Job Opportunity as Africa Organizing Support Assistant

About the role and responsibilities

The International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP) is currently looking for an Africa based organizing support assistant to join our team and strengthen our regional work in Africa. The Africa organizing support assistant, working with IAWP’s Africa Coordinator, will be responsible for providing support to membership based organizations of waste pickers in Africa in their local, national and regional organizing and movement building efforts.

This work will include:

• Supporting waste picker organizations to develop and implement strategic organizing agendas
• Identifying new waste picker membership-based organizations to work with in the region.
• Developing partnerships with the trade union movement in the region, including ITUC, in order to advance the organizing interests of waste pickers.
• Assisting with administrative tasks related to projects and activities in the Africa region under the IAWP’s Ford Foundation Social Justice Bond project (FFSJB).

She/he will report directly to the IAWP Africa Coordinator and work collaboratively with the IAWP Acting General Secretary, the Operations Manager, the Communications Manager and the FFSJB officer.

About the International Alliance of Waste Pickers

IAWP is an international union committed to advancing the organizational strength and rights of waste pickers, who play a vital role in managing waste, and who contribute significantly to recycling and other aspects of sustainable development. IAWP has a long history of being an informal coalition of waste pickers movements starting in 2008. IAWP, as a networking process, has been engaging in international discussions on climate change, plastic pollution, and labour and social protection norms, among others. At this point, IAWP is in the process of becoming a formal entity, with its constitution approved by waste pickers’ movements around the world in October 2022. In April 2024, IAWP will be hosting its first international elective congress to elect the office bearers of the organization.

Responsibilities

Organizing

• Assist the Africa Coordinator in setting up and facilitating regular regional meetings of waste picker organisations in Africa as part of building an African Network, with a view to developing and implementing an Africa regional strategy to build Africa waste pickers movement and solidarity.
• Working with the Africa Coordinator, assess the existing organizing strategies in the region and help develop strategic organizing campaigns that advance national organizations and a regional waste pickers movement in Africa
• Working with the Africa Coordinator, support and provide organisational advice to waste picker organisations in the Africa Network, where appropriate
• Identify new organizations to work with and support these with outreach.
• Working with the Africa Coordinator, facilitate organizing and solidarity partnerships between IAWP and ITUC-Africa and other trade unions in the region.

Administrative Support

• Secure timely narrative and financial reports from waste pickers organizations on activities and projects supported by IAWP.
• Assist the IAWP Africa Coordinator, Operations Manager and SJB officer in coordinating meetings, workshops and conferences taking place in Africa.
• Manage the Africa region WhatsApp group.
• Keep an up-to-date database for waste pickers organization in the region.

Eligibility Criteria

• At least 3 years of experience with movements/networks/ coalitions of workers in informal employment.
• Previous trade union experience is an asset.
• Good knowledge of organizing and collective bargaining.
• Good knowledge of social justice or environmental justice.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Good organizational and administrative skills.
• Good communications and writing skills.
• Computer literacy for word processing and simple spreadsheets.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Fluent in both English and French.
• Knowledge of one additional African language is an asset.

Schedule and Remuneration

• This is a part time consultant contract position with a necessarily flexible schedule between the time of appointment and the end of March 2024 with the possibility of extension subject to satisfactory work performance and approval by the IAWP leadership.
• Remote work.
• The pay rate will be negotiated according to experience, skills and the role and discussed with the successful candidate.
• Days worked must be accounted for. Days of work: 12 days a month, 7.5 hours a day.
• This is a part-time, home-based position. Therefore a computer and a stable internet connection are required, with occasional international travel.

Equal employment opportunity

We welcome you regardless of your gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, age, physical ability, or any other status unrelated to the performance of the job. Women based in Africa and those belonging to waste pickers organizations or marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Procedure

If you are passionate about organizing, and about social justice, and you meet the eligibility criteria outlined above, we invite you to apply for this position.

To apply, please submit until August 14th, 2023, all the required documents to with your application to info@globalrec.org and indicate in the subject of the email “Africa Organizing Support”:

1. A comprehensive resume (CV): Provide a detailed account of no more than three pages, of your education, work experience, and relevant skills.
2. Cover letter: Highlight your motivation to join IAWP and demonstrate how your qualifications align with the position. The letter should not exceed 500 words.