JOB TITLE: Sr. Director of Worker-Owned Businesses

EMPLOYER: Catalyst Miami

DEPARTMENT: Programs/Community Economic Development

REPORTS TO: VP, Community Economic Development

EFFECTIVE DATE:  May 15, 2023

SALARY: $89,000-$95,000

SUMMARY:  The Sr. Director of Worker Cooperatives is responsible for oversight of the organization’s Worker-Owned Business Program, an incubator for worker-owned-and-run businesses called worker cooperatives. The Sr. Director will dictate the strategy of Catalyst Miami’s Worker-Owned Businesses program, help cooperatives troubleshoot problems as they arise, connect cooperatives with partnership, business development and funding opportunities, and act as the lead resource for cooperatives under incubation. The Senior Director is responsible for the development of start-up cooperative businesses and engaging prospective cooperative conversion businesses.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Create and facilitate the worker cooperative incubator sessions pertaining to business development and entrepreneurship. Prepare curriculum for specialized trainings if necessary.
• Provide worker cooperatives with technical assistance, including business planning, commercial lease and insurance policy review, basic regulatory compliance, business development, and referrals to other forms of professional assistance where necessary.
• Conduct market research to identify potential opportunities for cooperative businesses.
• Help business owners access capital for their small businesses, including micro-loan packaging and packaging for public sector assistance programs (i.e., federal, state, and local loan products and small business relief funds). Specific services may change over time. Coordinate with local Seed Commons project officer to explore non-extractive and patient cooperative lending.
• Coordinate legal incorporation, regulatory compliance, and governance structure with attorneys, when applicable.
• Coordinate open book accounting with accountants and CPAs, when applicable.
• Coordinate with consultants providing TA to the organization on worker cooperative development.
• Develop, review and assist in implementing marketing and customer acquisition strategy with incubator participants.
• Provide one-on-one financial assistance that includes, but is not limited to, accounting assistance, pro forma preparation, breakeven analyses, financial projections, and helping clients open commercial bank accounts.
• Support the development/strengthening of the back office for cooperative businesses, including bookkeeping, payroll, human resource policies, and more.
• Provide strategic planning support to each cooperative.
• Build and maintain meaningful relationships with members of cooperatives within the program.
• Work with the Community Economic Development team to devise and implement strategies that help communities build political and economic power.
• Contribute strategically to expand organization’s community ownership platform.
• Collaborate with Catalyst Miami’s communications team to conduct outreach, e.g., advertise our services to generate interest from future clients and promote our clients’ business offerings.
• Collaborate with partner organizations, including other cooperative developers, to organize workshops or other outreach events.
• Collaborate with VP of CED’s work with partner organizations, anchor institutions, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to help foster a cooperative ecosystem in Miami-Dade County.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor and CEO.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• This position does not directly supervise employees

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Language: Professional working proficiency in oral and written English. Haitian Creole and/or Spanish preferred.
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree
• Years of experience: 5 years
• Computer skills required: Microsoft Office suite and comfort learning and adopting new web-based platforms.
• Other skills required: Working with diverse communities, facilitating consensus-based decision-making among groups, excellent listening skills, conflict resolution, coaching and mentoring, leadership development, raising capital.

COMPETENCIES:

Influence

• Networks
• Fundraises
• Promotes products and services
• Inspires & motivates

Leadership (self & others)

• Team player and builder
• Develops talent (self and others)
• Articulates vision, understands and commits to big picture
• Stable and calming influence
• Emotional intelligence
• Leads by example
• Open to feedback
• Effective interpersonal communicator
• Asset focused (as opposed to charity focused)

Equity

• Self-aware
• Empathy
• Active listener
• Step out of comfort zone

Management (self and others)

• Learning agility, comfortable with uncertainty, adaptable to sudden change
• Goal oriented, prioritization and time management
• Analytical / critical thinker, problem solver and resourceful
• Continuous improver-persistent
• Move projects forward simultaneously
• Tolerate and effectively manage stress
• Effective delegation

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds
• Ability to work in a shared-workspace environment
• Ability to work virtually with a stable Internet connection
• Stretch and bend to organize and distribute materials for Catalyst Miami activities
• Must be able to work flexible hours to accommodate organization needs, including evening and weekends. Out of town travel may be required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The above describes the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

TO APPLY

Please send your cover letter, resume, and answer to the question "What does economic democracy mean to you?" to Ahmed Mori at [email protected]