Educator WA

Are you a unionist driven by the transformative power of union education?  Are you keen to harness the latest developments in educational delivery to broaden its reach and impact and to strengthen and grow the union movement?  The ACTU is seeking to appoint an Educator in Perth for an 18-month fixed term.

Our Organisation 

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is the peak union body representing almost 2 million workers and their families.

Since our creation in 1927, the ACTU has spearheaded some of the most fundamental workplace struggles in Australia’s history including leading our movement’s efforts to ensure every work has the right to safe and healthy work.

The ACTU’s role as a peak body is to encourage workers to join their union, be a national voice for our movement, and advance and defend workers’ rights by co-ordinating union campaigns, representing workers at a range of government and non-government forums and to provide industrial, policy and other support to our affiliates.

The role

The Australian Trade Union Institute (part of the ACTU) is the centre for providing education, collaboration, and research for Australian Unions.  It is focused on providing cutting edge training and education and undertaking research that furthers the interest of workers.

This is a role for people with experience at the forefront of union education, organising, workplace health and safety or provision of industrial advice and strategy.  The Institute is drawing on the wealth of knowledge and experience in our movement to facilitate teaching, collaboration, and research.

In addition to delivery of ATUI programs in WA, this position will ensure delivery of a project to review and modularise ATUI programs to improve access and availability to employee representatives in WA.  The successful applicant will work closely with WA branches of ACTU affiliates and Unions WA.

If you have experience implementing new strategies to build union density and activism in one of the above fields, you are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities 

• Contribute to the development and sharing of cutting-edge resources within the union movement.
• Work with individual unions on education and development, capacity building and change.
• Develop and deliver high quality and well attended education programs that contribute to the organisation’s growth and capacity agenda.
• Understand and meet the needs of adult learners.
• Facilitate, support and work at various times on affiliates and movement organising projects, pilots, and campaigns.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of our objectives and planning.
• Support program participants in a variety of settings and the active development of supportive learning environments.
• Establish and maintain appropriate interpersonal relationships between the ACTU and its affiliates.
• Undertake assessment and evaluation of learning outcomes.
• Maintain and develop high professional standards and up-to-date expertise.
• Review current ATUI course offerings for organisers and industrial staff (employee representatives in the workplace) with a view to creating a series of modularised shorter courses that can be undertaken separately but stacked to achieve the equivalency of their corresponding longer ATUI courses.
• Trial the delivery of developed modules with WA based affiliates of the ACTU.
• Review the modularised courses and update content and materials following the review.
• Undertake an investigation into the requirements for attracting CPD recognition for developed modules and longer ATUI courses.
• Undertake a review of the requirements to gain accreditation for relevant ATUI course such as Organising Works
• Contribute to the development of an Advocacy graduates’ program or equivalent program to attract and train new entrants to the role of Industrial Officer.

Key Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated commitment to the Australian trade union movement, its values, policies, programs and organisational structures.
• Demonstrated high-level capacity in one of the fields of industrial, organising or WHS.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate education in a variety of settings.
• High-level interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to be proactive and show initiative.
• Commitment and ability to provide feedback in an adult learning environment and a demonstrated ability to motivate others.
• Demonstrated ability to apply principles of instructional design, particularly in relation to the emerging area of micro credentials, stackable qualifications and CPD.

Additional information

• Salary will be in the range $110,481 – $121,630 commensurate with qualifications, skills and experience. along with an additional 15% superannuation, annual leave loading, working from home opportunities and generous leave arrangements (including up to 5 additional days of annual leave).
• Interstate travel is a requirement of the position.
• This position is based in Perth, however the ACTU may consider applicants based elsewhere in Australia who are able and willing to relocate or frequently travel to Perth.
• While experienced educators are encouraged to apply, we welcome applicants with a broad range of union experience who are motivated to move into an education role.
• Candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and candidates who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander are particularly encouraged to apply.

To apply

We think knowing how to organise workers is fundamental to being an educator in the union movement.  If you are an experienced union organiser who understands the role of education in building worker power and you’re based in Perth or willing to relocate there, we’d like to hear from you – whatever your experience of delivering education is.  

Please provide a cover letter addressing the selection criteria and your suitability for the role, as well as your CV to;

Natalie Lang, Director Education and Capacity Building – jobs@actu.org.au

Closing date

Applications for this role close on 19 April 2024.