Director of Movement Building

Australian Conservation Foundation; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

4 weeks annual leave

Personal leave 30 days per year

Superannuation 12.5%

Long service leave

Parental leave

Job summary

Australian Conservation Foundation seeks an inaugural Director of Movement Building to design and implement an integrated movement-building strategy, combining mobilisation, supporter growth and online/offline action to strengthen public power for nature and climate.

Reporting to the CEO and member of the Executive Team, you will recruit, train, organise and mobilise supporters at scale, leading a new directorate of ~10 staff and partnering with senior leaders to drive impact.

Qualifications

• Proven track record designing and leading large-scale organising, mobilisation, advocacy or movement-building strategies.
• Experience turning public concern into collective action and growing supporter power.
• Strong facilitation, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement integrated movement-building strategy.
• Lead a directorate of ~10 staff to recruit, train and mobilise supporters at scale.
• Collaborate with senior leaders, partners and funders to expand public power for nature and climate.

Skills

Movement building

Community organising

Team leadership

Volunteer leadership

Public speaking

Storytelling

Relationship building

Engagement strategy

Digital platforms

Audience insights

Job description

• Lead ACF's movement building strategy and grow the scale, strength and influence of Australia's nature and climate movement
• Permanent, full-time position with a salary circa $200,000 per annum plus 12.5% superannuation and exceptional employee benefits
• Located in Melbourne (Wurundjeri Country), Sydney (Gadigal Country), Brisbane (Turrbal and Yuggera Country) or Canberra (Ngunawal Country) with flexibility to work from the office and from home

Who is the ACF?

For over 60 years, the Australian Conservation Foundation has been Australia's most respected voice for nature and climate. We are the national environment organisation committed to protecting our unique and beautiful wildlife and natural world.

ACF is inclusive, non-partisan, and proudly funded by the Australian community. Whether it's advocating for the Great Barrier Reef, koalas snoozing in big old trees, or strong climate action, our dedicated community of more than half a million people are working to create a world where forests, rivers, people, and wildlife thrive.

Right now, Australia is at a turning point. The decisions governments and corporations make this decade will shape the future of our climate, our wildlife, and the places we love for generations to come. At ACF, we see this moment as an opportunity to build a future that is safer, fairer and better for both people and nature.

That future won't happen on its own. It takes passionate people, ambitious ideas and a powerful movement to get government and big corporations to act. At ACF, we bring together people from all walks of life who share a belief that collective action can create lasting change and that a healthy environment is fundamental to a good life.

This is an exciting time to join our team. If you're looking for meaningful work, a purpose-driven organisation, and the chance to contribute to something bigger than yourself, you'll find it at ACF. Together, we're building a future where people and nature thrive.

What's the gig?

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of movement building in Australia.

As ACF's inaugural Director of Movement Building, you will lead the design and implementation of our integrated movement building strategy, bringing together mobilisation and community organising, supporter growth, and integration of on and offline action to strengthen public power and accelerate impact for nature and climate.

Reporting directly to the CEO and as a member of the Executive Team, you'll establish how ACF recruits, engages, trains, organises and mobilises supporters at scale, creating meaningful pathways from first engagement through to long-term participation, leadership and advocacy.

You'll lead a newly established directorate of approximately ten staff responsible for building world-class movement capabilities, ensuring ACF continues to grow a connected community of supporters, activists, volunteers and donors who feel a strong sense of belonging and collective purpose.

Working closely with senior leaders, movement partners and civil society organisations, you will draw on insights from leading movements around the world to help grow enduring public power for nature and climate.

About you!

You're an accomplished movement leader who knows how to turn public concern into meaningful collective action. You have a track record of designing and leading large-scale organising, mobilisation, advocacy or movement-building strategies that grow supporter power, deepen participation and deliver measurable impact. You understand how people become involved in a cause, what motivates them to take action, and how to create pathways that enable them to move from supporters to advocates, leaders and changemakers.

You bring deep expertise in community organising, volunteer leadership development and supporter engagement, combined with a strong understanding of the role that digital platforms, data and audience insights play in building movements at scale. You're excited by the challenge of finding new ways to recruit, inspire and mobilise people, and have experience translating online engagement into meaningful real-world action.

As a senior leader, you're known for building high-performing teams and fostering cultures of learning, experimentation, collaboration and accountability. You are comfortable leading through growth, complexity and change, and have a demonstrated ability to work across organisational boundaries to align strategy, campaigns, fundraising and engagement efforts toward shared goals.

You are also a skilled relationship builder and communicator. Whether you're working with community leaders, coalition partners, executives, boards, funders or the media, you know how to bring people together around a shared vision. You understand the power of narrative and storytelling to motivate people to act and can communicate complex ideas in ways that inspire hope, participation and lasting commitment.

Most importantly, you are deeply aligned with ACF's mission and values. You are driven by the opportunity to build a bigger, stronger and more diverse movement capable of securing lasting change for nature and climate, and you're excited by the chance to help shape the future of one of Australia's most influential environmental organisations

Why work with us?

At ACF, you'll have the opportunity to do career-defining work with one of Australia's most influential environmental organisations. You'll be part of a talented, values-led team committed to creating lasting change for nature and climate, while working in a culture that is ambitious, collaborative, supportive and genuinely enjoyable.

We're proud to offer a flexible and people-focused workplace, including:

• A hybrid working model that combines flexibility with connection. Staff are expected to spend 40% of their working time in the office to support collaboration, learning and team culture
• Four weeks of annual leave, plus additional paid leave over the end-of-year shutdown period
• Thirty days of personal leave per year (pro rata), available from your first day
• One paid "Recharge Day" each quarter to rest, reset and do something that fills your cup
• 12.5% superannuation
• Access to 6.5 weeks of Long Service Leave after five years of continuous service
• 26 weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of who is the birth parent, after 12 months of service
• Tailored professional development opportunities to support your growth and career aspirations
• Regular team retreats to connect, learn and plan together
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program and wellbeing support

People are at the heart of everything we do. To deliver the bold change we seek, we need a movement and organisation that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We believe that when people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives come together, we make better decisions, build stronger campaigns and create greater impact.

ACF is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants. We actively encourage First Nations people, people from CALD backgrounds, LGBTIQA+ people, people with disability and others who have diverse experiences of our world to apply for this opportunity.

Applications close at 9am AEST Monday 14th September 2026

Applicants must have the right to live and work in Australia to be considered for this job.

As part of ACF's recruitment process, a criminal background check will be conducted.