Director of Cooperative Development

Transforming women's lives with green jobs

Women's Action to Gain Economic Security (WAGES) builds worker-owned green businesses that create healthy, dignified jobs for low-income women. WAGES incubates and supports green housecleaning cooperatives, now operating in five Bay Area counties, and we have just completed a strategic expansion plan to spread the benefits of our “triple bottom line” social enterprise model to women throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

WAGES is building a team of who want to apply their talents, creativity and proven leadership and management skills to this unique effort. The WAGES model is advancing social justice in a powerful way – green business/green jobs, women’s empowerment, and asset building for low-income families.  Our co-op network members are ready to jump to the next level of professionalism, and partners around the country are urging us to share our expertise. 

Position Overview: 

WAGES seeks an experienced and entrepreneurial senior manager to lead operations during the organization's next phase of growth.  The right candidate is one who excels in collaborative work environments and can lead the breadth of business support services encompassed in the Co-op Development Programs Department. This is a growth opportunity in a team environment that rewards success and is making a difference in hundreds of women's lives.

This ambitious endeavor will be led, in significant part, by the new Director of Co-op Development. This position is senior level and is part of WAGES’ management team together with the Executive Director, Director of Operations, and Director of Development. The Director of Co-op Development will supervise 5 or more of WAGES core staff, co-op managers, and key consultants.

Responsibilities:

The Director of Co-op Development is responsible for:

• The development and growth of new cooperatives through their 3-year incubation cycle
• Leading the acceleration of our co-op development efforts – WAGES’ strategic plan for 2011-2013 calls for development of 3 new Bay Area cooperatives, plus WAGES’ first co-op outside the Bay Area.
• Building on WAGES’ existing model, business plans, and 15 years of experience to strengthen each co-op and put in place resources for expansion beyond the Bay Area

Qualifications:

Candidate profile: 

We are seeking a seasoned manager with solid experience in training and organizational development, sales and customer service, project management, and supervision of teams. Exceptional interpersonal and staff management skills, excellent business instincts, and significant on-the-ground experience working with low-income communities are required. Spanish language fluency, both spoken and written, is essential.

The ideal candidate will have been a mid- to senior-level manager in a business-savvy non-profit and/or for-profit environment and will have knowledge of social enterprise and hybrid models that use business models for social change.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; Masters degree with focus on organizational behavior, business or non-profit administration, or similar degree strongly preferred. Degree is not a substitute for experience.
• A minimum of 6 years in a management position with multiple direct staff reports.
• Demonstrated ability to help diverse teams excel.
• Demonstrated success in program and personnel management, leadership in growing organizations, and ability to be both innovative and rigorous in adhering to standards and models.
• A strong commitment to WAGES’ mission and interest in social enterprise, asset-building, and community development.
• Experience in both for-profit and non-profit experience highly desirable.
• Sales and customer service experience highly desirable.
• Spanish language fluency, both spoken and written, is essential.

Compensation: Generous compensation and benefits package that rewards team work and measurable success. 

Join our team to expand worker-owned businesses that transform lives and communities. 

Deadline: Applications encouraged by 3/15/2011.  Position open until filled.

To Apply:

Please submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter, both in Word format, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity. Email application materials with "DCD-GDJ 2011" in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but the first round of candidate review will begin on March 15th. Position open until filled.