We have FOUR paid roles at ActionStation for this election. Apply now!

We are looking for a Researcher, Visual Designer, Creative Writer and Digital Marketing Specialist. Is this you?

Ikigai (生き甲斐, pronounced [ikiɡai]) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.”

It’s an election year which means your average New Zealander is already over hearing about politics, and it’s our job to find the policy ideas that are exciting enough to get them off the fence and out to vote.

We have four paid positions from August 1 — September 23. Scroll down to read about each of the roles, then apply!

Here’s how you can apply in four easy steps:

1. Write us a cover letter about why you are a good fit for the role, and why you want it.
2. Send us your CV. Make sure it includes the names and contact numbers of 2 referees.
3. Save your CV and Cover Letter with the following name format: a) [First Name] [Last Name] Cover Letter b) [First Name] [Last Name]CV.
4. Attach both documents to an email and send them to us on info@actionstation.org.nz with a subject line that reads: Application for [Role Name] from [First Name] [Last Name]

We’ve just secured the funding for these four roles, so we’re looking to bring people onboard next week, so please apply now. We’ll be working through applications on Thursday 27 July from 1pm.

ROLE 1: Researcher (Policy)

As a Researcher at ActionStation you will work with the Director of Story & Strategy to find the best, brightest and most inspiring policy ideas around, and to work out which of them are the most interesting to our 170,000-strong community.

You’ll read and summarise the work already done by innovative thinkers like Max Harris, Moana Jackson and others to help create a framework of possible policies for ActionStation’s crowdsourced Te Ira Tāngata: People’s Agenda for Aotearoa.

You’ll also help process and analyse the data from Kai & Kōrero events that ActionStation members have hosted all over the country, and from other surveys conducted by ActionStation over the past three years. To do this, you’ll have the volunteer support of some of the best social researchers in New Zealand.

You’ll then work with the Director of Story & Strategy to draft the People’s Agenda for Aotearoa New Zealand drawing on that data and once the People’s Agenda has been drafted, you’ll work with the Director of Story & Strategy to:

• Create the framework for a massive, online discussion using cool new software to prioritise the issues and ideas in the People’s Agenda;
• Develop a questionnaire for political parties based on those prioritised policies and ideas;
• Contact and the chase the political parties to get their answers to those questions;
• Analyse the Party responses to those questionnaires; and
• Develop report cards comparing party position on the priority policies in the People’s Agenda.

Location: Wellington or Auckland(flexibility for remote work for the right candidate)

Hours: 30 hours per week for eight weeks: Aug 1 — Sep 23

Pay rate: $30/hr

Download the Researcher job description as a PDF here or as a Word doc here.

ROLE 2: Writer (Copy & Creative)

As a writer at ActionStation you’ll work with the Director of Story & Strategy to write everything from op-eds to video scripts, finding fresh — and preferably funny — ways to talk about the big issues this election.

You’ll have the ability to spot the good stories in ActionStation’s work — and the hot stories out in the big wide world that overlap with our work — and be able to write them up and get them out in whatever form works best.

You’ll also take the very important, but earnest, stuff our policy and research folks write on the issues that matter to our 170,000-strong community and write about in a way that would make you want to read it.

As well as writing this content, you’ll be excited about finding new places to amplify the message of the ActionStation community, and able to pitch your work to traditional and new media platforms.

Location: Wellington or Auckland (flexibility for remote work for the right candidate)

Hours: 20 hours per week for eight weeks: Aug 1 — Sep 23 (flexible working hours)

Pay rate: $30/hr

Download the Writer job description as a PDF here or as a Word Doc here.

ROLE 3: Visual Designer

As a Visual Designer at ActionStation you will work with the Director of Campaigns to turn the best ideas our policy & research team come up with into fresh, targeted and funny content that’ll give people a good enough reason to stop scrolling and take a second look.

The main type of content you’ll be making are short social videos, memes and gifs and although the tone will vary depending on the issue/topic and the target audience, we are specifically looking to make content that breathes a bit of life, and lightness, into these final months leading up to the election.

You’ll also be there to give all our digital spaces and communications a facelift. We’re planning to build a microsite to launch Te Ira Tāngata: People’s Agenda for Aotearoa, and need to find a snappy way to share our reports on how each political party’s policies stack up against the People’s Agenda.

So if you’re a visually creative person, with experience making videos, memes and gifs, who can’t help but see the funny side of life, and you’d like to use all those skills for the excellent purpose of reminding every day Kiwis that they have the power to choose not just the government, but the future they want for our country, this is the contract for you.

Location: Wellington or Auckland(flexibility for remote work for the right candidate)

Hours: 30 hours per week for eight weeks: Aug 1 — Sep 23

Pay rate: $30/hr

Download the Visual Designer job description as a PDF here or a Word doc here.

ROLE 4: Digital Marketing Specialist

As a Digital Marketing Specialist at ActionStation you will work with the Director of Campaigns to get the best, brightest and most inspiring policy ideas around out to our 170,000-strong community, and beyond.

Specifically, we’re looking for someone to help us unleash the power of targeted Facebook and Instagram campaigns to reach exactly the right person with the right message that will inspire them to get off the fence and get out to vote, so this role will involve:

• Working with the team to identify target audiences for the various campaign messages (our election campaign will have 3–4 main themes, e.g. protection for renters, better mental health services or clean rivers)
• Giving input into the content developed for each key audience (e.g. videos, gifs & memes) — this content will be developed by our Visual Designer and Director of Campaigns
• Developing a digital strategy with a focus on targeted Facebook and Instagram campaigns (the team already have good experience & skills in email campaigns) to get the content developed by the team in front of the identified target audiences.
• Implement the campaigns and manage community engagement with our content, including responding to questions and, where necessary moderating discussions (you’ll have help from other members of the team with this)
• Develop and track appropriate metrics for measuring the success of the campaigns, report regularly to the Director of Campaigns and together use those metrics to review and where needed, revise the campaigns.

Location: Wellington or Auckland(flexibility for remote work for the right candidate)

Hours: 30 hours per week for eight weeks: Aug 1 — Sep 23

Pay rate: $30/hr

Download the Digital Marketing Specialist job description as a PDF here or a Word doc here.

ActionStation welcomes and values the contributions that individuals who identify as members of marginalised communities bring to our organisation, and encourage people of Māori descent, people of colour, women, people identifying as LGBTQI, members of ethnic minorities and people with disabilities to apply. We recognise that this list is neither exhaustive nor representative of the intersectionality present within each individual. Please indicate in your cover letter if you would like to be considered for employment equity.