Director of Cooperative Stewardship & Governance

Location – High Hybrid

This is a hybrid role, which means that you will have the flexibility to work both onsite and at a distance. You will collaborate onsite at our La Farge, WI office for 4-8 days per month, and the rest of the time you can choose to work remotely or onsite.

Employee Type – Salaried

Bonus – This position is eligible for a 10% annual incentive bonus based on cooperative and individual performance.

Safety Sensitive – No

Summary of Role

The Director of Cooperative Stewardship and Governance serves as a strategic advisor to the Board of Directors, executive leadership team, and member-leaders, ensuring the cooperative’s governance ecosystem effectively supports long-term organizational success. This role strengthens board effectiveness, member-owner engagement, leadership alignment, and governance transparency by translating complex strategic and operational issues into actionable insights that enable informed decision-making and sustain member trust.

As a key steward of governance excellence, this role fosters alignment among member-owners, board directors, and staff and member leadership, strengthens governance structures and processes, develops future member-leader capacity, and serves as a bridge between governance bodies and management. Success is reflected in a highly engaged and informed Board, trusted leadership relationships, effective governance practices, and a culture of accountability, stewardship, and member-owner confidence in their cooperative.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Governance Strategy & Board Partnership – 30% of time
  • Establish in collaboration with the CROPP Board our governance strategy, stewardship priorities, Board support expectations.
  • Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors on governance priorities, member-owner engagement in governance, and organizational alignment between the operational and governing functions of the cooperative.
  • Advise and support board directors, committees, and member-leaders in fulfilling governance responsibilities.
  • Partner with executive leadership and the board to anticipate governance risks, emerging issues, and stakeholder concerns, minimizing organizational surprises and strengthening decision readiness.
  • Provide strategic leadership in the design and evolution of governance structures, decision-right frameworks, and board committee models.
  • Act as the Governance Committee manager.
• Governance Operations, Policies & Systems – 25% of time
  • Direct the development, interpretation, and maintenance of member policies, standards, bylaws, and related governing documents.
  • Design, implement, and continuously improve governance systems, processes, elections, committee operations, and governance reporting to enhance effectiveness and accountability.
  • Ensure flow of information between governance bodies and the business.
• Member Governance Engagement – 25% of time
  • Lead the development and execution of the cooperative’s governance strategy to strengthen trust, transparency, and long-term member-owner commitment.
  • Oversee governance communications, ensuring complex business, operational, and strategic matters are translated into clear, credible, and accessible information for member-owner and employee audiences.
  • Support employee understanding of cooperative governance through educational programming, communication resources, and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
  • Participate in Pools Senior Leadership Team meetings, attend regional meetings and other Pools Department events to ensure strong connectivity to member perspective.
  • Build and maintain strategic relationships with domestic and international cooperatives, governance networks, industry associations, and governance thought leaders.
• Leadership & Team Effectiveness – 20% of time
  • Lead member-leader onboarding, education, succession planning, and ongoing development programs in conjunction with appropriate member committees to strengthen governance capabilities and board readiness.
  • Lead and develop teams responsible for governance operations, communications, leadership development, and governance support functions.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitor emerging governance, board effectiveness, member engagement, and cooperative leadership trends to inform organizational practices.
• Facilitate governance continuity and knowledge transfer during leadership, board, or committee transitions.
• Ensure ongoing improvement to CROPP’s historical document archival system.
• Represent the cooperative at industry, governance, and member leadership forums and events.
• Perform other duties and strategic initiatives as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in business, organizational leadership, governance, cooperative studies, communications, public administration, or a related field required; equivalent education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in cooperative governance, board effectiveness, and governance systems.
• Demonstrated senior leadership experience with the ability to align governance practices, organizational strategy, and member-owner interests.
• Exceptional ability to translate complex operational, financial, strategic, and organizational information into clear governance insights and recommendations.
• Outstanding communication, facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and relationship management skills across board, executive, employee, and member-owner audiences.
• Proven ability to influence without direct authority, build consensus, and foster alignment among diverse stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, organizational awareness, and enterprise-level perspective.
• Experience leading teams that demonstrate strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Demonstrated judgment, discretion, and credibility in managing sensitive, confidential, and high-impact matters.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and build trust during periods of organizational change or complex decision-making.

Salary and Benefits

Base salary range: $129,896 - $173,201 per year. This salary range is exclusive of fringe benefits. The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of discretionary bonuses. If you are hired at CROPP, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, and/or experience. Additionally, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider the internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Please keep in mind that entry-level candidates to this role should expect to be at the lower end of the salary range and hiring at the maximum of the salary wage range is not typical.

Benefits: We believe when our people are strong, our mission is strong. Therefore, we offer a comprehensive and holistic Total Rewards package meant to strengthen employees’ and their family's total wellbeing. Here are some of the great benefits offered:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance - Choice of plans for you and your family, including some that can be paired with an HSA (which CROPP contributes to on your behalf)
• Supplemental insurances: we offer accidental insurance, critical illness insurance, and hospital indemnity insurance.
• Time Off – 136 hours in the 1st year of employment prorated by start date. Plus 9 paid holidays, plus one floating holiday to use at will.
• 6 Weeks Paid Parental Leave – For all gendered partners in childbirth or adoption.
• Vision & Dental Insurance – Free annual eye exam, discounts on glasses/contacts, flexible dental network, adult ortho.
• 401k – We match 100% up to the first 3% of an employee’s contribution, and then 50% for 3.1%-5.0% of employee contributions.
• Free services at five local Neighborhood Family Clinics.
• Tuition Reimbursement – Up to $1,500 per year to support continuing higher education.
• Life Insurance - $50,000 policy funded by CROPP for each employee. Supplemental voluntary coverage available for employees, spouses, and children.
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability/AD&D Insurance - $50,000 of life insurance coverage of $50,000 of AD&D coverage funded by CROPP for each employee.
• Employee Assistance Program - Free and Confidential for employees, spouses, and dependents.
• Free onsite fitness centers available 24/7
• Free biometric screenings (cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure) and health coaching.
• Financial advisors and seminars
• Annual $360 Lifestyle Spending Account
• Flexible Scheduling
• On-site all-organic cafeterias