Advisory Board Members for Redgum Cleaning Cooperative

BOARD POSITIONS VACANT

Advisory Board Members x 2 (Voluntary role, meeting stipend provided)

Redgum Cleaning Cooperative is looking for two new advisory board members to join our Board of Directors.

Redgum Cleaning Cooperative is Naarm’s (Melbourne’s) first ever worker-owned cleaning business. Our members provide high quality eco-friendly home and office cleaning services. We exist to provide dignified jobs in our community, based on the cooperative values of solidarity, democracy, equality and justice. Our worker-members have been cleaning the homes and offices of our loyal client base for over four years and counting. With an ever-growing waiting list of people wanting our green cleaning services, we are looking to expand our membership and build on our internal governance capacity.

Redgum Cleaning is a founding member of the Earthworker Cooperative whose mission is to build worker-controlled direct democracy through establishing a network of cooperatives around Australia.

Redgum Cleaning Cooperative’s Board of Directors is currently made up of four worker-members and two advisory board members. Our two outgoing advisory board members have been with Redgum Cooperative since its inception in 2018 and have made outstanding contributions to the co-op, particularly in the areas of governance, finance and accountability. Redgum Cooperative is now looking for fresh energy and more specific expertise to help guide Redgum in this new and exciting era for cooperative and social enterprise in Australia.

Duties and responsibilities 

The board’s role is to help guide the direction of the Co-op and to ensure a long-term future for the cooperative business and its members. An advisory board member acts as a sounding board for the members of the cooperative to bounce ideas off and get access to expertise that might not ordinarily be available.

As a Director of the Board you must act with:

• Honesty and in good faith

• In the best interests of the Cooperative

• With integrity

• In a financially responsible manner

• With a reasonable degree of care, diligence and skill

• Accordance to Redgum Cooperative’s Governing Rules (to be provided)

Essential skills & attributes:

• Common sense and sound judgement

• Team player & collaborative

• Integrity and high ethical standards

• Genuine interest in developing cooperative and social enterprise business

• Understanding of effective decision making processes and be respectful of alternative viewpoints

• Understand issues at both the detailed and “big picture” level

• Be innovative and think outside the box

Advisory Board member special skills (at least one specialist area is preferred):

• Governance & strategic planning

• Small business experience

• Accounting/finance

• Employment law/workplace relations

• Work Health & Safety

• Policy

• Grant writing and fundraising

• Media and communications

You do not need to have prior board experience, but you do need to demonstrate a willingness to learn cooperative governance. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please read the following important information and submit an expression of Interest form via the link. We’d love to chat with you.

This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to gain board director experience while working with others to build real economic democracy.

The terms and conditions

Term: 3 years maximum

Election process: The Board of Directors will appoint the new advisory board members to Casual Vacancy positions, with the support of the general membership. Advisory Directors will then be formally instated to the board at the next AGM in December 2022.

Meeting schedule: The Board of Directors currently meets monthly via Zoom. Meeting times may vary and will be changed to accommodate the schedules of the Directors to the best of our abilities (usually Monday or Thursday afternoons or evenings). Meetings generally go for 1.5 hours and there is an expectation that you will come prepared by reading any documents/proposals circulated by the Chair. It is not essential that you live in Naarm for you to be considered for this role.

Remuneration: Redgum Cooperative is a cooperative that exists to serve our communities and our environment therefore all board positions are voluntary. However, in recognition of the time and effort required to be an effective Board Director, a monthly meeting stipend (2 hours x worker-member’s wage) will be provided to all Directors of the Board. This is to cover costs associated with attending (e.g. in leiu of time spent doing paid work) and preparing for our monthly board meetings. The stipend is classified as taxable income, and will be paid monthly into Director’s nominated bank account (only after attendance of each month’s meeting).

Further information and how to apply

Please call Ella on 0434 779 156 or email ella.j.ryan at gmail.com for more information and to have a chat about your suitability for the role.

If you are interested in applying, please fill out an Expression of Interest Form and we will get back to your shortly. Applications will be assessed as they come in.There is no deadline for applications.

Express your interest for this role by clicking on the following link:

Expression of Interest form