Housing Action Teesside (H.A.T.) is looking for a committed and motivated Tenant Organiser to help renters across the Tees Valley come together to fight housing injustice.

This freelance role (15 hours per week, £18/hour) will involve door-to-door outreach, supporting tenants to take collective action, organising community events, and building local campaigns.

We’re looking for someone with strong people skills, a passion for housing justice, and the drive to empower local communities. Prior organising experience is welcome but not essential.

Job Description & Person Specification

Position:
Tenant Organiser

Organisation:
Housing Action Teesside (H.A.T.)

Location:
Tees Valley (flexible)

Employment Type:
Freelance / Contractor. Paid employment 6 months (initially). Part time (15 hours per week – flexible hours). £18.00 per hour.

Reporting to:
H.A.T. Executive Committee

Job Summary:
To be responsible for organising renters in targeted communities in the Tees Valley, including through door-to-door outreach, promoting Housing Action Teesside (HAT), and coordinating events, protests and advocacy efforts. This role requires an individual with good people skills and a passion for the welfare and empowerment of renters. A successful candidate would focus their efforts on the ground in a specific community in the Tees Valley, to support our members to organise to fight back against housing injustice and build a vibrant local tenants’ union.

Compensation, Hours and Location:

The role’s responsibilities would primarily take place in a specific ward with significant rented housing and housing deprivation in the Tees Valley. As any candidate would be encouraged to take advantage of any existing links and knowledge they had in an area. The specific location of the organiser’s efforts could be flexible according to the candidate’s background, motivation and skill set.

The role would be a freelance post for an initial period of 12 months. In the event that HAT was successful in securing sufficient funding, the role could be considered for extension subject to the democratic decision of the membership.

The organiser would be expected to work approximately 15 hours per week. These hours could be taken flexibly according to the preferences and needs of the organiser, but the organiser would be asked where possible to vary hours where needed to attend specific events (which may occur on evenings or weekends).

Pay would be £18.00 per hour for the services provided. Payment will be made monthly and the Contractor is responsible for their own tax liabilities and National Insurance contributions.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Mobilising collective tenant campaigns and actions

2. Membership recruitment

3. Coordinating and hosting forums for member organising

4. Working alongside volunteer activists

5. Building stakeholder relationships

Essential qualities:

    • Passion for Housing Justice: A deep commitment to social justice and improving the living conditions of renters in the community.
    • People skills: Ability to work collaboratively with tenants, HAT volunteers and other stakeholders, and willingness to proactively take part in outreach to encourage HAT membership and inspire and motivate tenants to take part in collective action to improve their lives.
    • Self-motivation: Ability to manage own workload independently, prioritise tasks and proactively seek out new ways to build tenant organisation.
    • Availability: Willingness to work flexible hours, including on occasions evenings and weekends, where required (but would have substantial control over own diary).
    • Democratic values: Willingness to listen, empathise and abide by democratic decisions of Housing Action Teesside membership.

Desirable (but not essential):

    • Organising Experience: Previous experience in community organising, union activity, advocacy, or activism is preferred. However, a commitment to the cause and a willingness to learn can also be considered.
    • Housing knowledge: Knowledge of housing law, housing issues, political developments in this area and institutions relevant to housing in the Tees Valley preferred.
    • Transportation: Preferable if you have a car, but not required.
    • Communication and Online Skills: Ideal if have good written and verbal communication and basic online skills: eg emails and social media.