Job Posting: Director of People and Culture

For the first time, the ICA Group is hiring a Director of People and Culture to help support and strengthen the organization’s team of self-directed professionals advancing businesses and institutions that center worker voice, grow worker wealth, and build worker power. The Director of People and Culture will drive internal organizational development and support a thriving democratic workplace, bringing a lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI) to everything they do. With a leading focus on organizational culture; hiring and staff development; team coordination; and office policies and procedures, the Director of People and Culture will be a critical pillar of ICA’s ongoing growth and success. We seek a highly collaborative and justice-oriented individual with exceptional emotional intelligence, team building and relational skills and an orientation towards democratic process development and change management. The Director of People and Culture will need to come into the office in Northampton, MA regularly.

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Relational skills–Emotional intelligence, exceptional listening skills, understands dynamics of trust, team builder.
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal)–Regularly and effectively communicates processes/policies/changes, communicates through a variety of channels to meet team members where they are and how they best access and process information (written, verbal, document, slack, text).
• EDI orientation-Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, and experience implementing diversity, equity and inclusion policies, plans or actions.
• Process orientation–Pragmatic understanding of how to put things into action, not only creates processes but sees them through and tweaks as they go to meet organizational needs. Excited about process change/continuous change management.
• Strong meeting facilitation and training skills–Understands how to leverage facilitation practices and education to drive meaningful engagement, trust/team building, cross-organizational learning and development.
• Patience–Patience to navigate diverse perspectives, allow time for member engagement, allow processes to roll out, but also see things through to the end within clear and reasonable time frames.
• Comfort working in and building a non-hierarchical organization– Understands that their role in implementing and managing this work is about working with people at all levels of the organization, strengthening cross programmatic and cross role team work, accountability and shared outcomes, and really building and testing a new model of work.
• Excitement About Building & Fostering Organizational Culture-- Excited to help us build organizational culture and relationships in a semi-remote setting and to cultivate joy in our work.

About the ICA Group

The ICA Group is a non-profit worker cooperative with the mission to develop and advance businesses and institutions that center worker voice, build worker power and grow worker wealth. Our organizational structure aims to mobilize self-directed and interconnected teams, working towards common goals.

ICA approaches internal work through a participatory lens, inviting all staff members into important organizational discussions and development work including strategic planning, employee policy development, hiring and onboarding and diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strive to use a consensus framework for decision making, an area of continued learning and practice. All permanent staff are also members of the cooperative organization and have a formal (and equal) vote on matters of organizational significance. The work of the Director of People and Culture is situated within this context of participation, self-direction, and cooperation and will be a key agent in supporting the organization in the actualization of these values and in developing and/or strengthening the processes, systems and structures needed to support them.

Key Responsibilities

Culture Building & Team Support (50%)

• Nurture a flexible and hybrid workplace culture that fosters high impact, autonomy, collaboration, and relationship building and connection with an eye toward sustainability.
• Play a key role in implementing ICA’s EDI plan and ensuring that equity, diversity and inclusion are centered in all of ICA’s internal policies, procedures and practices.
• Provide leadership support, working with program leads to develop high-functioning, self-directed teams.
• Ensure individuals and teams have the organizational information, tools, resources and systems they need to be successful.
• Contribute to and manage the refinement and implementation of ICA’s evaluation systems for projects, programs and individuals. Ensure compliance by all members.
• Plan and execute weekly staff meetings, monthly program leads meetings, quarterly and annual staff retreats, and recurring and annual membership meetings.
• Ensure technology and data management systems and platforms support programmatic and organizational goals, measure impact, and are utilized effectively by teams to inform strategy.
• Collaborate with ED, CFO/Controller on regular financial reporting to staff and other key recurring annual organizational presentations.
• Plan fun events and activities that create joy and strengthen team relationships and trust.

Education and Training: (30%)

• Support the continued refinement and implementation of a performance review process with continuous professional development and the creation and implementation of growth pathways for all staff.
• Partner with subject matter experts on staff to design and implement an internal training curriculum to build staff expertise on ICA’s core consulting competencies and institutional knowledge.
• Develop a framework for on-the-job training and independent learning that supports ICA’s EDI vision.
• Curate educational opportunities for staff and board by bringing speakers to ICA and by identifying external learning opportunities.
• Provide coaching support and training to Program Leads.

Hiring and Human Resource Compliance (10%)

• Lead the hiring, onboarding, and offboarding of staff, upholding ICA’s commitment to enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion in hiring and organizational development.
• Serve as the main point person for sensitive issues including management or staff related grievances, benefits issues, etc.
• Manage and enhance staff compensation and benefits including Health, Dental, Disability, Retirement, Parental and Family Leave, Holidays
• Lead on company & office policies and procedures including maintenance and updating of Employee Handbook, Covid policies, work from home policies, pay scale, pay equity and more using ICA’s participatory lens.
• Ensure adherence to internal and external policies, procedures – whether in hiring, payroll taxes and filings, employment laws, etc.

Administration and Office Management (10%)

• Provide leadership to administrative staff and contractors whose portfolio includes telecommunications/IT/online services; bookkeeping; special projects; document execution, exchange, and retention; communication with property manager on lease and building matters; and general office management and administrative support.
• Collaborate with CFO or Controller on financial and organizational compliance, including insurance and 990.

Minimum Requirements

• At least 5 years of organizational development/change management experience.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills, strong facilitator and trainer.
• Process oriented, attention to detail.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, and experience implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, plans or actions.
• Natural collaborator, with strong personal accountability.

Additional Desired Capabilities

• Familiarity with cooperative business models, economic democracy, business services, economic development, community or labor organizing.
• Experience with human resources–benefits management, policy compliance, etc.
• Professional or personal experience in democratic, participatory, non-hierarchical, and/or grassroots teams or environments.
• Programmatic or operational leadership role, preferably in a non-profit.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $75,000 to $81,000. ICA uses a salary scale and the specific salary within that range is determined by years of experience. The ICA Group provides a generous benefits package including 4 weeks of vacation, 12 paid holidays, 8 days of sick leave, and health insurance. In addition to holidays, ICA's offices are closed the week between 12/25 and 1/1 each year as additional paid time off.

About Working at the ICA Group

The ICA Group is a rapidly growing nonprofit. All staff members are expected to help build organizational capacity, processes, and culture. The ICA Group has offices in New York City and Massachusetts and a hybrid remote/office work culture, although due to Covid-19 most are currently working from home. We utilize technology and virtual meetings on a daily basis, and prior to Covid-19, held quarterly in-person meetings. Our staff enjoy highly satisfying work in a diverse and stimulating environment. We are committed to a workplace culture that supports work-life balance and flexibility for all ICA staff, including working parents and other caregivers.

At the ICA Group, we value equity, diversity, and inclusion. We believe that in order to build a new economy where working people lead and own democratic workplaces, leaders in cooperative development must reflect the communities they serve. We support equitable opportunities for all people and we strongly encourage people of color, women, individuals from the LGBTQIAA+ community, and others who identify as a part of historically marginalized communities to apply for open positions at the ICA Group.

To Apply

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.