The U. S. Federation of Worker Co-ops (USFWC) is the national grassroots membership organization for worker cooperatives and other democratic workplaces. Our mission is to build a thriving cooperative movement of stable, empowering jobs through worker-ownership. Representing more than 350 member workplaces and an estimated 10,000 workers across the country, we advance worker-owned, -managed, and -governed workplaces through cooperative education, advocacy and development.
The Network Organizing Manager provides a key role in supporting the development of USFWC’s Member Councils and Peer Networks. Member Councils and Peer Networks are a key part of our member organizing and engagement strategy. The Network Organizing Manager will join our Membership Department to help execute and evaluate the structure for support and leadership development of the members joining the Councils and Networks. They will also coordinate the flow of information, tools, and resources between the staff, the Councils and Networks, and the membership at-large.
This is a salaried, 20 hr/week staff position. The full-time-equivalent salary is $60, 000/year, which would be prorated based on 50% of full-time equivalent for an actual annual salary of $30,000/year. A modest salary increase is available for staff located in high cost-of-living cities and staff who have dependents. This position reports to the Membership Director.
Possible Job Duties:
Strategic Coordination of Peer Networks & Member Councils
- Support the Membership Director to implement the structure and strategy for supporting peer networks and member councils as part of USFWC’s governance and leadership development
- Work with the Membership Director to hold regular strategy & evaluation meetings with liaisons to assess our approach
- Support member leaders of member councils
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- Maintain and update onboarding materials and support staff liaisons in onboarding stipended member leaders to their role
- Maintain and update tools, resources, and templates to support member leaders and staff liaisons with planning, coordinating, and executing effective meetings
- Support staff liaisons to member councils:
- Maintain and update clear expectations for staff liaisons and support boundary-setting
- Check in regularly with staff liaisons to provide support and coaching for their roles
- Track the activities of each peer network and member council at a high level and work with staff liaisons to ensure that critical updates are shared with USFWC staff
- Support establishment of new peer networks and member councils as appropriate
- Support onboarding Board liaisons to their role in supporting Member Councils
Administrative support for Peer Networks and Member Councils
- Coordinate with the communications team and staff liaisons to meet Peer Network and Member Council needs related to calendar setup, listservs, Zoom and other tech needs; provide clear guidelines to staff liaisons on use of these resources for PNs/MCs
- Ensure that notes and documents are filed and accessible in USFWC document storage
- Ensure that proposals and recommendations from Member councils are carried to the board, member meetings, etc. as appropriate
- Administer contracts and stipends for member participation in coordination with the staff liaisons
Staff liaison to the Movimiento de Inmigrantes Cooperativistas (MIC) and Racial & Economic Justice Council (REJC)
- Provide coaching to stipended council chairs on council recruitment, outreach, strategy & leadership development
- Identify and leverage Council Chairs’ strengths
- Identify gaps in skills/knowledges and make recommendations for professional development and upskilling, as appropriate
- Develop positive feedback loops to encourage growth and confidence
- Maintain clear roles for leadership and create and maintain expectations
- Support stipended Council Chairs to plan meetings and create agendas
- Main point of contact between Council and staff
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- Ensure effective and timely flows of information from the Councils to USFWC staff and vice versa.
- Support Council to implement and maintain governance that reflects USFWC democratic process and membership engagement
- Coordinate between Council co-chairs and USFWC membership director, policy director, executive director as needed
- Provide support and field requests from Council for technical support related to calendar setup, listservs, Zoom and other tech needs
- Monitor Council work in relationship to other areas of the organization
- Facilitate recruitment and onboarding of new Council executive committee members
Qualifications
Required Skills and Experience
- Bilingual Spanish/English
- Demonstrated experience with community organizing, group facilitation and/or group decisionmaking
- Popular education and leadership development skills
- Strong organizational skills and project management experience
- Creative, collaborative problem solver
- Excellent communication and people skills
- Comfort working closely with others in a team
- Comfort with with remote tools for collaboration such as: Google Drive, Google Sheets, Slack, Asana, Airtable, CRMs and Box, and ability to learn and operate new systems quickly
- Demonstrated commitment to racial justice, economic democracy and/or the Worker Cooperative field
- Ability to work remotely from home
Desired Skills and Experience
- Experience with democratic decision making and/or cooperative governance
- Knowledge of or experience working with immigrant and working class communities
- Capacity to travel
- Experience working in a member-led organization
Details about the position
Location
Our workplace is remote, with many staff residing in Philadelphia, PA. Other staff reside in California, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia. We maintain a flexible work environment, with occasional out of town travel for work as health guidelines allow.
About Being on Staff:
U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives is a growing organization, currently consisting of 20 staff along with leadership from our 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, our member benefits.
Compensation & Benefits:
This is a 20 hours/week position at an FTE salary of $60,000/year, pro-rated based on % of FTE. Base salaries are increased slightly for employees residing in particularly costly cities. The USFWC fully covers vision and dental coverage and provides a health stipend for 20 hr/week employees. Among our generous fringe benefits, we offer flexible holiday pay, 3-5 weeks of annual vacation, and stipends for professional development and tech equipment.
Applying:
To apply please send a resume, cover letter, and 3 references from current or former workplaces (or significant organizing initiatives). The position will be open until filled.
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.