Director of Operations & Finance

The U. S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC) is the national grassroots membership organization for worker cooperatives and other democratic workplaces. Our mission is to build a thriving ecosystem for worker-owned and controlled businesses and their cooperative leaders to power movements for racial justice and economic democracy.  Our Federation includes over 450 business and organizational members.  Representing the estimated 1,300 worker co-ops in the U.S. and their 15,000 workers, we advance worker-owned, -managed, and -governed workplaces through cooperative education, organizing, advocacy, and development. 

USFWC is seeking a Director of Operations and Finance. This Director will oversee the Operations Team and work with the Senior Leadership Team to guide the financial and workplace health of USFWC, including finances, human resources, systems, and most aspects of administrative & operations. 

This position will be open until filled.

Time commitment: 32-40 hours/week

Reports to: Executive Director

 

Position Duties

Organizational Finances & Budget 

• Work with the Leadership Team to guide the financial health of the organization and its short- and long-term financial sustainability.
• Oversee and develop systems and structures for budgeting, budget revisions, in coordination with the Deputy Director, the Executive Director and the Board.
• Ensure that organizational spending aligns with budget; anticipate and flag any deviations.
• Lead and monitor financial processes by overseeing bookkeeper and Operations Manager in producing regular financial statements and tracking budget vs. actuals.
• Oversee and manage cash flow throughout the year, utilizing best practices.
• Run payroll and oversee salary and benefits calculations and adjustments.
• Oversee standards, compliance and protocols for USFWC contractual agreements.
• Lead USFWC’s financial and fiduciary reporting to its various stakeholders (board, staff, funders and members) ensuring information is presented effectively to various audiences.
• Support and oversee grant spending, grant financial reporting, deliverables tracking, and the development of grant budgets, working closely with the Development Director.

 

Human Resources Strategy & Support

• Support an organizational culture that aligns with our values of racial and economic justice, transparency, teamwork, community, sustainability and inclusivity.
• Lead the Operations Team in carrying out all HR functions including recruitment, participatory hiring processes, onboarding, offboarding, disciplinary procedures, terminations, performance management, and compliance. 
• Respond to emergent HR needs and concerns alongside the Administrative Manager, supporting generative and non-punitive responses to performance issues, grievances and conflict.
• Direct the Operations Team in shaping anti-oppressive organizational policies and practices, ensuring they are functional, updated, compliant, and aligned with bargaining agreements.
• Ensure that the staff and board have access to, understand and comply with organizational policies.
• Oversee the Administrative Manager in managing regular staff evaluations and supporting individual staff goal setting.
• Facilitate regular job description updates to support role clarity for staff.
• Oversee professional development to ensure that staff have the skills needed to carry out their roles, including knowledge of organizational history.
• Support effective supervision by identifying learning opportunities and shaping supervisory tools and practices with other Directors. 
• Monitor and assess staff capacity to support Senior Leadership Team decision-making about the organizational staffing plan and structure.
• Communicate with the Leadership Team about systemic HR-related issues and facilitate problem solving.

• Address issues unique to remote workplaces, including distributed work sites, morale, accountability, teamwork, and communication.

 

Systems Strategy & Support

• Ensure that organizational operations, systems and performance monitoring support the implementation of team-wide deliverables.
• Oversee systems for effective communication, collaboration and knowledge management within and across teams, ensuring they contribute to a healthy and productive work environment.
• Develop team work planning processes and tools as needed to support planning led by the Deputy Director and Senior Leadership Team.
• Oversee, maintain and develop an effective suite of technology tools for the team.

 

Operations Team Management

• Coordinate the Operations Team (including the Human Resources and Systems Sub teams) through regular check-ins to proactively identify and meet the needs above
• Conduct bi-weekly supervisory meetings with each Operations Team member (currently the Administrative Manager, Operations Manager and Systems Management contractor)
• Identify and address performance for direct reports, and bring appreciation or issues to the leadership team as appropriate.

