About Us

Driven by a passion to solve the climate crisis, The Sunrise Project is a team of experienced change-makers with a mission to scale social movements to drive the global transition beyond fossil fuels. With affiliated programs and staff in the United States, Europe and Asia, we have developed a unique model of grant making and campaigning that supports networks of organisations to drive powerful change towards our mission.

We have a dynamic and nimble organisational culture. We’re serious about supporting our people to thrive as we tackle the urgent climate challenge.  We believe that a diversity of experiences and perspectives will help us build stronger strategies, teams and movements. We take the broadest possible view of diversity and encourage First Nations people, people of colour, people living outside of cities, people living with disabilities, neurodiverse, and LGBTQIA+ people to apply. We are continually working on becoming a better workplace for everyone. Find out more here.

About The Role

The role works within the Australian Coal Mining team and key partners to design, develop, and implement movement campaigns to protect Australia’s environment from fossil fuel extraction and to achieve climate justice. Australia is one of the world’s biggest coal exporters and has the largest pipeline of proposed export coal mining on the planet. 

In this role, you will develop campaigning tactics and strategies to challenge proposed coal projects and advance a just transition; build community and decision-maker understanding of the impacts of coal mining; create powerful movement stories and identify compelling opportunities for media coverage.

This role will specifically work to ensure decision-makers speed up Australia’s plans for decarbonisation and keep coal in the ground. Your work could include convening allies to brainstorm urgent responses to a major new announcement; developing exciting communication strategies to change the story on coal; or working with partners on fresh analysis to inform new campaign interventions. 

We support networks of organisations to work together to achieve outcomes that would not be possible by individual organisations acting alone. We expect all roles at Sunrise to actively support the capacity building of these networks and partner organisations. 

About You

You’re an experienced campaigner who understands how social movements build power and change the world. You’re focused on identifying goals and building campaigns and tactics to achieve them with a variety of movement organisations. You are a skilled project manager and also enjoy getting into the details of a problem to find compelling opportunities for action. You’re a confident writer, communicator and a skilled facilitator, who enjoys bringing people together to solve complex problems. You’re passionate about solving the climate crisis, and excited to be part of a dedicated team working to keep Australian coal safely in the ground and build movements for climate justice.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaboratively develop campaigns aligned with program strategies that contribute to phasing out coal mining;

• Engage with communities impacted by coal mining, and support their advocacy efforts;

• Monitor public and policy debate, and contributes to educating movement colleagues about the problems, solutions, opportunities, and threats; 

• Contribute to the development of outreach strategies that enable campaigners to reach, activate and grow the movement;

• Contribute to organisation and team culture, reflecting the vision, mission and values of The Sunrise Project

• Collaboratively develop objectives related to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, including proposing innovations in team processes

• Align own work and goals with Sunrise’s mission and values.

Required skills, knowledge and experience    

• Demonstrated experience in activism and campaigning, including unpaid, grassroots or lived experience, or other relevant transferable skills and experience;

• Proven ability to analyse power and to develop effective campaign strategies to achieve real-world change;

• Experience advocating for policy reform, including engaging with governments on policies or decisions;

• Excellent verbal, written communications and group facilitation skills; 

• Well developed interpersonal, collaboration and relationship building skills with a wide range of stakeholders;

• A deep passion for and commitment to ambitious action for climate justice.

Job requirements 

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

• Employment background checks may be required;

• Attend local in person partner events occasionally;

• Intermittent travel domestically with advanced notice where possible;

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