Reading Partners is changing the education landscape. We are a leader in working to solve the literacy crisis in our country by leveraging community volunteers in under-resourced schools. Our diverse and expansive volunteer base provides one-on-one tutoring to students twice weekly, and our program is proven to help children master the reading fundamentals they need to unlock their potential as successful, happy and confident readers in school and in life. Our people are our heartbeat and our greatest resource; we are all passionately rallied around our mission to help children become lifelong learners by empowering communities to provide individualized instruction that works. Join our stellar team leading the charge to deepen our impact and expand our service. Learn more about us at www.readingpartners.org.
The High Level:
The Program Manager (PM) is part of a growing team of leaders rallied together to eradicate the early literacy crisis. The Program Manager’s main role is to lead, develop and mobilize a team of AmeriCorps members and volunteers to deliver high quality, effective one-on-one instruction to our students. The Program Manager manages all aspects of program quality, delivery and implementation in up to six schools. The Program Manager directs the day-to-day operations of a portfolio of up to five reading centers, manages internal and external relationships, leads and supports a team of 5-6 emerging professionals, coaches and supports volunteers, drives processes and strategies to maximize literacy development in our students, and uses data to drive decision-making and progress. The Program Manager is an inspiring team leader, is savvy at the art of managing people and projects, is goal-oriented and is excited by both strategic and on-the-ground work.
What you’ll do:
Recruit, hire, coach, manage and train a team of up to six Reading Partners AmeriCorps Members toward successful program implementation across up to five schools.
– Retain 90% of AmeriCorps members for the full year
– 70% of students will show improvement in general academic behaviors, such as class participation and regular homework completion, as reported by teacher surveys;
– 90% of volunteer tutors will report satisfaction with their experience, as measured by volunteer surveys; and
– 90% of teachers will identify Reading Partners as a valuable asset to their school, as measured by surveys.
– 100% of principals will identify Reading Partners as a valuable asset to their school, as measured by surveys.
– Collaborate with Program Team to create and facilitate monthly AC member & volunteer training workshops
Manage all aspects of program implementation including serving as a local literacy program expert, conducting student data analysis and action planning, fostering school relationships, and directly managing AmeriCorps members.
– 72% of students in K-2nd Grade will master grade-appropriate foundational literacy skills, measured by a research-based, elementary literacy assessment tool;
– 77% of students in 3rd-5th Grade will accelerate their rate of learning when compared to rate of learning prior to enrolling in the program;
– At least 920 students will be enrolled at a minimum of 16 school sites;
– Hit 90% enrollment before winter closure and 100% enrollment by mid-March
– Build 3-4 new partnerships to advance Reading Partners’ mission in portfolio of schools
How you’ll do it:
Leadership & Management: Demonstrate a genuine interest in coaching, inspiring, and developing emerging professionals toward goals. Demonstrate an ability to provide clear guidance and goals, delegate, and provide growth opportunities while supporting progress along the way. Be able to recruit, hire, onboard, and deliver high-quality training to AmeriCorps members. Provide on-site support to AmeriCorps members and tutors at school sites weekly. Collaborate with our national network of Reading Partners Program Managers through biweekly calls, best practice sharing, etc.
Relationship Development & Communication: Cultivate strong internal relationships with peers, direct reports, and managers. Possess a strong aptitude for effective communication, remotely and in person, with direct reports, school stakeholders, and other Reading Partners staff. Demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as an ambassador of Reading Partners externally, specifically with school leaders and staff. Be able to set up strong systems for communication and messaging, tailor communication to audiences, and contextualize messaging. Demonstrate an ability to break down complex topics for a variety of audiences. Employ excellent written communication skills.
Educational expertise: Lead implementation of our organization’s assessment and curriculum and serve as a local subject matter expert on Reading Partners’ curriculum. Ensure high fidelity of the Reading Partners model at all school sites. Possess a high level of knowledge and competency in literacy strategies and behavior management. Demonstrate an ability to assess student performance using observations, to analyze data, and to create subsequent strategies aimed at increasing student achievement. Analyze data and create action plans to improve student results.
Project Management: Demonstrate an ability to effectively manage time, balance multiple competing priorities at once, and, above all, and remain adaptable, flexible, and positive while navigating challenges. Anticipate challenges and/or questions, and proactively act to address them. Understand larger strategic priorities and make measurable progress against these larger goals. Show an ability to make quick, sound, and on-the-fly decisions that consider all stakeholders. See the bigger picture and be able to drill down to smaller details and connect the dots.