Office Manager

The NSW Community Alliance brings together diverse community organisations, unions, and religious organisations to advance the common good and achieve a fair, just and sustainable city.

We do this by providing opportunities for people to have a say in decisions that affect them, their families and everyone working and living in NSW cities and regions.

We are looking for an experienced and passionate professional to oversee and coordinate the day-to-day administrative activities of the office and organisation including support for the CEO in governance and human resource activities.

Our Office Manager supports and coordinates the work of the Alliance across multiple teams in Sydney, Newcastle and leaders and organisers from Queensland, Aotearoa-New Zealand, Canada and the United States. You are responsible for maintaining and improving administrative systems for organisers and hundreds of volunteers so they can engage effectively with the important work of the Alliance.

Key Responsibilities

The Office Manager will work to support the administrative operation of the NSW Community Alliance.

This involves:

• Responsible for maintaining and improving all office systems for Sydney Alliance, Hunter Community Alliance and IAF Pacific.
• Responsible for all office system administration, including the managing of records, the administration of the Alliance membership base and internal communication.
• Responsible for liaising with all external suppliers to coordinate office business, information technology, software and to facilitate resolution of problems
• Ensuring office equipment and supplies are maintained, including where necessary preparation of plans and recommendations regarding improvements to office systems and services.
• Ensuring compliance of the Alliance with relevant government legislation, policies and procedures including governance, occupational health and safety regulations.
• Coordinating (with the CEO) human resource systems and activities including selection processes, system of performance management, implementation of training and supervision with respect to staff and volunteers.
• Responsible for allocating and tracking work of volunteer leaders in alignment with Alliance plans and projects.
• Responsibility for maintaining the contact management (CRM) database of the Alliance and IAF Pacific
• System maintenance and administration of software
• Responsible for communication systems including websites, web content, social media and any other forms of communication required to support Alliance organisers.
• Responsibility for administration of flagship training programs and events, including online events.
• Responsibility for administration of Alliance events.
• Supporting the Community Organisers with project and event management

Key attributes of the right person

• Demonstrated commitment to making social change in Australia.
• High level of flexibility.
• You are a ‘people’ person with a high level of emotional intelligence.
• A team player who can work with a very small tightknit team.
• Lived experience in at least one of our three key areas of campaigning, temporary migration, affordable housing or housing energy.
• Able to speak more than one language.
• Demonstrated experience working with people of diverse ethnicity and/or faith groups.
• Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve when faced with challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate key stakeholder and volunteer cohorts.
• Demonstrated experience organising within organisations that practice organising or coalition building across religious, union and community sector organisations.

Experience, knowledge and skills

Essential Criteria:

• A relevant diploma, higher qualification or at least 2 years’ work experience related to Alliance work in the following areas:
  • Management or administration.
  • Community development; working with groups and communities.
• System Administration including managing access, permissions and training others to efficiently use software.
• Demonstrated experience managing an office environment, including workspaces, technology and establishing management systems.
• CRM skills – specifically data handling:
  • Understanding the importance of data integrity and consistency.
  • Capable of using CSV and XLSX files to manually transfer data between apps/systems
  • Familiarity with query handling; extracting reports; exporting data
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate paid staff or volunteers in a campaign or advocacy setting.
• Demonstrated ability to work to a plan and delegate tasks and responsibilities to other team members and/or volunteers.
• Demonstrated governance experience supporting a board and CEO and associated compliance requirements.
• Effective problem solver, able to take the initiative and where necessary suggest solutions.
• Demonstrated event coordination and planning.
• Effective communication skills. Ability to liaise with external organisations to resolve issues and ensure community organisers who are working in the office and out in the field are aware of unfolding events.
• High competency with cloud-based technology such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
• Experience with web content management apps. Ability to add, edit and delete content on the website. This organisation’s website is powered by Squarespace.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience with system administration.
• Experience with online event registration apps.
• Experience with online video conferencing apps and equipment.
• Ability to work early mornings when dealing with Pacific team.
• Ability to work with a very small tightknit team.
• Ability to communicate and work with people of diverse ethnicity and faith.
• Exposure to donor management apps

Other Benefits

• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance
• Not-for-profit salary packaging (if eligible), increasing your take-home pay.
• Rewarding work – every day you know you’re making a real difference.
• Working with a small team of highly motivated people
• Working cross-culturally across multiple cultures and communities and nations.
• 3 days annual cultural leave