POSITION: General Manager of Emma’s Eco-Clean, LLC

Emma’s Eco-Clean, LLC is seeking an experienced manager to support the worker-owners in the continued growth of our ten year-old cooperative cleaning company. This position offers a unique opportunity to combine entrepreneurial spirit and social and environmental values. We are seeking someone who:

• is an effective leader who brings out the best in others
• has significant management experience and entrepreneurial drive
• has the drive and capacity to grow this business in order to benefit more women and to maintain Emma’s leadership position for eco-friendly housecleaning on the Peninsula
• will make housecleaning a profession that gives women decent pay, benefits and pride in their work
• speaks Spanish and English very well
• is committed to working in (and helping to co-create) a cooperative structure
• is flexible, creative, patient, energetic, and collaborative in work-style; and

If you think you might be the right person for this position, please read on and consider joining us!

About Emma’s Eco-Clean

Emma’s Eco-Clean is a worker-owned business that was started by five low-income women in 1999 with the support of the non-profit organization, WAGES (Women’s Action to Gain Economic Security).  Since 2002, Emma’s has been a rapidly-growing independent cooperative; today it is co-owned by twenty-seven women who work in the business. Emma’s has immense growth potential, and we plan to continue increasing both our membership and sales. By using eco-friendly cleaning products, Emma’s worker-owners protect the health of their clients, their own health, and the health of our planet. The majority of housecleaning companies use cleaning products that contain hazardous chemicals that contaminate our groundwater and air. These chemicals are dangerous for both household residents and housecleaners. In contrast, Emma’s is dedicated to environmentally-friendly cleaning methods.  Emma’s office is in Redwood City and we provide service on the Peninsula.

All of Emma’s cleaners and administrators are co-owners of the business. They participate in key business decisions and share in all the profits.

The General Manager position

Emma’s General Manager bears primary responsibility for managing, marketing and growing the cooperative. The GM supervises Emma’s on-site Operations Manager, who handles the majority of client scheduling and other daily tasks to keep the business running smoothly.

The General Manager’s specific responsibilities include:

• conducting financial analysis to ensure that income and expenses are accurately tracked and to provide a basis for growth projections and planning
• supporting and mentoring the Operations Manager to build a growing base of satisfied customers
• generating marketing efforts to increase sales
• maintaining high quality standards in housecleaning and customer service; addressing quality problems as they come up
• ensuring the development of effective cooperative personnel policies
• administering benefits for coop members, such as health and dental insurance
• training, mentoring and developing leadership opportunities for coop members
• organizing the work of committees and other mechanisms for member participation to facilitate effective group decision-making
• facilitating conflict resolution among members in a fair, professional and neutral way
• creating a culture of accountability and trust and providing leadership that is both firm and fair
• be the public representative of EMMA’s
• liaison with WAGES and with WAGES’ network of cooperatives.

Position Requirements (in addition to the qualities noted above):

• At least three, preferably five or more years of management experience, including financial, marketing and personnel 
• Facility with Quickbooks, Excel and/or other comparable programs
• Experience in business or organizational operations at a leadership level and demonstrated entrepreneurial qualities
• Commitment to social change and experience with collaborative work environments and participatory management (direct experience with cooperatives is a plus)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Spanish and English
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with people of diverse economic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, including coop members and Emma’s business clients
• Must be someone who enjoys customer service and takes pride in doing it well

Highly Desirable Additional Skills/Qualities:

• Experience with service industry data management software or scheduling software
• Knowledge of environmentally-friendly cleaning or related business or environmental topics
• Direct experience working in a service business
• Experience with service industry software
• A successful track record in a teaching, training or coaching role

Hiring Process

This position is Full Time. Compensation is based on experience and skills and includes a good benefits package. Our hope is that the manager will also be a member of the cooperative and thus share in the profits as well. If you are interested in applying, please send a cover letter and resume via email to emmasecoclean@sbcglobal.net or by mail to 1155 Broadway, Ste. 1100, Redwood City, CA  94063.  No calls please.

Application deadline:  March 1, 2009