Join Our Team

We are looking for a Coordinator!

Updated: 2nd December

SWAI has an exciting new opportunity for a highly motivated, experienced person to join our team. The role of Coordinator is to promote the health, safety, participation and dignity of all female, male, cis and trans sex workers in Ireland.  

SWAI is Ireland’s only frontline organisation which works from a harm reduction, non-judgmental and human rights perspective to support the rights of sex workers. We advocate for the right to health, safety, participation, dignity and self-determination of all people working in the sex industry in Ireland. In line with evidence-based policy, we want to see the sex purchase ban repealed, a repeal of brothel-keeping law in Ireland and full decriminalisation of sex work.

The Coordinator reports to the SWAI Board of Directors. SWAI encourages applicants from diverse and non-traditional backgrounds. 

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who believes that organising and working collectively can bring about change. This is an ideal role for someone who feels strongly about tackling injustice and growing power within the sex work community. Do you believe in a model that puts people impacted front and centre of its work? Can you lead projects and support others to lead through training and mentoring teams and communities? Do you have experience of organising, leading and coordinating campaigns? Are you up for rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in? If so, this may be the job for you!

The Role

  • Coordinating, supervising and mentoring to staff members in the area of community work/organising and campaigns.
  • Develop and implement annual work plans to achieve the goals of the strategic plan
  • Oversee a strategy for the ongoing and sustained support for the  participation of sex workers in all of SWAI’s work
  • Working with the admin staff member to identify funding opportunities, develop funding proposals and take responsibility for implementing funded projects
  •  Oversee the development of a campaign to counter the criminalisation of sex  workers
  •  Engage a range of civil society (community groups, NGOs, advocacy organisations, etc) stakeholders to support the human rights of sex workers and alternatives to the Nordic model
  •  Represent SWAI at events, external meetings, on external structures and bodies and in the media
  • Develop relationships with politicians, civil servants and relevant stakeholders as part of campaigning and advocacy work
  • Prepare reports for internal and external purposes and coordinate relevant research and policy positions
  • Increase the capacity of SWAI to advocate for the rights of sex workers in Ireland by coordinating a panel of sex workers to do community outreach and inform the direct of SWAI’s work
  • Report in a transparent and thorough manner to the Board of Directors on all matters relating to the finances and management of SWAI
  • Ensure the organisation operates in compliance with all relevant statutory regulations

These duties are a guide to the general range of responsibilities and are neither definitive nor restrictive. The Coordinator may from time to time have to undertake other duties in keeping with the overall function of the post.

 Essential

  • Clear ability to manage, support, and lead a team of staff and volunteers in a collaborative and inclusive manner
  • Experience in outreach work, developing trust and connection with individuals and groups 
  • Ability to think strategically and to plan, direct and run campaigns
  • Clear ability to work in a diverse and intercultural context and across a range of stakeholders
  • A self-starter, who demonstrates initiative and has the ability to be creative, flexible and innovative
  • Excellent communication skills; capacity to develop good interpersonal skills and work collaboratively
  • Strong commitment to tackling injustice and advancing sex worker rights
  • Clear about own values – anti-racism, equality, social justice – and a commitment to the power of people working together to challenge injustice
  •  Experience in digital technology 
  • Understanding and critical analysis of sex work in Ireland
  • Understanding of issues facing sex workers
  • Excellent organisational and administrative skills

Desirable

  • Lived experience of sex work. Please note there is no expectation in this role to be ‘out’ in the media, although if this is something that you are interested in we will provide media training and support.  
  • Experience in a managerial role with experience of providing supervision and one to one mentoring supports to staff ensuring clarity and accountability on priorities and goals
  • Experience and knowledge of community work/organising as method in working for change
  • Experience of developing and implementing funding proposals and projects and overseeing compliance 
  • Knowledge of legislative and policy development and influencing the Irish political system
  • Experience of working within a harm reduction context

Remuneration: €45,000- €52,000 pro rata commensurate to experience.

Commencing: As soon as possible.

Day of Work

3 days per week (21 hours), these hours can be done flexibly. Further hours available dependent on funding and resource allocation. Will include some out of office hours and some travel throughout Ireland. Remote working is optional. 

SWAI encourages applicants from diverse and non-traditional backgrounds. SWAI is an equal opportunities employer.