Role: Member
Contract: 8 days/month, 1 year contract (potential to extend)
Day rate: £185
Location: Remote
About us
workers.coop is a small but growing movement of worker-led cooperatives to enable workers to unite and collectively advance their economic, social, and cultural interests. We are a democratic work in progress, led by a small but dynamic team of paid members and an elected Board.
In our first two years we have built an organisation from scratch, raising over £200,000 in member income and donations. We are running campaigns to raise awareness of worker co-ops and provide support to help people start or convert to worker co-ops. For members we offer a range of peer networking, learning programmes and events to build this movement. We are growing, we have gaps to fill and roles that need doing.
About role
As a dynamic, growing and member led organisation, we are looking for candidates that are comfortable in a start-up environment, and able to self-organise, lead and be led as part of a democratic and flat structured team. Experience in cooperatives is not required, but enthusiasm for our mission of liberating work through worker co-ops is.
Our current team has been filling all of the roles listed below, and we are looking to build our capacity and expertise in any and all of them. We are therefore open to people with a whole range of experience and can adapt the role to suit, if we feel you bring something to at least two of these roles. We particularly encourage applications from people who come from underrepresented backgrounds such as people of colour, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQI+ people.
- Movement building: An ability to encourage and organise supporters to carry out actions, host and facilitate spaces so people can connect and learn from each other.
- Public speaking and external relations: An ability to act as a spokesperson, speak for, advocate and represent workers.coop and worker co-ops. Help to generate and communicate our shared vision.
- Business development: An ability to identify growth and income opportunities, develop a product or member offer, establish external relationships, seek out funders, donations and new organisational members.
- Operations and Policy development: An ability to identify gaps, implement and maintain systems, policies and processes to run a small, lean organisation in start-up mode.
- Finances: An ability to take on bookkeeping (quickbooks), support the Board with budgets and financial oversight of our various projects.
- Tech: An ability to use, support others and improve a range of digital solutions (WordPress, Nextcloud, CiviCRM etc) and to work with our technology suppliers to make necessary changes to continually improve our website and other digital services.
About you
As well as skills specific to each role, we are looking for people who are open and collaborative by default, willing to fully participate in the running of the organisation alongside delivering their specific work, and keen to become a member of the co-op.
Working in a co-op particularly suits people who are good at setting goals for themselves and others, and who have a flair for new ideas and leadership.
You’ll thrive if you:
- are passionate and enthusiastic about our vision and mission
- are a self-starter, have a proactive approach, can see what needs doing and do it
- have a positive, creative approach towards challenges
- have strong organisational and time-management skills
- would like to grow professionally and help run a growing and vibrant organisation
- care about relationships and people, can work out differences amiably
- are open to being mentored and mentoring others in turn
- comfortable with collective decision making and leading through consent
How to apply
Closing date: Fri 6th September 2024
Interviews: Mon 15th or Tues 16th Sept 2024
Step 1: Please fill in the application form below
If you have any accessibility requirements or needs to help get you through the interview process, or any other questions in general, please contact sam at workers.coop.
We run an anonymous application process, as we have found that this yields better results and reduces bias. While we do ask for details of relevant work experience, this is to understand your approach and what you have learned. We do not ask for a CV or portfolio of work.
There is no specific word limit for your answers, take as long as you need, just bear in mind your audience will be a group of time poor volunteers, so be clear and concise to communicate your message. We also accept video responses. if you prefer this to providing a written responses.
Step 2: If we feel you are likely to be a good fit for workers.coop, we will invite you to an interview. Ahead of the interview, we will ask you to complete a short task. Again, this is to understand your approach and to see how you talk through a challenge. You can also request the interview questions in advance.