 

Leadership & Administrative Duties

• Participate in strategic decisions and planning for the whole organization, helping to bridge internal priorities with those of the Executive Director and Board.
• Participate in leadership team meetings with other director-level staff and interface between the Operations Team and the Leadership Team.
• Oversee routine board and staff administrative processes including meeting scheduling, agenda creation and internal reporting.
• Lead organizational risk management, monitoring and addressing risks related to technology, HR, systems and finance.
• Lead and facilitate Management’s role in collective bargaining, taking a collaborative approach to labor relations wherever possible.
• Support leadership development throughout our team and active staff participation in organizational structures.

 

General Responsibilities (for all USFWC staff)

• Proactively support teamwork, build relationships, and address conflict within work relationships, in ways that align with USFWC values.
• Contribute positively, on an individual level, to our collaborative workplace culture and values.
• Support general team activities through rotating meeting support roles, conference and event support.
• Provide constructive feedback to peers through our formal peer evaluation process.
• Occasionally serve on ad hoc committees or teams to address a particular organizational need.
• Communicate and address needs, challenges, opportunities, and changing circumstances related to their own daily work and the work of the team.

 

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• At least 5 years experience managing sophisticated financial systems for a nonprofit organization
• At least 2 years experience managing or supporting Human Resources in alignment with anti-oppressive values
• Successful track record facilitating virtual collaboration and performance monitoring in a team by choosing, adapting and combining a range of technology tools
• Deep knowledge of (and/or demonstrated ability to quickly learn) specific CRM systems, accounting software, project management systems, spreadsheets, and remote communication platforms
• Demonstrated ability to develop efficient systems for tracking multiple grant budgets and sets of deliverables
• Excellent leadership and supervisory skills, including ability to coach and empower others towards personal and team goals, facilitate others’ leadership, and give and receive feedback effectively
• Experience building a highly collaborative culture in a remote work environment
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills and listening skills 
• Exceptional time management and task management, both for oneself and in managing the tasks of a team
• Ability to manage and hold conflict productively
• Demonstrated commitment to liberatory, anti-oppressive values and to upholding and modeling these in practice as a leader and within institutions

 

Desired (but not required) qualification:

• Lived experience with cooperative principles – working in or with worker cooperatives, workplace democracy, or employee ownership
• Formal training in Human Resources (e.g. SHRM-CP or PHR certification), financial management, and/or project management 
• Experience managing a team of staff dedicated to finance, operations, HR and/or systems
• Knowledge of labor relations and union bargaining
• Experience in conflict management 
• Familiarity with systems currently used by USFWC: Google Suite, Asana, Gusto, Quickbooks Online, CiviCRM, Airtable, Slack, Zoom

 

Details about the position

Compensation & Benefits

This is a 40 hour/week salaried position with a starting salary of $71,000-$81,000.  USFWC staff receive automatic annual raises in most years, contingent on the fiscal health of the organization. 

The USFWC provides health, vision and dental coverage to all employees working at least 28 hrs/week. As of 2025, the USFWC offers qualified staff a Gold PPO health insurance plan with Independence Blue Cross. Staff who decline health insurance can receive a post-tax health stipend. Among our fringe benefits, we offer flexible holiday pay, 3-4 weeks of annual vacation, and our entire staff enjoys a week-long, paid rest period twice per year. We also offer a stipend for professional development and for technology expenses.

Location

Our workplace is remote, with staff residing all over the U.S. Current staff reside in California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.  Where possible, we prefer to hire in these states, but will accept applications from qualified candidates anywhere in the contiguous U.S. 

We maintain a flexible work schedule and work environment. Our activities occasionally require out of town travel.

About Being on Staff:

U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives is a growing organization, currently consisting of 19 staff along with leadership from our entirely democratically elected, nine-member Board of Directors. The USFWC has expanded both its programs and its staff significantly over the last five years. As our membership and the demand for our programs continues to grow along with the worker co-op field, we are focused on growing our impact, our value, and our member benefits. 

Applying:

To apply please visit this application portal to submit a resume, cover letter, and 3 references. The position will be open until filled. 

Questions may be directed to Savanna Lyons, Senior Managing Director, at savanna@usworker.coop. Please do not email your application – use the application portal linked above.

The USFWC is an Equal Opportunity employer. We highly encourage applicants of color, applicants who grew up poor or working class, LGBTQIA applicants, and applicants from other historically marginalized communities to apply.