Job Opening: Development, Sales, and Partnerships for the Toolbox for Education and Social Action

See idealist.org listing.

About TESA

The Toolbox for Education and Social Action (TESA) is a worker-owned, next-generation publisher of participatory resources for social and economic change. TESA also provides services to support individuals and organizations developing and implementing their own educational materials, programs, and digital resources.

TESA is a worker cooperative that is democratically owned and managed by its workers. http://toolboxfored.org

In our young history, TESA has worked on a number of causes and pioneered an array of exciting resources and programs. Our in-house projects include the incredibly successful Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives (http:coopolygame.com), Cultivate.Coop (http:Cultivate.Coop), and more. We are currently working with the South Bronx Green Worker Cooperatives to build a co-op academy in New York City and with the National Cooperative Business Association to develop and implement a nation-wide Cooperative Teach-In program, to name a few recipients of our services.

Our other work has addressed such topics as immigration solidarity, people’s history, and anti-war organizing. In addition, we have other projects that we are currently working to launch.

Job Description

TESA is looking to contract for a “Development, Sales, and Partnerships Specialist” that can take our efforts to the next level. This role will primarily focus on increasing sales of our products, fund-raising for our other initiatives, and developing partnerships between TESA and other organizations in order to launch innovative projects. This position will begin as an independent contractor, with the potential to develop into an employee, worker-owner position over time. (See below.)

TESA often initiates great project ideas and then seeks out other organizations (non-profits, associations, other co-ops, etc.) to partner with in order to collaboratively fund-raise, develop content, and maximize impact.

Your responsibilities will include:

Fundraise and Partnerships:

• Find organizational partners and fund-raise (through crowd-funding, partnerships, and grant writing) for in development anti-war curricula as well as a social justice graphic novel, and other projects.
• Fundraise (through crowd-sourcing, partnerships, and grant writing) for an exciting and major expansion to Cultivate.Coop as well as for our national Cooperative Teach-In program.

Sales:

• Focus sales of Co-opoly, “10 Reasons Co-ops Rock” poster, and upcoming releases (curricula, posters, games, etc.) to retailers, individuals, and allied organizations.

Development, sales, and partnerships would be your main focus. However, within this broad range of responsibilities, we are willing to consider someone who is strong is one area (for example, sales and marketing) and willing to learn others, such as crowd-sourcing or grant-writing.

Location

Proximity to the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts is a major preference, but is not required. Our office is in Northampton, MA. We prefer someone who can be in the office, when needed. However, we are willing to consider someone that is based in other locations, such as New York or DC, if he or she is the right candidate

Qualifications

An ideal candidate should have an interest in or basic knowledge about cooperatives and a desire to learn more.

Skills

• Sales and/or marketing experience
• Fundraising experience - grant writing, crowd-funding platforms
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Basic social media skills
• Spanish skills are a bonus, but not required

Qualities

• Interest in education
• Ability to collaborate and work well in groups
• Organized and self-motivated
• Dedication to social and economic justice
• Able to juggle more than one project at a time
• Fast learner and self-starter
• Ability to manage and develop projects
• Creative
• Ability to foster relationships with other organizations

Compensation

This position will start out as a three month contractor position. If you are a good fit for TESA, the contract will be extended. A good fit for TESA grows sales with our established products, shows ability to fundraise for current projects, and is able to recruit and develop new partnerships. After 8 months as a contractor, upon review by TESA, you will become eligible to become an employee and worker-owner of TESA, and, upon mutual agreement, your independent contractor status will end.

Payment: $2,000 - $2,300 a month. Possibly more, depending on experience.

Keep in mind that this position is meant to boost our sales and fund-raising significantly, so if done right, this compensation will grow.