Job Description: Mid Sussex Campaign Organiser

Mid Sussex Liberal Deomocrats and Horsham Liberal Democrats are collaborating to hire a Campaign Organiser whose time will be split between the two groups.  Accordingly we have designed two separate, but interlocking, part time roles which are intended to be carried out by one person. This is the description for the Mid Sussex role.

Job Title: Campaign Organiser

Salary: £15,300 - £16,800 per annum for a 24 hour week (3 days) - depending on experience.

Pay rate equivalent to £25,500 - £28,000 per annum Full Time (40 hour week).

Hours: Part-time (24 hours per week/3 days) with flexibility to fit around your personal constraints. There may be a need to attend the occasional evening meeting.

Tenure: Initially for 6 months with the potential to extend.

Location: The Mid Sussex Liberal Democrats’ office in central Burgess Hill but there will be scope for working some of the time from home. Travel across the Mid Sussex district may be required.

Job Specification:

Mid Sussex Liberal Democrats are looking for a dynamic Campaign Organiser to be a key part of the team driving their campaigns in the Mid Sussex district, which includes the Mid Sussex and a large part of the East Grinstead & Uckfield parliamentary constituencies.

In the May 2023 local elections, the Liberal Democrats made extensive gains, taking 20 out of 48 seats on Mid Sussex District Council, becoming the largest party and taking control of the Council from the Conservatives, who had run it for a generation. We also won majority control of the Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath Town Councils.

In July 2024 Mid Sussex elected its first Lib Dem MP for over 100 years – Alison Bennett.

These results have demonstrated the party’s ability to make powerful electoral gains across the Mid Sussex area on the back of sustained campaigning efforts. 

We intend to build on those successes by making inroads into the Conservative majority at West Sussex County Council in the May 2025 elections.

We are now building the team which will not only drive our County Council election campaign but will also run campaigns in support of our MP and the councils we lead to ensure their re-election in the future. The Campaign Organiser will be the lynchpin of that team.

Key Responsibilities:

Build capacity within our team of activists and councillors

• Organise events and campaigns to recruit new volunteers across the district.
• Develop and manage a process for guiding new volunteers into roles which suit them.
• Encourage volunteers to “upskill” and move into more responsible roles over time.
• Ensure that relevant training is available to support the development of the volunteer team.
• Assist sitting councillors and candidates to build their own local teams.

Project manage the campaign

• Together with the Core Campaign Team, draw up the Mid Sussex campaign plan.
• Make sure the campaign plan is delivered on-time and in-budget, working closely with the rest of the campaign team and activists.

Responsibility for the production of literature

• Manage, with the involvement of other members of the campaign team, the production of literature from inception to delivery of printed leaflets to the distribution network.

Organise a regular canvassing programme

• Devise a data-driven canvassing programme which supports the campaign plan.
• Publish the programme to activists and encourage them to participate.

Key Contributions and Relationships:

• Work with the Local Party Treasurer to ensure campaign expenditure is within the LP’s budget.
• Work with the Communications Officer to ensure that campaign messaging is consistent with communications put out by our MP and our councillors.
• Report to the Local Party Executive from time to time on Campaign plans and progress.
• Work with the MP’s office to ensure that, where possible, we use the MP’s presence to enhance local campaigns.
• Support the Fundraising Group to run fundraising events.
• Work with teams in other West Sussex Local Parties to maximise our impact on West Sussex County Council in the May 2025 elections.

Key things we’re after from you:

You know how to get things done

You’re hot on deadlines, making sure team members know what tasks they need to do, and at keeping track of a budget. You’ve got experience managing a project with lots of strands. You are good at setting priorities and sticking to them.

You can fire up passionate volunteers

You’ve got the enthusiasm and empathy to motivate our team of activists. You might have experience recruiting, managing or training volunteers.

You know how to campaign

You know how political campaigns in England are fought and have hands on experience of them.

You can multitask with ease

You’re organised enough to manage lots of simultaneous demands from volunteers, the rest of the campaign team and the candidate without losing your cool or losing sight of your goals. Previous experience organising events would be a bonus.

You care enough to get stuck right in

You’re invested in the Liberal Democrats’ mission to displace the Conservatives in Mid Sussex and across West Sussex, and drive positive change locally and nationally. You’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves to get the job done.

Experience for you:

• Be part of a winning team: Join a team of ambitious campaigners who have made a big difference to the local political landscape in recent years. Be instrumental in making the next leap and ensuring a sustainable future for Liberal Democracy in Mid Sussex and West Sussex.
• Have a real say: Your voice will have a huge bearing on the shape of the campaign.
• Change lives: Make a difference to Mid Sussex and to our country’s future by doing what you do best!

How to apply

Please complete the online application form here: On-Line Application Form

Deadline:

• Closing date: 13^th January, 2025
• Interviews: Third week of January 2025

Further Information:

If you have any questions please contact Peter Cox at info@midsussexlibdems.org.uk

We will be reviewing applications as they come in and reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date.

We will only be able to employ you if you are eligible to work in the UK. We will not be able to obtain a work permit on your behalf.

Applicants are encouraged to inform us if any reasonable adjustments are needed to be made during any part of the recruitment process.

The Party believes it is essential to foster equity, equality, diversity and inclusion within our workforce. 

We want our employees to thrive in an environment where everyone is welcome and supported to achieve their potential.  It is important to celebrate what makes us unique and that you feel valued, appreciated and free to be who you are.

We will notify applicants if their application has been unsuccessful when the job has been filled.