SEIU Education & Support Fund

Program Director
Director of California Fast Food Workers Training Program

Based in Los Angeles, CA
(hybrid)

 

LOCATION OF POSITION: Work from LA office multiple days per week with hybrid schedule. Frequent travel within California and nationally to ESF locations. Candidates must reside in or near Los Angeles, California and be authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
An increasing number of Americans – most of whom are women and people of color – are employed in service sector jobs that are marked by low wages, no health care, job insecurity, and lack of training and career advancement opportunities. The SEIU Education & Support Fund tackles these issues by designing and facilitating worker-centered, relationship-based, and accessible education, training, and workforce development programs. We serve as a strategic partner to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and collaborate with other unions, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and employers to help workers access good jobs and spark positive social change. Throughout our work, we promote a culture of empowerment that honors experience, culture, diversity, and inclusion.

POSITION SUMMARY
ESF is excited to welcome a Program Director to spearhead the development of collaborative regional programs that will provide robust and effective Know-Your-Rights (KYR) trainings to fast food workers on scale. The successful candidate will build effective and strategic participation and coordination between existing non-profit and/or public participants that can play a role in developing and delivering robust and effective, in-person training programs.

The successful candidate will work closely with fast food workers advocates, including the California Fast Food Workers Union, to ensure that program design and implementation plans are well-aligned to workers’ needs. The successful candidate does not need to be an expert in Know-Your-Rights curriculum development or implementation, but will be well-equipped to organize and lead a collaborative effort to develop proposed program specifics, from curriculum to implementation.

The successful candidate will have some understanding of political and legislative processes in California, and a strong capacity to engage constructively with municipal regulators and other public officials as needed to set programs up for success.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Coalition Building and Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate partnerships with non-profit organizations, labor unions, public education programs and advocates for fast food workers
• Lead coalition building activities including develop agendas, outreach to partners, facilitate coalition meetings, develop and advance shared goals.

Program Development

• Spearhead development of collaborative, multi-organization leadership teams to develop regional KYR programs
• Create effective processes to support the joint development of regional programs that can scale to deliver the proposed trainings
• Ensure consistent and effective internal & external communication by adhering to all of ESF’s program and operational reporting/monitoring policies and procedures
• Ensure the collaborative, regional training programs reflect ESF’s equity-based, worker-centered values and approach
• Organize / pilot training events with Fast Food Workers in coalition with key partners including managing outreach efforts to participating Fast Food Workers

Organizational Development

• Collaborate with the CA Leadership Team to ensure coherence of organizational development across programs and benefits in line with core values and mission of ESF
• Collaborate with ESF colleagues through team meetings, committees, focus groups,
• interview teams, and annual staff retreat to cultivate positive organizational culture and alignment of programs, policies, and practices to ESF’s vision, mission, and values.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Relationship-Building. Ability to build trusting relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders, including unions, non-profits and public stakeholders, utilizing excellent interpersonal skills, around a shared commitment to common goals.
• Collaborative Team-Building. Ability to recruit and build a team composed of members of multiple organizations who do not report to you, through a shared-vision and shared-goals approach.
• Supervision. Able to supervise staff, manage contractors, and responsibly manage a program budget.
• Issue Fluency. Knowledge of workers’ rights in California and common challenges facing low-income workers in California; understanding of the role an effective Know Your Rights educational program can play in improving workers’ lives.
• Project Management. Skill in complex project management utilizing excellent analytical, organizational and collaboration skills.
• Strategic Thinking. Ability to lead the program with strategic insight and acuity, and to communicate strategy effectively.
• Adaptability. Ability to respond quickly and effectively when conditions change and exhibit flexibility when pivots are required.
• Communication. Ability to effectively communicate with a wide variety of constituents and craft compelling narratives about the need and impact of our work.
• Problem-Solving. Ability to strategically solve complex or unique problems through an equity and inclusion lens utilizing exceptional judgment.
• Digital fluency. Skill with technology tools including Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. That said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the following:

• Experience in a leadership role in government, non-profit, or labor union
• Knowledge of the political/legislative landscape in California, especially Los Angeles
• 7+ years of experience in program development or leadership
• Significant work in solidarity with minoritized and/or marginalized populations
• A strong multi-tasker with the ability to prioritize and manage time effectively and in a remote work environment
• Regular travel within CA will be required and national travel a couple of times per year.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Proven commitment to uplifting the work and creating an atmosphere of belonging, equity, inclusion, and diversity through policies, procedures, and collaboration

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Proficient in speaking and writing Spanish and English

PAY AND BENEFITS
We offer competitive wages and top-notch benefits, including 100 percent employer paid medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and eligible dependents; a defined benefit pension plan for retirement; paid holidays, sick leave, and personal days; and up to 5 weeks of vacation. We are a hybrid organization with co-located and remote staff. We provide a home office stipend for employees who telework, and cell phone stipend (or company sponsored cell phone) for all employees.

COMPENSATION
At the Education and Support Fund (ESF), we understand how crucial it is to create a compensation and benefits system that not only attracts but also retains a diverse and talented team. We are committed to ensuring that our compensation practices reflect our values and the unique experiences of each employee. Our philosophy focuses on the following important principles:

1. **Honoring Our Culture**: We believe that every individual's lived experiences and professional journeys are invaluable. Our compensation framework aims to acknowledge and celebrate this diversity, as it enriches our organization and strengthens our community.
2. **Innovative**: We strive to be forward-thinking in our approach. By embracing an inclusive design process, we are dedicated to crafting a compensation program that is not only fair but also transformative, promoting a culture of growth and opportunity for everyone at ESF.
3. **Worker-Centered**: Your voice matters to us. We are committed to listening to the needs, experiences, and perspectives of our staff as we develop our Compensation Framework. We want to ensure that all factors are thoughtfully considered to create a supportive and equitable environment.

In our pursuit of fairness and consistency, ESF has chosen to establish clearly defined salary ranges for all positions. For this role, the salary is set to fall between $114,569 and $125,821, depending on the employee’s primary residence (city and state).

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
SEIU Education and Support Fund follows the spirit and intent of all federal, state and local employment law and is committed to equal opportunity in all aspects of employment. In alignment with our mission, we recognize the importance of our staff reflecting the communities our work aims to benefit as well as the desirability of increasing employment opportunities for people from historically marginalized groups. We encourage and seek applicants from people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ communities, bilingual and bicultural individuals, and people with disabilities.

Apply HERE!