COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT,
Full Time Position For the Center for Family Life’s Cooperative Development Program (CDP)
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. Under the auspices of our Cooperative Development Program, we have partnered with community members and incubated ten worker cooperatives since June 2006. 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. This year we partnered with the Robin Hood Foundation in order to launch Up & Go, an online platform connecting low-income workers and clients with a convenient booking option. A franchise-style cooperative development model is being developed in conjunction with Up & Go.
A successful Cooperative Development Assistant would have:
Good organizational and interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing;
Experience in customer service or help desk capacity;
Bilingual Spanish/English skills (required);
Basic computer skills including work with Microsoft Office, and e-mail at a proficient level;
Able to manage customer relationship management databases;
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;
Ability to effectively engage with cooperative members and customers;
A strong interest and willingness to learn about worker-cooperative business development, community organizing and/or worker/immigrant rights;
Entrepreneurial/Business skills a plus.
Responsibilities will include:
Back-office Coordinator:
Serve as the back office coordinator for worker cooperative businesses in industries including residential/commercial cleaning and dog walking.
Maintain member and clients records, answering customer calls and emails and matching members with jobs within allotted times.
Develop client and business reports for the worker coops on an ongoing basis.
Send client invoices, track payments, support with administration of payments to members.
Support with general back office administration.
Work in a sales capacity, converting client inquiries into secured jobs.
Meeting with and reporting to Office Committee of each cooperative.
Onboarding and training new cooperative members, including support with resume preparation, introduction to cooperative contracts, and job roster. Data Management
Coordinate and complete data entry to comply with progress reports and grant reports for private foundations and public funds.
Manage CRM data reporting system to SBS including coordinating intakes, reminding team members to report activities, and entering activities, courses, business incubation, and information on hires into database.
Cooperative Development Support:
Collaborate with the Cooperative Developers in training and meeting preparation.
Covering the front desk of the Adult Employment and Cooperative Development Program in the absence of the receptionist, greeting clients, answering and directing calls.
Create monthly newsletter for cooperatives and allies.
Project Coordination:
Manage logistics for events and special projects in the Cooperative Development Team.
Speaking at public events, trainings and conferences about work with cooperatives, as needed. Other tasks will be assigned based on project needs.
Geographic Location: Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York.
Supervision: The Cooperative Development Assistant will report to the Director of Cooperative Development. Ongoing supervision will be provided.
Hours: Permanent Full Time, 35 hours/week. Schedule varies week to week. Occasional evening or weekend meetings.
Languages: Able to write, read and speak fluently in Spanish and English.
Qualifications: B.A. degree preferred.
Customer service experience is preferred.
Must be a strong verbal and written communicator in English and Spanish.
Experience with media, and communications messaging a plus.
Salary: $16/hr plus full benefits package.
Application Process: Applicants for the Cooperative Development Assistant position should submit their full resume along with a cover letter by email addressed to Maru Bautista, Director of Cooperative Development at coopdevelopment@sco.com. Subject line should include: “Cooperative Development Assistant position.” Applications without the required documents will not be reviewed.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until position is filled. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.
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.