Minnesota Laborers Employers-Cooperation & Education Trust (LECET) Executive Director Position
ABOUT MINNESOTA LECET
The Minnesota Laborers-Employers Cooperation & Education Trust (LECET) fund was created in 1992 as a
non-profit joint Labor/ Management cooperation effort affiliated with the Laborers International Union
of North America (LIUNA), Minnesota & North Dakota. LECET aims to promote the many benefits of
Union construction while addressing a number of initiatives that are of mutual benefit to both signatory
Union Contractors and LIUNA members.
THE ROLE
The Director serves as a key leader in Minnesota and North Dakota as it pertains to the marketing and
promotion of Union construction and careers in the same. Specifically, they will manage all duties
associated with the Minnesota LECET Trust Fund working with and reporting to the Minnesota LECET
Board of Trustees. In addition to marketing and promoting Union construction and careers in
construction generally, duties include member and contractor related safety and health initiatives and
programs, monitoring fair contracting issues and opportunities, promoting skills and apprenticeship
training, and tracking construction opportunities in all construction market sectors.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES INCLUDE:
MARKETING & PROMOTION:
• Implement and manage a wide variety of creative strategies to effectively market and
promote initiatives of Minnesota LECET throughout the year.
• Lead an overall market strategy meeting the organization’s mission to enhance and improve
Labor and Management cooperation and success in the Union construction industry.
• Creatively execute new marketing strategies to grow LIUNA’s workforce and encourage
women and minority entrance into the trades, improving worker safety and more.
• Oversee successful special event planning and implementation of LECET’s core outreach,
marketing, and educational events.
• Promote the Laborers Training Center’s Training & Apprenticeship model and support
graduation ceremonies and special events.
• Work closely with the Minnesota Laborers Fringe Benefit Executive Director to advance
member health and wellness initiatives to benefit LIUNA Member participants and families.
COMMUNICATIONS
• Manage, plan and implement LECET’s major communications platforms using effective
communication skills, on various platforms to achieve the many initiatives of LECET. The
communications strategy includes cooperative efforts with LIUNA MN & ND and all affiliated
organizations; LIUNA local unions, the Laborers Training Center, LIUNA Great Lakes Region
Organizing Committee (GROC) and the Minnesota Laborers Fringe Benefit Funds.
CONSTRUCTION MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
• Utilize various platforms to track construction market opportunities that benefit the Union
construction industry. This work includes strategic research in both current and new
construction market sectors.
• Promote project and job opportunities to Local Unions, Union signatory contractors and
other stakeholders, as appropriate, to improve opportunity for success in Union
construction.
MINNESOTA LECET SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
• Manage all promotional efforts of the Minnesota LECET Scholarship and Leadership Grant
Program. This includes promoting the program to various stakeholders including Union
members and contractors through newsletters, email communication, through local Unions,
the Laborers Training Center and more.
MONITOR INITIATIVES PERTAINING TO UNION CONSTRUCTION
• Monitor and participate as necessary with LIUNA Minnesota & North Dakota leadership &
political team at local and state government agencies or groups relating to issues that work
to maintain, protect or advance the Union construction model, including attacks or changes
to Minnesota Prevailing Wage laws, attacks or changes to Project Labor Agreements (PLA’s),
promoting the passage of capital investment bonding bills, investments in infrastructure,
transportation, adopting local prevailing wage ordinances and more.
• Track issues relating to fair contracting (primarily through the Minnesota Fair Contracting
Foundation) and ability for Union contractors to compete fairly in the marketplace against
contractors who do not offer equivalent pay/benefit standards as compared to Union
construction or the Union construction industry.
FINANCIAL, BUDGET & LECET FUND ADMINSTRATION
• Work closely with the Fund Administrator to properly manage all financial transactions,
activities and budgetary items, including approval of invoices and basic accounting principles
and budget planning.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Driven Leader. LECET’s next Director is a visionary, proven leader who can work in a cooperative
relationship with a wide range of industry leaders, who are experts in their respected organizations in
the construction industry. The Director must be an astute learner and a team player with great integrity
who can build relationships across the industry through a positive attitude and approach while working
in a small office setting.
Excellent Communicator. LECET has thrived in part due to a culture of clear, honest communication and
its next Director will bring the same approach. The Director should feel comfortable speaking in a
Boardroom as they are in a workshop presentation or with members on a construction site. A strong
public presence and enthusiasm for making the case for LECET are required skills.
Stakeholder-Focused. The next Director will bring a passionate spirit of delivering customer service and
building client relations using a stakeholder-first mentality.
Leadership Without Authority. The next Director must be self-motivated with an internal drive and
passion to complete tasks as needed to ensure effective results.
Hands-On. LECET is, by choice, a lean organization. As a result, the ideal candidate must be a truly
hands-on leader. Success in this role will require preserving those cultural qualities from which the
organization has derived its success, including some logistics, lifting, and operation and use of an
enclosed trailer and physical set up work for events and conferences.
Candidate Attributes:
• An infectious, positive enthusiasm that brings others along to achieve success,
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills,
• Excellent organizational skills to meet timelines and deadlines including follow up actions,
• Self-motivated person with great integrity,
Requirements:
A Business Management, Marketing, Communications or Construction Management related 2-year
(Associates), or 4-year (Bachelor of Science or Arts) degree is preferred, but not required. In lieu of
higher education, proven success in a marketing, communications, business management or
construction related services or construction related industry career experience is beneficial. Knowledge
of the construction industry in general, union construction industry and the construction trades is
beneficial to the Director position, thereby helpful in reducing the learning curve of the trades and the
industry.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFIT PACKAGE
The Executive Director will earn a competitive salary commensurate with experience. In addition, the
Director position includes exceptional comprehensive health and welfare, vacation, and pension
benefits. The Director will be provided an appropriate company vehicle.
HOW TO APPLY
LECET has retained Orion Search Group to help conduct the search for its next Executive Director. For
more information about the opportunity, please contact Joel Bergstrom with Orion Search Group at
(952) 345-1006 or joelb@orionsearchgroup.com. Minnesota LECET is an equal opportunity employer.