Engagement Manager

Job Posting: Engagement Manager, New Ownership Opportunities Team

The ICA Group, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing businesses and institutions that center worker voice, grow worker wealth, and build worker power, seeks a manager to engage in field and network building around worker ownership and employment social enterprise.

The Engagement Manager will join ICA’s New Ownership Opportunities team (NOO)  to expand employee ownership in Massachusetts and other select geographies  and help integrate it within the existing workforce, economic development, and business development landscape. A portion of their time will  involve working with NOO’s  national initiatives to achieve impact goals specifically designed to accomplish ICA’s purpose of using worker ownership to help improve the financial status of low-income workers, immigrants and to close the racial wealth gap.

The  Engagement Manager will work closely with local and regional governments, business associations, labor unions, and coalitions to build awareness and excitement around employee ownership as a key strategy for equitable economic development and racial justice. They will support an existing employee ownership ecosystem that includes worker cooperatives, ESOPs, cooperative developers, community-based organizations, professional advisors, technical assistance providers, lenders, and other state and national networks.

The Engagement Manager will be located in Massachusetts. This is a hybrid position based out of ICA Group’s Massachusetts office with the option of working remotely. This position requires traveling within Massachusetts and within the United States.

About the ICA Group

The ICA Group is a leading expert on worker ownership and the oldest national organization dedicated to the development of worker cooperatives. We are a mission- driven nonprofit organized as a worker cooperative and are dedicated to bringing strategic analysis and industry-focused support to the worker ownership sector. We are founding and currently active members of the Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative in New York City and administer the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership. Our work spans industries and  geographies while maintaining a high level of rigor. Our business expertise is bolstered by a deep understanding of worker ownership and other worker-centered structures, and a commitment to serving low-wage workers and communities of color.

Qualities we are looking for:

Relational skills– Ability to develop and foster strong client relationships. Active and intentional listener. Demonstrated team orientation and ability to provide and accept feedback. Strong diplomatic skills and judgment, ability to identify problems and ask hard questions with respect and discretion.
Communication skills (written and verbal)– Strong written and oral communication skills. Able to effectively and professionally represent the organization. Ability to communicate complex concepts in an accessible manner. Develops compelling presentations.
Strategic thinker– Creative problem solver who is willing to think outside the box. Can synthesize learnings from previous experiences to meet challenges.
Key Responsibilities

Engagement and Sector Development (45%)

Acting as the Project Manager, independently lead, plan, implement and steer to completion the strategy and execution of ICA’s contract to administer the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership
Identify and convene stakeholders for sector-wide knowledge exchange and learning opportunities; represent ICA in state and national coalitions.
Amplify our state presence, increase our impact, and contribute to ecosystem development, including but not limited to fundraising, outreach, technical assistance, education, strategic partnerships, coalition building, and communications.
Present to economic development officials, small business support centers, and other stakeholder groups.
Hold and strengthen relationships with strategic national partners and local organizations that invest in employment social enterprises
Attend relevant meetings, conferences and networking events in Massachusetts
Outreach and Pipeline Development (45%)

Conduct initial consultations with prospective clients on becoming employee owned.
Manage new client intake and support incoming clients in determining their goals for engaging with ICA and scoping project work with consultants.
Respond to inquiries and requests for information from partners, media, and other stakeholders
Engage with local groups and organizations that promote businesses and economic development initiatives in ICA’s program areas
Build relationships with business owners and identify opportunities to establish cooperative ownership models
Manage strategic engagement and collaboration with economic developers, policy makers, business associations, government agencies, and educational institutions.
Provide business owners with technical assistance, support, and referrals (following internal training)
Work closely with the Cross Program Team to develop case studies to share and prepare success stories.

Organizational Development (10%)

Internally, help develop a growing organization by participating in organization-wide meetings and strategic planning, committee work (i.e., EDI, Education/Training, Governance, Staff Life), and building systems and procedures to help ICA thrive
Identify and deliver insights from partners and clients that will be broadly applicable to other areas of the ICA Group’s work
Contribute to the ICA Group’s strategy and communications by developing consulting tools and resources, generating research from client work, and serving as a subject matter resource
Minimum Requirements

General Experience:

5+ years of relevant experience, including  community engagement, economic development, business development, social entrepreneurship, sales and/or employee ownership.
Personal and intellectual commitment to systemic economic change and racial justice
Relational Skills:

Ability to communicate complex concepts and information into accessible, compelling narratives and excellent writing skills
Outstanding interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to build relationships with diverse clients and stakeholders
Strong diplomatic skills and judgment
Project Management Skills:

Ability to work in a self-directed environment
Ability to  independently manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines
Familiar with digital tools, tracking systems and project management tools (excel, taskray, salesforce, hubspot etc.)
Additional Desired Capabilities

Bilingual in Spanish
Excitement and interest in helping a growing organization scale effectively, and an enthusiastic interest in taking on new responsibilities and roles as this happens
Knowledge of the employee ownership models from a legal, accounting, and/or organizational development standpoint
Analytical and quantitative skills, including the ability to do data analysis and visualization
Familiarity with Massachusetts government
Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $68,000 to $73,200. ICA uses a salary scale and the specific salary within that range is determined by years of experience. The ICA Group provides a generous benefits package including 4 weeks of vacation, 13 paid holidays, 8 days of sick leave, and health insurance. In addition to holidays, ICA’s offices are closed the week between 12/25 and 1/1 each year as additional paid time off.

About Working at the ICA Group

The ICA Group is a rapidly growing nonprofit. All staff members are expected to help build organizational capacity, processes, and culture. The ICA Group has offices in New York City and Massachusetts and a hybrid remote/office work culture, although due to Covid-19 many are currently working from home. We utilize technology and virtual meetings on a daily basis, and hold quarterly in-person meetings. Our staff enjoy highly satisfying work in a diverse and stimulating environment. We are committed to a workplace culture that supports work-life balance and flexibility for working parents and other caregivers.

At the ICA Group, we value equity, diversity, and inclusion. We believe that in order to build a new economy where working people lead and own democratic workplaces, leaders in cooperative development must reflect the communities they serve. We support equitable opportunities for all people and we strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, people of color, women, individuals from the LGBTQIAA+ community, and others who identify as a part of historically marginalized communities to apply for open positions at the ICA Group.We also  know the confidence gap and impostor syndrome are real barriers. This can get in the way of meeting incredible candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply, we would love to hear from you!

To Apply
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis; however, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by September 22, 2023