Position Announcement
February 21, 2008

POSITION: Executive Director
ORGANIZATION: Berkeley Student Cooperative (aka the University Students' Cooperative Association), Berkeley, California

The Berkeley Student Cooperative (BSC) is one of the largest and oldest student housing cooperatives in the United States. Our mission is to provide affordable housing for college students and support their learning experience. The BSC manages 20 properties with a capacity to house over 1200 students. We seek a strategic leader to work with our student-led Board of Directors and co-op staff to ensure the successful fulfillment of our daily operations in support of our mission. The BSC has a property portfolio of $27,000,000 at today’s market value, and an annual operating budget of $8,500,000. We have 21 professional staff members in our administrative office, located at 2424 Ridge Road, on the north side of the UC Berkeley campus.  The housing units are managed by elected house members, who use Central Level services for on-going training and support of house level operations.

Specific Responsibilities:   

• Vision and strategy, program development: Manages, develops, and resolves issues in long-range strategic, annual, and fiscal plans with student Board of Directors including evaluation of and tracking procedures with staff. Successfully implements strategy and goals in the context of rapid Board Member turnover. Ultimately responsible for all BSC public activities, representation and programs.

• Public relations: Serves as BSC spokesperson and representative to the University, city authorities, the media, and the community.  Responsible for public and community relations and media communications.

• Staff leadership: Provides leadership and management oversight to all supervisors and staff. Collaborates to establish and implement policies and procedures. Builds teamwork and provides professional development opportunities to staff.  Ensures that performance is in line with the mission of the BSC. Has experience with internal organizational restructuring and evaluating effectiveness of existing structures. Selects, develops, and evaluates personnel to ensure efficient operations.

• Board relations and development: Works with the BSC Board of Directors to establish co-op vision and strategic plan; works closely with officers to ensure effective agendas and define Board role; ensures training, development, and participation of Board members with governance of the organization. Must work with multiple committees within the Board of Directors.

• Finance: Develops annual budget, ensures proper fiscal accounting, and controls in accordance with sound accounting practices.  Maintains fiscal solvency of the organization and ensures timely reporting and compliance with regulators. 

• Fundraising: Oversees & implements long-term fund development strategies, including grants and donations from foundations, alumni, membership, major donors, and other grassroots sources.  Works with development staff to research funding sources, meets with funders, and supervises fundraising activities.

• Physical plant: Ensures implementation of long-term strategies for physical plant maintenance, facilities and equipment management and improvement.  Works with Maintenance Coordinator on capital asset management and oversight.

• Student/Member Relations: Establishes strong, positive relations with student leaders and managers. Communicates our mission and enrolls others in cooperative action to enhance the quality of the co-op experience. Develops and writes policies and procedures; prepares comprehensive reports; makes recommendations; and responds appropriately to resolve difficult, sensitive issues. 

• Information Technology:  Oversees technical support personnel. Makes sound judgments in the evaluation of complex technologies and methodologies at all stages of evolution.  Sets technological direction for the staff to meet critical operational and strategic need of the organization.

Ideal candidate background would include:

• Strategic and visionary capability:  Experience establishing organizational vision, developing strategy and carrying it through to successful completion.  Ability to respond with analytical innovation and creativity to problems that have no direct precedent for guidance. Previous experience working with a non-profit Board of Directors is preferred.
  
  
• Communication: Articulate, with excellent writing skills; able to represent the organization’s vision and views.  Works well with diversity, has demonstrated experience maintaining relationships with student or youthful populations, and has the ability to engage with diverse audiences such as university administrators, city government, and the media.  Must possess critical thinking skills, independent judgment, initiative, and political acumen.  Ability to troubleshoot complex problems involving students, student staff, and full-time staff.  Experience in communicating complex material in written and oral forms.  This job requires quite a bit of public speaking; the ability to be persuasive is necessary.
  
  
• Collaboration:  Ability to work collaboratively with a very experienced and diverse staff and supervisors with an appreciative and motivational management style. Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.  Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate professionally and effectively with outside business partners, as well as technical and non-technical staff and managers. Ability to develop and write policies and procedures; prepare comprehensive reports; make recommendations; and respond appropriately and in a timely manner to resolve difficult and sensitive issues. 
  
  
• Management:  Experience with administration, staff supervision, performance evaluation, employee development, program management, IT and fiscal oversight. Has familiarity with housing, real estate finance, and facilities management.
  
  
• Fundraising:  Experiencewith successful fundraising.

Required Background:

• A four-year college degree
• At least five years of progressively more responsible supervisory and management experience.
• Previous experience living or working in a democratic or cooperative environment is preferred
• Must possess the technical and advanced computer skills necessary to perform the functions listed above.
• Experience with student populations and student leadership.

Compensation:          

The annual salary range is $78,853-$111,183.  Final salary offered will be based on the applicant’s meeting job qualifications and commensurate relevant experience. Benefits include annual cost-of-living salary adjustments, fully paid health & dental insurance, long-term disability insurance, life insurance, generous vacation and sick leave plans, and a 12% 403-B retirement contribution after 2 years. 

Applicants must fill out a BSC job application. 

Download the application in PDF or in Microsoft Word. 

Please email a cover letter and completed application (with resume, if desired) no later than April 7, 2008  to jobs@usca.coop.  Your cover letter should focus on how your background and qualifications relate to the job task and candidate profile outlined above.  The BSC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.