achieve the outcomes needed.

Your Hands: You are an effective campaigner and organiser. You’ve demonstrated your strategic capability and can point to real world changes that you have been a part of creating, and the lessons you’ve learned from failing along the way. You can point to the way in which you have built the power of others in your teams and partnerships. You understand the Australian political and energy landscape and have a broad range of tools in your toolbox to apply to solving big and small problems.

About the role

The Australian Program Director (Movement & Development) manages the Sunrise Project’s work to support and resource a powerful Australian movement ecosystem focused on accelerating the transition out of fossil fuels to renewable energy.

The role oversees all strategies and projects designed to develop the key cross-cutting capabilities, culture and partnerships that make up a powerful climate movement. You will oversee development of movement building strategies and projects, and lead the work to raise resources for the partners who will deliver them. A key focus of this work will be to build relationships with partners across a diverse spectrum of constituencies and strategies and raise the resources to support them.

Working closely with the Australian Program Director, you will also ensure that our Australian program builds a stronger and more powerful movement ecosystem, supporting Program Directors to manage high level engagement with partners in community, business and philanthropy, as well as grassroots activists. You will need to be excellent at building strong relationships and nurturing collaboration between diverse stakeholders.

As a key leader, you will cultivate a creative and nimble organisational culture and support our whole Australian team to have maximum impact towards our mission. And you will prioritise your work in a way that serves our goal to integrate justice, equity, diversity and inclusion into our programs and organisation.

Key responsibilities

●      Develop and deliver an Australian Movement Building strategy to ensure the Australian climate movement ecosystem is effectively building power to achieve our Australian program goals;

●      Provide leadership on our commitment to justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, and the integration of JEDI principles into our movement building strategy and partnerships;

●      Build and maintain relationships with key cross-movement partners aligned in the mission and manage any relevant granting relationships;

●      Build and maintain key relationships with the Australian philanthropic community to secure resources for achieving our Australian program goals;

●      Oversee the Australian movement building budget, manage risks and meet compliance obligations associated with the program.

Required skills, knowledge and experience   

●      At least 10 years’ experience in a similar or related role including unpaid, grassroots or lived experience;

●      Demonstrated ability to analyse power and to develop effective strategies to achieve real-world change;

●      A strong commitment to and understanding of social movements and strategies that build movement power;

●      The ability to clearly articulate complex strategies in simple ways;

●      Significant relationships and deep understanding of the Australian climate movement, philanthropic community and civil society organisations;

●      A working knowledge of the Australian energy sector and climate politics;

●      Demonstrated experience managing high performing teams and supporting people to do their best work;

●      Excellent communicator and relationship builder with high emotional intelligence, group facilitation and interpersonal skills;

●      Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a fast paced, highly flexible environment;

●      Experience with effective monitoring and evaluation of complex programs;

●      A passion for action on climate change and a commitment to social justice.

Job requirements

●      You must have full working rights for Australia.  The Sunrise Project is unable to sponsor applicants for employment visas.

●      Intermittent travel domestically, rurally and internationally with advanced notice may be required.

●      COVID-19 vaccinations may apply in accordance with local legislation and/or Sunrise policy.

How Sunrise supports its staff

The Sunrise Project is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. We have the following in place to help us achieve that, noting pro rata will apply for part time staff:

●      Superannuation 12.5%

●      Flexible work policy, including hybrid-remote working

●      Birthday leave (if it’s your birthday, you get a day off)

●      Solidarity and community leave 1 week p.a

●      Cultural leave (floating public holidays)

●      Gifted leave (over Christmas and New Year)

●      Paid parental leave (subject to eligibility conditions)

●      Generous financial support for office and/or remote working

●      Access to an Employee Assistance Program

●      Commitment your professional development (up to $2000 p.a)

●      Coaching and management support with regular 1:1 meetings

●      Regular feedback to support you and the team to reflect and grow

●      A co-developed initial 3 month work plan to support your onboarding and provide clarity on your role and responsibilities