Deputy Director

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 to hire a Deputy Director. Reporting to the Executive Director (E.D.), the Deputy Director will promote the overall efficacy and success of USFWC programs and staff team in advancing our mission, centered on labor, worker ownership, and promotion of cooperative businesses. This role harnesses the bold potential of the USFWC team through management, mentorship, and coordination that links board and E.D. strategy to team work plans and priorities.  An ideal candidate brings inspirational leadership and a demonstrated ability to think broadly and strategically. With an ability to resolve tensions constructively, the successful candidate will be detail oriented and fluent in facilitating ways for stakeholders to understand the purpose and strategy behind our work, including the structures and implementation necessary to move vision into reality. 

This position will be open until filled.

Duties

The Deputy Director will:

• Partner closely with the E.D. to chart USFWC’s future growth and strategic stewardship and shaping of the worker co-op ecosystem
• Serve as an alternate ambassador to the E.D., advancing the position of the USFWC with key institutional and political partners and across our field. 
• Work closely with program teams to develop and execute organizational work plans and budgets, ensuring processes and structures that deliver outstanding work
• Ensure alignment and coordination between teams on strategic objectives; this involves overseeing cross-functional efforts and project management for complex projects
• Monitor and manage our overall organizational commitments, capacity and effectiveness 
• Shape effective working relationships and supervisory systems across teams to maintain a sustainable work environment that is positive, healthy, and productive
• Shape organizational staffing structure and staffing plan, together with the E.D., to support strategic priorities and organizational sustainability
• Occasional in-person travel required

Qualifications

Required:

• Experience leading/supporting a strong team and building a highly collaborative culture in a remote work environment
• Exceptional facilitative leadership skills, including demonstrated ability to facilitate participatory processes, help teams align on goals, and support focused collaboration to reach those goals
• Networks, relationships, and organizing experience with unions, worker organizing, employee ownership, economic justice, and/or worker cooperatives
• Demonstrated excellence in project management of complex cross-functional projects, tracking and managing the execution of program deliverables
• Demonstrated success in building and managing project/program budgets and work plans
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills and listening skills 
• Knowledge of and experience managing grants
• Demonstrated effectiveness at using, learning and adapting a range of technology tools for virtual collaboration and project management, such as Google Suite and/or Microsoft Suite, Asana, Airtable, Slack and Zoom
• Fluency in organizational, cooperative, or nonprofit governance; having served on and worked with boards of directors who carry fiduciary duties alongside strategy and vision
• Excellent supervisory skills, including ability to coach and empower others towards personal and team goals, facilitate others’ leadership, and give and receive feedback effectively
• Strong emotional intelligence, sense of humor, problem solving mindset and ability to set a positive tone
• Ability to manage and hold conflict productively, have tough conversations and enforce accountability
• Demonstrated commitment to liberatory, anti-oppressive values and to upholding and modeling these in practice as a leader and within institutions

Though not required, some reference may be given for the following desired skills:

• Knowledge of or experience within membership organizations
• Lived experience with cooperative principles, working in or with co-ops, unions collectives, or organizations with robust practice in workplace democracy
• Formal training and/or certification in project management approaches and tools
• Experience managing conferences or large events
• Experience in conflict management (e.g. medication, conflict reconciliation, de-escalation)
• Previous experience as an Executive Director, Deputy Director or member of a Leadership Team

Details about the position

Compensation & Benefits

This is a 40 hour/week salaried position with a starting salary of $90,000-$100,000.  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.