Website Guilded
Guilded is a freelancer-owned platform cooperative that aggregates resources to build financial and social stability for freelancers. Through Guilded, freelancers are able to receive administrative support, access to a guarantee payment pool and a suite of worker benefits traditionally reserved for employees.
As an initiative of the USFWC (US Federation of Worker Cooperatives), Guilded was incorporated LCA (Limited Cooperative Association) 2020. The USFWC is a national grassroots membership organization for worker cooperatives and other democratic workplaces whose mission is to build a thriving cooperative movement of stable, empowering jobs through worker-ownership. We represent 350 member workplaces (and growing) comprising over 10,000 workers across the country. We support our members by advancing worker-owned, -managed, and -governed workplaces through cooperative education, organizing, advocacy, and development.
The Guilded General Manager (GM) joins at an exciting time for the USFWC and for Guilded. Guilded is gearing up for a national launch as it organizes the freelancer labor sector, with special focus on art and creative freelancers. Guilded aims to engage such contingent and temporary workers using cooperative models in order to access the type of benefits traditionally tied to a social contract stemming from formal employment status. Guilded’s supportive services address root economic disparities that disproportionately impact low-income and Black and Indigenous members, and other members of color, using financial solidarity to deliver better conditions for a multi-racial independent workforce.
The GM is responsible for holding the vision of Guilded while steering its capacity towards sustainability and scale. More specifically, the GM will manage the program and outreach team, provide operational and administrative support to streamline internal communications, collaborate on fundraising efforts and coordinate overseeing the fiscal sponsorship requirements of the USFWC.
Qualities of an Ideal Applicant
● Passionate and dedicated leader- We want Guilded to be equipped with a strong, pragmatic, visionary who enjoys building on the edge of creativity to create lasting impact.
● Adept organizer and problem solver- We want a proactive and strategic organizer who enjoys operationalizing goals, providing clear directions, and elegant solutions.
● Trust builder – We want to demonstrate consistent and clear delivery of services and benefits to our members in a way that makes it easy for them to invite their closest friends to join Guilded.
● Autonomous and collaborative – We will provide you the space to manage your workflow, lead the Guilded team and collaborate with advisors and board members to fulfill Guilded’s mission and vision.
Scope of work
Organizational Development (35%): Coordinates strategic growth alongside the Executive Director with a focus on internal systems, capacity, and culture.
➔ Serve as a spokesperson for Guilded who can spark and maintain strong partnerships.
➔ Establish the culture of Guilded’s team through establishing meetings, check-ins, and consistent reporting to the Executive Director and the Board.
➔ Work closely with the Executive Director to manage the team, ensure capacity to meet goals is present, and communicate when changes or pivots need to happen.
➔ Utilize project management tools and expertise to coordinate the team and partners.
Funding and Finances (30%): Manage funder partnerships, finances, and budgets.
➔ Support grant funding and investment towards Guilded’s financial model.
➔ Write grant proposals and reports, and maintain strong funder relationships.
➔ Support organizational milestones as outlined in Guilded’s Business Plan.
➔ Provide routine budget management and oversight in coordination with the Executive Director.
➔ Coordinate preparation of financial documents for Board and Guilded Members in coordination with the Executive Director.
Manage and Collaborate on Programmatic Goals (25%): Collaborate with the Executive Director and Program Managers to support outreach, recruitment, communications, and technology platform goals.
➔ Establish inclusive and informative internal communication systems to manage timelines. Ensure Guilded’s platform is accessible, efficient, and scalable.
➔ Work in collaboration with program team, members, and users as part of beta testing.
➔ Supervise the programs team, in coordination with the Executive Director.
Administration (10%):
➔ Maintain clear records, smooth systems, and transparent processes.
➔ Submit paperwork in a timely manner internally and externally.
➔ Coordinate in fiscal sponsorship management with support from USFWC Managing Director
➔ Conduct and coordinate necessary check-ins with Guilded and USFWC team members.
Qualifications:
● Strong Leader: Proven track record in leading communities and/or an organization through change.
● Racial Justice Efficacy: Deeply understand and implement work in a way that supports racial justice.
● Stakeholder Engagement: Highly effective at engaging diverse stakeholders, listening to many perspectives and able to provide necessary leadership
● Program Management: Proven experience leading successful program work. Able to perform necessary research and development, implement a program, manage a program budget, conduct evaluation, and ensure ongoing program improvement
● Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; capable of communicating effectively with a wide range of people and through many communication channels (small group, public speaking, mass emails, facilitating conference calls, print, etc.)
● Local/ National/ International/ or Community Organizing: At least three years of experience organizing alongside communities. Passion and experience with organizing for racial justice, immigrant or workers’ rights, and/ or a solidarity economy
● Creative Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to foresee obstacles, generate and implement solutions, and manage long-term changes as needed
Desired, but not required:
● Cooperative Experience: Basic familiarity with the cooperative business form and workplace democracy. People with previous experience with worker ownership are highly encouraged to apply.
● Freelance Experience: preference will be given to candidates who have worked as independent contractors for at least two years
● Written and verbal Spanish proficiency is highly preferable, but not required.
● Previous Experience in Music and the Arts is an asset, but not necessarily required.
Compensation & Benefits: This is a temp-to-hire position for a 12-month period designated as 30-35 hours/week with compensation ranging from $60,000-$75,000 (based on a 40-hour FTE rate). Compensation will be awarded based on location and commensurate with experience. Because USFWC is currently incubating Guilded, the person hired will be an employee of and receive benefits from USFWC. This position will be eligible for fully subsidized individual and family vision and dental insurance, and subsidized medical coverage or a healthcare stipend for the employee. Other employee benefits include flexible paid holidays, annual vacation, and the opportunity to set up a pre-tax health or child care Flexible Spending Account.
Location: The USFWC maintains a flexible work environment, including remote working and occasional out of town travel for work as health guidelines allow. At this time, we are only accepting applications from the following 7 states & Federal District where the USFWC is currently established as an employer: New York, California, Washington State, Massachusetts, Maryland, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. For strategic reasons, the ideal candidate would be based in California or, at minimum have strong connections within that state.
About Being on Staff at USFWC: U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives, which is currently incubating Guilded, is a growing organization consisting of sixteen employees and some part time contractors, along with leadership from our nine-member Board of Directors. The USFWC has expanded both its programs and its staff significantly over the last four years. We are dedicated to serving our members and focusing on growing our impact, our value, and our programs and member benefits. Although currently embedded within the USFWC staff team, Guilded is developing its own staff team which will eventually be autonomous from the USFWC’s team and policies, even while some programmatic collaboration persists.
Applying:
To apply please send a resume, cover letter, and the names and contact information of 3 references from current or former workplaces (or significant organizing initiatives) to hiring@guilded.coop. Title the subject line of your email “Your Name, General Manager Application”.
The position will be open until filled. Applications submitted by February 15th will receive priority.
The USFWC is an Equal Opportunity employer. We highly encourage applicants of color, applicants who grew up poor or working class, LGBTQIA applicants, and applicants from other historically marginalized communities to apply.