Labor and Community Job Opportunities, Opportunities

Center for Family Life Seeks Cooperative Developer

The Center for Family Life in Sunset Park promotes and supports the founding of cooperative businesses as part of our community development initiative. Our mission is to provide support and consultation services to worker-owner cooperatives based on principles of social justice, equality, and democracy.

We focus on helping to develop cooperatives that focus on fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect for the environment. We began incubating cooperative businesses under the auspices of our Adult Employment Program in partnership with community members in 2006, and are currently working with 11 cooperatives ranging from pre-startups to mature businesses. Our work has received recognition by the New York City Council, the GEO Collective, and the United Nations 2012 Year of the Cooperatives. In 2012 with the assistance of NY City Council we began to train Community Based Organizations to develop a cooperative incubation program at their respective sites. In 2014 we received further recognition from the City Council through our Worker Cooperative Coalition efforts, allowing us to expand the worker cooperative movement in NYC.

A successful Cooperative Developer would have:

  • A strong interest/background in worker-cooperative business development, community organizing, worker/immigrant rights and,
  • 2-3 years experience with social group work including meeting facilitation and coordination, democratic decision-making and mediation. Groups will range from 15 to 50 people.
  • Ability to learn quickly and be interested in developing a variety of new skills; be able to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines; have the ability to work both autonomously and in a team.
  • Willingness to engage with the cooperative members, the customers of the coops, and other individuals and organizations supporting the development of the cooperative businesses.
  • Experience interacting with the press as well as supporting cooperative members with public speaking engagements.
  • Superior organizational, interpersonal and communication skills; demonstrated experience of written and oral presentation skills.
  • Entrepreneurial/Business skills are preferred.

Responsibilities include:

NYC Cooperative Development Initiative (CBO Training Program)

  • Serve as one of the cooperative developers for the NYC Cooperative Development Initiative. This Initiative involves multiple Community Based Organizations (CBOs) who have applied and been accepted to receive training, technical assistance (TA) and support by CFL to develop their own coop incubation programs.
  • Conduct process of recruitment by publishing Request for Proposal, scoring applications, doing site visit interviews and selecting the best applicants for the Initiative.
  • Monitor progress and milestones met (or not met) by CBO participants.
  • Contribute to curriculum development for 6-week cooperative development training, coordinate logistics for training, and conduct various evaluations of CBOs and our own work.
  • Monitor the progress of the CBOs along the year, provide TA and support as needed and according to plan.

Cooperative Development

  • Serve as one of the Developers for the Cooperative Development Team. Work with two to three cooperative businesses:
  • Provide support to community based partners in their development of worker cooperatives.
  • Provide consultation based on the developmental stage of the Sunset Park coops.
    • Conduct a Feasibility Study for the new cooperative businesses.
    • Prepare curriculum and deliver 12-week training to new cooperative members.
    • Coordinate process of legal incorporation and governance of new coop with attorneys.
    • Develop, review and assist in implementing marketing strategy with coop members.
    • Support the development of the back office for the business.
    • Assist in maintaining customer contact database/member information.
    • Work with members to develop sales promotions, e-newsletters, and updates to the website.
    • Outreach to media.
    • Attend weekly and bi-weekly coop meetings in the evenings and weekends.
    • Attend weekly and bi-weekly coop meetings in the evenings and weekends.
    • Support the various coop committees and the development of leadership of those members in particular.
    • Support the office managers of the various coops and the respective office committees.
  • Development of ongoing technical and leadership trainings.
  • Attend annual cooperative conferences.
  • Collaborate with ED and Development Staff in seeking ongoing project funding and reporting to current funders.

Geographic Location:

Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York and off-site work within the 5 boroughs.

Supervision:

The Cooperative Developer will report to the Co-Director of Cooperative Development.

Ongoing weekly individual and bi-weekly group supervision will be provided.

Hours:

Full-time, 35 hours/week. Schedule varies week to week. There is an average of 1-3 evening meetings per week and some weekend meetings.

Languages:

Excellent writing and communication skills in English and Spanish.

Qualifications:

  • B.A. or M.A. level in Business, Social Work, Sociology, Community Development, Public Administration or other related field.
  • Business development experience is preferred.
  • Experience with community organizing.
  • Experience with working in Latino/a immigrant communities. Work in other immigrant communities is a plus.
  • Must be a strong verbal and written communicator in English and Spanish/Chinese.
  • Experience with media, and communications messaging a plus.

Salary:

Commensurate with experience.

Benefits:

Full health benefits, vacation and sick leave.

Application Process:

Applicants for the Cooperative Developer position should submit their full resume along with a cover letter that includes salary requirements by email to coopdevelopment@sco.org. Subject line should include: “Cooperative Developer Position.” Applications without the latter required documents will not be reviewed.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

The Center for Family Life, a program of SCO Family of Services, is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, LGBTQI identified people and people with disabilities are strongly urged to apply.