Coordinator Role Overview

Abstract

Coordinators are accountable to the directors for the day-to-day running of Thoughtful Foods, both during and outside of shop shifts. This requires commitment and responsibility and is a great opportunity to learn about and practice running an organisation.

There is an important escape clause: if someone is highly stressed and needs to step back from their responsibilities at the co-op, that's their right. However, it's important that they let the coordinating collective know as early as possible so that someone else can pick up the work.

Summary of commitments

• Attend and participate in weekly meetings (usually 1 -1.5 hours)
• Take on a weekly shop shift of around 4.5 hours (except for certain roles)
• Take on an organisational role (outside of the shop)
• Participate in organising training sessions for future coordinators
• Organise & participate in cleaning bees

This is an average total weekly time commitment of around 8-10 hours

Eligibility requirements

• Be a current, active member of Thoughtful Foods.
• Have completed training for:
  • chosen organisational role
  • running a shop shift
  • broader cooperative concepts.
• Attend refresher training sessions as needed.

Organisational Roles

• Be responsible for performing your role requirements and take initiative to seek out and complete tasks in a timely and caring manner (these responsibilities are detailed in a separate role description)
• Report back about your role regularly during meetings & through management list emails
• Bring up issues associated with your role at meetings & help formulate proposals to solve problems and facilitate their implementation
• Help document your role & experience through with Thoughtful Foods wiki & How to Do Stuff Book for future coordinators to refer to.
• Be aware of how your role fits into the bigger picture of Thoughtful Foods, think about those strategic questions, bring them up as needed.

Meetings

• Attend meetings ideally every week and notify in advanced if you are unable to attend.
• Perform meeting roles according to a rotating roster
• Read the agenda beforehand and give the facilitator any discussion items you wish to raise with adequate no• ice.
• Complete your action items from meetings in a timely manner without being reminded

If meeting attendance is difficult due to other responsibilities, active participation through other discussion methods may be sufficient as long as meeting minutes are being read, and you ensure any concerns and discussion points are being relayed into the meeting in some other way.

Other Requirements

• Display a commitment to broader communication systems. Participate in Google Document updates as needed, read and leave messages in the diary, use email and pass all information onto relevant people. Notify others beforehand if you may be out of contact for a day or more.
• Be willing to help out with running and/or organising coordinator training sessions when available.
• Personally arrange for shifts and tasks to be taken on by others when you cannot complete them
• Be proactive in looking out for areas of concern within the co-op, and for ways to improve systems or expand our positive impact as a collective.
• Organise a cleaning bee or stocktake day at least twice a year. Attend four.
• Prepare and conduct all training for handover for your organisational role before your term as coordinator ends.
• Give plenty of notice when planning to drop a role. Assist in finding a suitable replacement.

Volunteer Allowance

These responsibilities and commitment being met and coordinator training being completed entitle coordinators to a small volunteer allowance. Like any other co-op member, coordinators first two hours of volunteering each week count towards discounts. The additional hours count towards the volunteer allowance