About Us

The Sunrise Project is a network of passionate changemakers driven by a shared mission to scale social movements that can drive the urgent transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. We believe in the power of people to solve the climate crisis, and we work alongside partners around the world to shift the systems — financial, political, and cultural — that are holding back climate action.

Since launching in Australia in 2012, Sunrise has grown into a global network of independent organisations with over 140 staff across 13 countries. We work behind the scenes to support bold strategies, build capacity in the climate movement, and catalyse collective action for impact at speed and scale. Our work is grounded in strong relationships, deep collaboration, and a fierce commitment to justice.

We’re proud of the culture we’ve built — one that centres trust, care, and the belief that how we work matters as much as what we do. We actively strive to reflect our values in how we lead, collaborate, and show up with our partners and each other. You can read about our values here.

About the Role

You will work hand-in-glove with the Executive Director and have a huge purview across organisational strategy, campaign strategy and major donor work. The Executive Director will invest not just in their relationship with you to build a solid foundation of trust, but in your professional growth too.  If you have the capacity, the role could also encompass strategic advice and support in addition to daily logistics. 

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’ll need to be a lateral thinker, problem-solver and be super-organised. You’re going to be supporting our Executive Director to prioritise, prepare and follow through on a myriad of activities, so developing a deep understanding of our whole organisation, programs and the context we’re operating in quickly will make all the difference.

You’ll be engaging closely with everyone from board members, philanthropists, business and NGO leaders, and staff at all levels within our organisation. You’ll need a penchant for clear, direct communication, an unflappable nature, and the ability to read people and group dynamics.

Key Responsibilities

• Supports the Executive director to manage the workload, including prioritisation, scheduling and diary/calendar management;

• Supports the Executive Director to manage correspondence including managing email inboxes, drafting and/or editing memos and reports;

• Provides logistical and administrative support for the Executive Director including arranging meetings, workshops and complex travel itineraries;

• Provides support to the Board including organising meetings, drafting papers, agenda setting and overall logistics;

• Project management to help drive various organisational requirements, included but not limited to; event planning, team retreats/workshops,  team culture building, recruitment and other ad hoc projects; 

• Provides broader support to the leadership team including preparing and organising meetings, developing agendas and managing follow-through;

• Contributes to the preparation of reports and presentations;

• Collaborates with and provides support, where required to the wider operations and programs teams;

• Applies a strategic mindset to ensure the organisation can have the greatest impact by horizon scanning and adjusting, streamlining workflows and continuously improving our standards.

Skills, knowledge and experience    

• Significant experience in a similar or related role working 1:1 with diverse executive level leaders especially in a non-governmental organisation;

• An advanced level of organisational and project administration skills; 

• An ability to prioritise decisively and juggle multiple projects in a flexible, fast-paced environment; 

• Advanced written, verbal and visual communication skills; 

• Intermediate level competency with software including Google Suite, Zoom, other collaborative tools and nimble tech solutions;

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with highly developed social and emotional intelligence;

• An ability to understand complex strategic and organisational dynamics;

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

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• Experience event planning for virtual and in-person events and convenings

• Expertise in coordinating board activities and providing administrative support 

Job requirements 

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

• Employment background checks are required.

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

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 and/or temporarily appointed staff:

• Superannuation 12.5% & Salary Sacrifice for Superannuation

• Sunrise Time Off:

  • Additional Annual Leave 5 days p.a.

  • Long Service Leave available after 5 years of service

  • Birthday Leave 1 day p.a.

  • Solidarity and Community Leave 1 week p.a

  • Cultural Leave 4 days p.a (+ floating public holidays)

  • Gifted Leave (over Christmas and New Year)

  • Paid Parental Leave of 7.5 mths (inclusive of GPPL) - gender-neutral & inclusive of all family types, incl. Parental Return To Work & Keeping In Touch Program

  • Life Leave up to 40 days p.a. for significant personal reasons

• Flexible Working Policy

• Employee Assistance Program

• VIDA - An AI tool to support you working safely remotely

• Generous allowances for:

• Workspace Benefits incl: Macbook & accessories, initial $2,000 for home workspace and IT equipment + $800 every 2 years + up to $75/mth phone/data/internet.

• Shared office support

• Regular all-org and team meetings & retreats

• Learning & Development Program incl. a professional development budget for you

• Coaching & manager support with regular 1:1 meetings

• Annual performance & development reviews with 360 feedback

• A co-developed work plan to ensure clarity on your role & key responsibilities

• We provide our staff with a voice on issues that concern them via consultation, e.g. JEDI caucuses, working groups, slack channels, surveys and meetings.

How to apply for this job

We recognize that racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, classism and other forms of discrimination creates structural barriers that impact opportunities to formal education and experience. When assessing candidates we look at more than the jobs you've been paid to do but the range of ways you've picked up skills and knowledge throughout your life. This is why we assess candidates on how well they respond to application questions and don’t require a cover letter.

We have partnered with Kin to fill this key role.  If you have any questions before applying, please contact anita.teague@kin.co.nz