While I’m no longer on the Board of the Taxpayers’ Union, I still speak regularly to Jordan Williams and keep an eye on the organisation we founded together 10 years ago.
Something that we hopped to achieve one day, but it came much sooner than expected, was to see the organisation identify and develop young talent, and perhaps serve as a stepping stone for careers in public policy, political advocacy, and politics.
Jordan and I were recently reminiscing where our alumni have ended up, and counted more than a dozen who currently work in the Parliamentary complex (both in the government and opposition parties) serving from Cabinet Ministers (Casey) to secretarial support in Minister’s offices. We take much pride in being a launchpad for careers in politics, public policy and beyond.
It surprises many to learn that Jordan doesn’t just hire fellow travellers. In fact, when I was on the Board he always use to insist on having a mix of political views in the office (as well as genders) as a safeguard against being too masculine or aggressive in some of the more ‘hard hitting’ Taxpayers’ Union campaigns.
Jordan has reached out to me as the Government has, yet again, managed to poach a couple of the Taxpayers’ Union’s key staffers. That’s great for New Zealand, but not so good for the Taxpayers’ Union!
In fact a Chief of Staff for one of the Government’s parties recently commented that the Taxpayers’ Union is “their nursery” for identifying and developing talent. Not the words that Jordan and I would have used, but we’ll take it as a compliment.
While the Taxpayers’ Union is huge in terms of subscribed supporters, it has a small staff of only around a dozen. It tends young, but I know Jordan invests a lot in professional development and maybe that’s why that staffers are poached for a full range of jobs: Chris Hipkins’ and Ardern’s offices through to Business NZ and the NZ Initiative.
The Taxpayers’ Union has also acted as career spring boards for staffers coming to us from Parliament – usually ‘behind the scenes’ advisers wanting a new role making the campaign decisions and honing their own skills be in front of the camera.
I know they are currently looking for a new Campaigns Manager (details here) but Jordan tells me he’ll consider people for other roles too. So if you are interested in a job at a hungry, creative, comms-led organisation that punches above its weight (and doesn’t just sit at desks in Wellington and Auckland),contact the Taxpayers’ Union.
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