Language Justice and Worker Cooperative Project Director

Bronx, NY, United States of America

About Masa

Masa partners with Mexican and Latino children, youth, and families in the South Bronx to develop strong learners and leaders who fully contribute to the broader community. We envision a community that is civically engaged, empowered, and educated.

Masa’s community-led, integrated model engages the entire family, grounded in a deep commitment to strengthening literacy, leadership, and power for Mexican, Central American, and Indigenous People. Masa fosters a culturally responsive learning community in which families engage with direct service and advocacy programs to dismantle barriers to success.

About the Project Director Position

Masa is seeking a full-time Project Director to serve as a primary lead for Masa’s Language Justice and Worker Cooperative Project. Funded by the NYC City Council, the initiative requires the establishment of a Community Interpreter Program and the development of a worker cooperative to address the need for interpretation and translation services in indigenous languages from LAC across New York City. The director will oversee the project’s major areas of work, including research, workforce development, the Community Interpreter Program, and worker cooperative development.

This position is ideal for a Spanish/English bilingual person with extensive project management experience, who is passionate about language justice, and supporting speakers of indigenous languages and immigrant families. The ideal candidate has a background in nonprofit management and advocacy or organizing work, possesses a strong commitment to social justice, and is keen to engage and foster trusting partnerships with Masa’s indigenous community. We especially invite applications from indigenous-identifying professionals.

Responsibilities

Program Implementation

• Design, plan, and oversee program components: research, workforce development and education, Community Interpreter Program, and worker cooperative development, including the implementation of a survey of indigenous language speakers
• Support project staff recruitment and hiring
• Provide support and administrative assistance to staff on day-to-day program operations.
• Create, modify and monitor program budgets
• Oversee compliance with project deliverables
• Produce monthly reports on project budget, progress and deliverables
• Develop and maintain program and operations manuals
• Work collaboratively with project consultants on curriculum development and implementation
• Ensure all project materials are purchased and available for use in a timely manner
• Oversee and manage collaboration with partner organizations

Workforce Development and Education

• Oversee the planning and coordination of educational programming including ESOL, Spanish literacy and digital literacy courses
• Engage the current cohort of interpreters in continual paid work opportunities, as well as training opportunities to deepen their expertise in specific areas
• Work closely with project staff to provide support and resources for program participants.

Community Interpreter Program

• Support the recruitment and training of community members to provide interpretation services to multiple city agencies and actors
• Deliver Community Interpreter trainings to indigenous-speaking and bilingual (English/Spanish) community members to train interpreters 
• Secure contracts and work opportunities for the Community Interpreter Program

Worker Cooperative

• Identify a cohort of  interpreters to participate in the process of developing a worker cooperative
• Lead the implementation of the Co-op Workforce Development Training Curriculum

Requirements   

• 4 + years of project management experience and demonstrated successful execution of projects with multiple stakeholders
• Experience in advocacy or community organizing with explicit responsibility for building a group or institution aimed at achieving a common goal through collective action
• Demonstrated success as a member of a leadership team responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating program operations and outcomes
• Ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with different stakeholders, including staff, nonprofit organizations, city agencies, and community members
• Possess a track record of working with speakers of indigenous languages from Latin America and the Caribbean preferred and/or a history of working with undocumented and immigrant communities
• Prior knowledge of interpretation and translation services
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with minimum supervision
• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Demonstrated experience in budget creation and management
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (including Excel and PowerPoint), Google Workspace, and project management tools (such as Asana or others)
• Prior experience collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data

Physical Demands

• Work schedule will include evenings and occasional weekends
  
• This position is in-person at Masa’s office and may require local travel to other settings (e.g. meetings with stakeholders, city-wide events, Masa community events, etc.)
• Light to moderate carrying of program materials is required
• COVID-19 vaccination is required

Bonus Skills

• Verbal and written communications skills in an indigenous language from LAC
  
• Familiarity with SalesForce
• Experience planning and organizing events and workshops
• Previous translation and interpretation experience

Compensation

$85,000 to $95,000 annually, commensurate with experience.

Masa’s benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance; 15 days of paid vacation leave/year;  5 days of paid sick leave/year;  11 paid holidays; and office closure the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day (which does not count toward annual leave allowance).