Program Director

WAGES (Women's Action to Gain Economic Security), a non-profit business incubator that provides technical support and management assistance to worker-owned eco-friendly cleaning businesses, seeks a passionate, skilled manager for this new senior level position. 

The Program Manager manages WAGES business incubation and ongoing support services to four cooperatives in the Bay Area. S/he provides technical support to individual coops, and develops collaborative efforts, such as joint marketing, leadership training, and associated services.  This position will initially supervise up to four people including Coop Managers, Technical Assistance providers and Training staff.  As part of a small management team, s/he will also participate in strategic planning and fundraising. 

The person in this position will be a key player in implementing WAGES new strategic plan. The plan calls for ambitious growth in existing and new cooperatives in the Bay Area over the next three years in order to bring our model to scale and create healthy, dignified jobs for an increasing number of low-income women. Ultimately, the plan also envisions expansion beyond the Bay Area and increasing visibility and impact on a national level.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Business Development with Cooperatives during Incubation

• Manage WAGES incubation program for cooperatives from business planning and pre-operations through financial independence (3 years).   
• Supervise and mentor Coop Managers in participatory management, coaching of worker-owners, business growth, exceptional customer service, and efficient operations.   
• Provide technical assistance to the cooperatives including: understanding business finances, annual budget appropriations, annual evaluations of General and Operations Managers, and facilitating multi-layered decision-making processes.   
• Document all processes and recommend new ways of making the business customer-centric, more efficient and profitable.   
• Analyze business performance and coordinate systems improvements. Prepare contingency plans and provide troubleshooting if the business is not meeting standards and goals.

Support Services through Network of Associated Cooperatives

• Complete and implement plan to develop a formal network for our Bay Area cooperatives that will provide a framework for centralized operational systems, joint marketing and purchasing, common services and training, and growth planning.   
• Update and develop templates and best practices for cooperative by-laws, personnel policies, financial management protocols and other technical documents.   
• Develop and maintain relationship with associated cooperatives that have reached self-sufficiency. Develop joint services and systems for marketing, purchasing, benefits administration, peer training, and/or other areas.   
• As appropriate, standardize the marketing and brand image across all the cooperatives. Manage the development of marketing collateral and website. Protect WAGES market niche and trademarks.

Management and Planning

• Supervise key program staff, likely to include coop managers, technical assistance specialists, and trainers.   
• Lead program staff in developing workplans and timelines for cooperative incubation, community outreach, and member recruitment and training.   
• Coordinate program and business evaluation and document outcomes   
• Participate in strategic planning, model development and model dissemination.   
• Participate in WAGES fundraising and communications work.   
• Participate in WAGES' management team.

The Ideal Candidate Will Possess the Following:

Experience and Skills

• Exceptional manager of people who can train, coach, lead and inspire others to perform their best work.   
• Five years experience at a management and/or leadership level in a customer-driven service business (for-profit or non-profit) or other relevant setting.   
• Superb communication skills (both verbal/interpersonal and written).   
• Outstanding capacity for critical and strategic thinking.   
• Strong project management experience and demonstrated ability to facilitate effective group processes with input from multiple stakeholders; excellent team player with facilitative leadership style.   
• Ability to plan for long-term and short-term and to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.   
• Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully with diverse people and community stakeholders.   
• Strong experience in financial management and analysis preferred; experience with budgets and basic financial background essential.   
• Experience working with cooperatively owned businesses or other forms of coops is a plus.   
• Masters degree in a relevant field is a plus, but not a substitute for management experience.   
• Bi-lingual candidates (Spanish-English) strongly preferred.

Values

• Passion for social and environmental justice   
• Commitment to empowering immigrant workers and low-income women   
• A "coop-preneurial" spirit that embraces risk-taking and the notion that we can do more together than we can do alone.

About the Job:

Reports to: WAGES' Executive Director
Status: Full-time, Exempt, Supervisor position
Compensation: Competitive, depending on experience, generous benefits
Schedule: Monday through Friday, with occasional night/weekend meetings
Travel Requirements: Car and willingness to travel in greater Bay Area, and occasionally farther afield.

To Apply:

Email resume, cover letter describing your qualifications and interest in this position, three references, and recent writing sample (no longer than three pages, please). Write "WAGES Program Director Search" in the subject line.

The position is open until filled, but interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.