Collective Disputes Lead

About the Role

Since 2018, the LRU has grown its membership to over 6000 renters across London. Through our six branches, we support renters to take action to transform the housing system.  Organising in communities, the LRU runs training, facilitates peer support, takes collective action and campaigns on local issues, to grow our power.

This role will support the development of collective disputes across the city, strengthening members’ collective power to win change, as part of a key strategic priority area for the union.  The role will identify opportunities for collective action, support members to develop and lead disputes, develop the union’s methodology and build leadership from a broad base of renters, with a particular emphasis on working with those who face the worst impacts of the housing crisis. This role will oversee the development of a collective dispute team in the union whose purpose will be to build the wider ability of members and staff to build, run and win collective disputes and build collective bargaining power for renters.

This role is varied, and can look different month-to-month.  The attached job description outlines some activities that you will be doing every month, and some activities that you will only do from time-to-time.

How we work at LRU

You will be part of the LRU staff team alongside 15 other staff, who work with members to build the power of the union by organising, campaigning, training and facilitating peer support and member solidarity actions.  We expect staff to uphold the union’s values, and work together to implement collectively agreed strategies.  Each staff member has a line manager, and the staff team are accountable to the elected member Coordinating Group, and to each other.

Key decisions are held by the elected member Coordinating Group, with staff inputting into and facilitating these decisions.

Location: Across London, and at the LRU offices in Bethnal Green, London – with some working from home as agreed with your line manager

Salary: £36,548 (We have a flat pay structure, and pay increases each January in line with inflation, subject to Coordinating Group approval)

Contract type: Fixed term contract, 24 months (with possibility of extension, subject to funding, to be confirmed in mid-2028)

Hours: 30hrs a week, worked flexibly over 4 days to accommodate evening and weekend meetings with members. Organisers are required to be available to work up to two evenings a week, and one weekend a month.

Application deadline: Tuesday 1st September, 10am

Interview dates: 9th September, with possible second interviews on 14th September

Start date: This role is available immediately

How to apply

To apply, please submit your CV and a supporting statement via londonrentersunion.org/jobs. Your supporting statement can be up to 2 pages long, and should answer the 4 questions below separately (up to half a page each).  Please answer each one separately.

If you’d like to apply in a different format, please email us on hello@londonrentersunion.org, letting us know how we can support you to apply.

• Could you tell us about your experience of building a campaign or collective dispute that engaged a wider community over a period of time? What campaigning or organising skills did you use and what role did you play? Who were you organising/campaigning with? How did you build a strategy, and what were the outcomes?
• Can you share two examples of when you have built a team of organisers working towards a shared goal, ideally in the context of a long term project, campaign or dispute, where you have supported them to develop their confidence, skills and leadership?
• Can you tell us about how you manage your time, and work in a team? We’d like to know how you balance lots of work and deadlines, and the ways you work with lots of different people.
• What motivates you to be a community organiser, and to work at the London Renters Union?