Educators

Position 1: Educator;

Position 2: Educator (Anti-Racism and Cultural Responsiveness)

Level 5 | Full-time | Ongoing

Location: Melbourne or Sydney

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is seeking 2 x Educators to provide high‑quality union education within the union movement.

These roles are suited to people with experience in union education, organising, workplace health and safety, industrial strategy or other specialist fields. Educators draw on the knowledge and experience of the movement to facilitate learning, collaboration and capacity building.

Specifically, the Anti‑Racism and Cultural Responsiveness Educator plays a critical role in strengthening the union movement’s capacity to challenge racism, dismantle structural and cultural exclusion, and build workplaces and unions where workers from racialised backgrounds are safe, respected and able to fully participate and lead.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) represents almost 2 million workers and their families. Since 1927, we have led some of the most significant workplace struggles in Australia’s history. The ACTU’s role as a peak body is to encourage workers to join their union, be a national voice for our movement, and advance and defend workers’ rights through coordinated campaigns, representation, and support for our affiliates.

About The Role(s)

Reporting to the Education Manager, Educators work as a team to design, deliver, review and continuously improve ATUI courses across industrial, organising and other specialist fields of practice. They also work in partnership with affiliates to develop education, training and capacity building initiatives for union employees and delegates that respond to the needs of individual affiliates and strengthen the movement as a whole.

The Educator (Anti-Racism and Cultural Responsiveness) has primary responsibility for the design, delivery and continuous improvement of the ACTU’s anti‑racism and cultural responsiveness education, supporting union staff, delegates and leaders to recognise how racism operates in workplaces, institutions and society, and to take collective action to address it. The role centres the lived experiences, leadership and knowledge of people from first peoples and racialised backgrounds and connects these experiences to organising, industrial strategy and union power.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Design, deliver, review and continuously improve high-quality education programs and learning resources that contribute to the ACTU’s education, growth and capacity-building agenda.
• Deliver union education in areas including: organising and campaigning, industrial and advocacy, anti-racism and cultural responsiveness, respect at work and gender equity, work health and safety, delegate development and other emerging areas of practice.
• Work with affiliates to design and deliver education, development and capacity-building initiatives that respond to their priorities and support change.
• Contribute to the development, delivery and review of ATUI courses, including working with subject matter experts, affiliates and other practitioners internal and external to the ACTU where appropriate.
• Adapt facilitation style, pedagogy and content to meet the needs of adult learners with diverse experiences, backgrounds and learning styles.
• Create and support inclusive, accessible and culturally responsive learning environments for participants in a variety of settings.
• Undertake assessment and evaluation of learning outcomes and use evidence and feedback to strengthen programs and resources.
• Contribute to planning, shared objectives and the ongoing development of ATUI education practice, resources and ways of working.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships between the ACTU, affiliates and other relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain high professional standards and contemporary expertise in education practice and relevant fields of work.

The Educator (Anti-Racism and Cultural Responsiveness key responsibilities include some of the above but differs slightly by:

• The Educator (Anti-Racism and Cultural Responsiveness) is responsible for the design, delivery and ongoing development of ACTU anti‑racism and cultural responsiveness education programs for union staff, delegates and leaders.
• Works with the First Nations Workers Alliance to develop and deliver high-impact and culturally appropriate training and education.

About You

You will bring:

• Demonstrated high-level capability in organising, campaigning, union education, industrial strategy, or another specialist field within the union movement.
• Demonstrated ability to design, facilitate, deliver and evaluate formal and informal education or training programs, supported by experience and/or relevant qualifications.
• Strong understanding of adult learning principles and demonstrated ability to adapt delivery to different learners, contexts and environments.
• High-level interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build relationships, show initiative and work collaboratively across a diverse movement.
• Commitment and ability to provide constructive feedback in an adult learning environment and to motivate and support others to learn and act.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to planning, program improvement and the development of education resources and initiatives.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development that broadens the areas of content and practice the ATUI can deliver.
• The ACTU strongly encourages applications from people from racialised backgrounds.

The Educator (Anti-Racism and Cultural Responsiveness includes some of the above but differs slightly by:

• Demonstrated understanding of racism and racialisation in Australian workplaces and institutions, and how these dynamics affect workers, unions and collective action.
• Lived experience or close, sustained connection to communities experiencing racism and racialisation, and the ability to draw on this experience thoughtfully and responsibly in an education setting.
• Demonstrated experience in anti‑racism, cultural responsiveness, equity or inclusion education, community education, union education or closely related fields.
• Experience in living or working with marginalised or underrepresented communities (desirable)

It Would Be Advantageous If You Also Have

• Experience delivering education or training in one or more of the following areas is desirable:
• organising and member engagement
• industrial or workplace rights education
• delegate development or capacity building

Benefits

The ACTU offers a competitive salary range of $118,347 to $138,257 depending on skills and experience, along with:

• Additional 15% superannuation
• Annual leave loading
• Working from home opportunities
• The opportunity to work a rostered day off arrangement

How To Apply

Please provide a cover letter addressing the selection criteria and your suitability for the role, along with your CV, to Natalie Lang, Director ATUI and Capacity Building at ***email_hidden***.

Please note: Applications without a cover letter addressing the Selection Criteria will not be considered.

Closing Date: Applications close on Monday 1st June, 2026 (COB)