Regional Organiser

The UK Trade Union

Hours
35 hours per week

About the Organisation

UNISON is the UK’s leading public services trade union, with over 1.3 million members working in the public sector, private, voluntary and community sectors and in the energy services. We employ approximately 1,200 staff, with around 370 at our national centre in Euston in central London and the remainder in our 12 regions across the UK, including Northern Ireland. UNISON is a dynamic, progressive union, committed to equality. We encourage men and women of all ages, Black and minority ethnic groups, disabled people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to work with us.

About the role

We’re looking for an experienced trade union organiser to lead campaigns, grow our membership, support activists and deliver outstanding representation. Our 1,200 staff work across 12 UK regions and our national centre in London. Regional offices support the work of local branches, helping to represent, recruit, organise and retain members, as well as making key contributions in areas such as campaigning, strategies for negotiation and bargaining, and actions against discrimination.

As a Regional Organiser, you’ll be playing a hands-on, day-to-day leadership role, as well as acting as an advocate of the union. Guiding, supporting and developing local branches and activists to ensure the strongest possible workplace organisation, you’ll identify activist training and development needs, provide coaching and mentoring to stewards and branch officers, and manage a small team of area/local organisers. Additionally, you will lead negotiations, represent members individually and collectively, and help branches to develop effective systems and processes for handling casework.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership ensuring Branches, activists and members are aware of and act in line with UNISON policies, objectives and priorities.
• Takes a proactive approach working with Branch activists to establish an organising framework identifying suitable organising initiatives. Designs and adapts recruitment campaigns to build workplace organisation and increase membership density, establishing work to membership targets.
• Monitors and evaluates the outcome of all such initiatives.
• Builds Branch organisation and performance, mentoring and developing activists and identifying their training needs, overseeing their appropriate development.
• Leads collective negotiations across the range of sectors which UNISON organises at Regional or national level. Acts as Lead specialist on significant bargaining or campaigning matters, e.g. equal pay.
• Regional lead for a service or bargaining group, occupational group network, self-organised group or a regional subcommittee.
• Represents members in complex cases and assists Branches to develop stewards, systems, and processes for managing their own case work effectively.
• Ensures members are provided with the appropriate level of representation.
• Manages projects using UNISON’s project management framework across a range of issues.
• Region-wide specialist responsibilities for policy development, service group work or cross sector committee.
• Directs and supervises the work of staff in Grades 5 and 7 in project work and provides management to individual or teams of Grade 5’s or 7s undertaking organising and representation.
• Direct line management of teams of Grades 5 and 7 Organisers, develops work programmes and undertakes development reviews.
• Undertakes other duties as required by the grade descriptor and/or job profile of this post.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

General & Knowledge:

• Understanding of and commitment to UNISON’S aims and objectives including the principles of equality and democracy
• A detailed knowledge of the key areas of employment law including developing case law
• In-depth understanding of the role of trade unions and the national and local social and political environment in which the union operates
• Knowledge of ICT packages including Microsoft Office suite. 

Thinking & Selection Criteria:

• Ability to develop strategies, solutions or plans to solve difficult problems using:
  • Research
  • Analysis of complex information including statistics & financial information
  • An awareness of the political environment
• Commitment to personal and staff development that supports the Region's objectives

Interpersonal & Communication:

• Highly developed interpersonal skills including:
  • Leadership
  • Team Working
  • Mentoring and coaching
  • Handling difficult relationships
  • Handling complaints
  • Ability to work in partnership with lay members
• A track record of high-level negotiation
• Experience of advocacy in difficult situations
• Experience of influencing people at all levels internally and externally, including the ability to influence and respond to national and regional media using
• Presentation skills
• Writing correspondence, reports, newsletters, etc
• Awareness of and the ability to use
• Information and communications technology

Initiative & Independence:

• Track record of using initiative and independence over a broad area of activity involving decision making and discretion

Staff Management:

• Motivating and encouraging innovation including the ability to
• Monitor and review performance
• Delegate and supervise work
• Build teams
• Demonstrable leadership skills gained in a bargaining and organising environment

Resource & Management:

• Ability to work on and manage projects including:
  • Planning and evaluation
  • Time management
  • Evidence of contributing towards budget management including monitoring progress and resource control
  • Setting clear objectives

Physical Skills, Required:

• Keyboard skills
• Driving

Compensation & Benefits

• £3,629 annual subsistence allowance (plus benefits including company car and final salary pension.
• UNISON Employee pay & Benefits Guide

Working locations

• Bristol, United Kingdom

How to apply

• To apply for this opportunity, please download and complete the General application form, referring to the job description and person specification.
• Please note that only the relevant application form will be accepted. CVs will not be accepted.
• The completed application form, along with the Recruitment and Disability Monitoring Form, should be sent by email to [email protected] & quoting reference R10/17.
• Please save each of your documents to include your full name, followed by job title, region/dept and reference.
• Completed application forms must be received by no later than 11:59 pm Sunday 13th September 2026.

Interviews

• In-person interviews will be held in our Taunton office on Tuesday 29th September 2026.

Policies

UNISON is an equal opportunities employer, committed to providing equal opportunities regardless of race or ethnic origin, gender identity, family situation, sexual orientation, disability, religion or age. This person specification is designed to help members of Interviewing Panels judge the qualities of interviewees systematically and consistently and in accordance with UNISON’s equal opportunities policy. It is given to all job applicants for information.

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