Job posting: Worker Co-op Developer, Brooklyn NY

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT – June 29, 2012
Cooperative Developer 
For the Center for Family Life’s Worker Cooperative Incubation Program

The Center for Family Life in Sunset Park promotes and supports the founding of cooperative businesses as part of our community development initiative. Under the auspices of our Adult Employment Program, we have partnered with community members and incubated five worker cooperatives since June 2006 and one collective. Our work as consultants and facilitators to the Sunset Park cooperatives has assisted greatly in their business development and financial growth. Our work has gained recognition by Speaker Christine Quinn, the GEO Collective, the UN 2012 Year of the Cooperatives, and other organizations nationwide who are looking to create their own cooperative incubation programs in immigrant neighborhoods as a way to increase economic development.

A successful Cooperative Developer would have:

• A strong interest/background in community organizing, worker/immigrant rights and, worker-cooperative business development.
• 2-3 years experience with social group work including meeting facilitation and coordination, democratic decision-making and mediation. Groups will range from 15 to 40 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 with groups. 
• 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 will include:

• Serving as the main Developer for the Sunset Park Cooperatives. Provide consultation based on the developmental stage of each coop.
• Attend 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.
• Develop new cooperatives based on the readiness and interest of CFL and the community members.
• Collaborate with ED and Development Staff in seeking ongoing project funding and reporting to current funders.
• Coordinate process of legal incorporation and governance of coops with attorneys. 
• Development of ongoing technical and leadership trainings.
• Develop, review and assist in implementing marketing strategy with coop members.  
• 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 annual cooperative conferences.

Geographic Location: Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York.

Supervision: The Cooperative Developer will report to the Cooperative Coordinator. Ongoing weekly 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: Able to write, read and speak fluently in Spanish and English.


Qualifications:

• B.A. or M.A. level in Social Work, Sociology, 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.
• 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 Vanessa Bransburg, Cooperative Coordinator, at vbransburg@cflsp.org. Subject line should include: “Cooperative Developer position”.

The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2012.
Applications received after that time will not be considered.

The Center for Family Life, which is 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.