Cooperative Developer, Women's Action to Gain Economic Security, Oakland, CA

Cooperative Developer

Posted on: April 19, 2013
Posted by: Women's Action to Gain Economic Security

DESCRIPTION

WAGES (Women's Action to Gain Economic Security) incubates and supports green cooperatives. Our mission is to build worker-owned green businesses that create healthy, dignified jobs for low-income women. We launch cooperatives where women develop personal and professional skills, become leaders, and gain economic security.

WAGES has established five sustainable housecleaning cooperative businesses in the Bay Area that double or triple low-income Latina workers' earnings while protecting the environment, and has provided technical assistance and coaching to numerous organizations across the country undertaking cooperative development. In 2013, WAGES will expand its model by establishing a sixth co-operative in a new industry, bringing the benefits of our triple bottom line social enterprise expertise to Latina women in a new market segment. As we begin the process of expansion, WAGES offers candidates an exciting opportunity to bring their talents, leadership and creativity to a unique effort advancing social justice, green jobs and women's empowerment. For more information on our work, see www.wagescooperatives.org.

POSITION
Women's Action to Gain Economic Security (WAGES) seeks a Cooperative Developer to work with worker-owned cooperatives that are in their first years of development or that request assistance as they face a new challenge. 

The Cooperative Developer will:

● facilitate organizational and leadership development in worker cooperatives

● serve as an interim general manager when needed at newer cooperatives that are in incubation

These two roles can at times be in conflict. The Cooperative Developer must exercise judgment to navigate the complexity of filling both of these functions simultaneously, and be able to move seamlessly from one to the other as a cooperative's needs change. For example, an effective co-op developer serving as an interim general manager will seek to provide structure and guidance but will also gradually work themselves out of the manager role as a cooperative develops its own capacities to address its management needs. 

REQUIREMENTS

● Demonstrated ability as a facilitative leader, popular educator, or community organizer. People in these roles know how to challenge, teach, and support others to develop and exercise their own knowledge and leadership in an organizational context.

● Understands business and can serve as an interim general manager running the day-to-day operations of a worker-owned cooperative as it get off the ground. Direct hands-on experience managing and growing small businesses or cooperatives is preferred.

● Supervisorial or group leadership experience. 

● Ability to work effectively with people of diverse economic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

● Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Spanish and English, with Spanish fluency sufficient to interact positively and effectively with monolingual worker-owners.

● Is flexible, creative, patient, energetic, and collaborative in work style.

COMPENSATION

Salary for this position is competitive and depends on experience. Position includes great benefits, including health, dental, vision, three weeks' vacation, and the opportunity to play a leadership role in the continued evolution of WAGES approach to cooperative development. 

HOW TO APPLY

Send a resume and thoughtful cover letter (1 page maximum) outlining how your experience meets the position requirements to hiring@wagescooperatives.org with "Co-op Developer -- YOUR NAME" in the subject line. Interested individuals are encouraged to submit their information quickly upon learning about the position as applications will be reviewed as they are received.