Program Director – The High Level:
The Program Director (PD) is part of a growing team of Program Directors whose main role is to provide mission critical leadership to the regional program function. The Program Director’s main role is to lead, develop and mobilize a team of Program Managers and coordinators to implement all aspects of Reading Partners’ program with high fidelity. Reporting directly to the Executive Director in Colorado, the Program Director oversees all aspects of program quality, delivery and implementation in all schools within the region. The Program Director re-commits school partners, builds and leverages new school partnerships, and builds transformational relationships with districts to support scale in the region. The Program Director drives regional program strategy and activities, and thoughtfully supports Executive Directors in growing the region to deepen impact. In Colorado, the Program Director will lead program implementation across a broad portfolio of schools. The Program Director is a resource mobilizer, and relationship-building expert, and is savvy at leading and leveraging people, process and policy both internally and externally.
What you’ll do:
Each year, lead the entire program team at the Colorado toward highly successful program implementation across 18+ schools.
– Achieve 100% enrollment of students by December (at least 55 students/school).
– Achieve and maintain above 90% attendance for all students in the program.
– In partnership with Community Engagement team, support retention at least 40% of volunteers year over year.
– Maintain the highest level of satisfaction and engagement with tutors, principals and other partners.
– Manage Program Managers who ensure Reading Center Coordinators execute with excellence, efficiency and effectiveness while adhering to high levels of implementation fidelity
Each year, collaborate closely with the Executive Director to support regional growth by cultivating and stewarding transformational external relationships at the district and at the schoolhouse level.
– Formally recommit 100% of schools by March 15th; finalizing all new partnerships by April 1st each year.
– Build and sustain a wait list of school partners across all identified neighborhoods in our region.
– Regularly attend and participate in school district meetings, relationship-building activities and attend school board meetings, as appropriate.
– Serve as lead point person for Colorado Department of Education, any READ Act activity and outreach for new districts/schools.
Collaborate closely with all members of regional team, and oversee all operational aspects of program delivery in the region.
– Maintain and grow on-going partnerships with regional organizations supporting emerging professionals to collaborate on resources including professional development.
– Ensure all program team members complete 100% of time cards, expense reports, and follow-up communication with other departments in a timely and friendly manner.
– Ensure all Program Managers and Reading Center Coordinators have individual development plans that they are pursuing to further their professional development.
– Support the Community Engagement Manager in volunteer recruitment efforts, and serve as key point person for volunteer training, retention and relations efforts.
– Work closely with community engagement and development to engage external partners in our work.
– Serve as point person for ensuring compliance with Social Innovation Fund grant (including collaborating with National Staff for finishing our external evaluation successfully).
How you’ll do it:
Leadership & Management: Demonstrate exceptional ability to lead the mission-critical program function, and strategy at the regional level. Show a genuine interest in coaching, inspiring, and developing entry level to senior level staff members. Cultivate a culture of growth and development. Strong ability to coach direct reports on management of emerging professionals (AmeriCorps members). Set clear goals, delegate and provide growth opportunities while supporting progress along the way. Recruit, hire, onboard, and deliver high quality training to regional Program team. Provide on-site regular coaching and support to Program Team. Support growing national network of program leadership.
Relationship Development & Communication: Demonstrate a savvy ability to cultivate strong internal and external relationships. For external stakeholders, provide a best-in-class experience with Reading Partners, and demonstrate the ability to transform leads into school partners. Serve as the external ambassador and face of the organization to district and school stakeholders. Demonstrate an ability to cultivate strong internal relationships with peers, direct reports and regional leadership, particularly in the national Program & Research department. Set up strong operational systems within the program department. Have a strong aptitude for and commitment to effective communication remotely, in person, via email, via phone, etc.
Project Management: Demonstrate an ability to lead a complex and growing program in an ever-changing educational climate. Anticipate challenges and opportunities, and proactively act. Translate larger strategic priorities into action steps, and leverage a team to make measurable progress against these larger goals efficiently and effectively. 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.
Educational Expertise: Work closely with Program Manager team to ensure high fidelity of the Reading Partners model at all school sites. Provide guidance and support to Program Manager team on program implementation, curriculum and assessment. Possess a high level of knowledge and competency in literacy strategies, behavior management, data analysis, and action plan creation, and, subsequently, provide coaching and training to Program Managers to transfer and boost educational expertise competency.
About you!
You’ll be successful in this role if you:
– Have 5+ years working with elementary-aged students in an educational setting. Teaching experience is preferred. In addition, you’ll be successful if you have 3+ years of educational program management experience.
– Regularly lead team members to meeting or exceeding goals during times of growth.
– Have experience with literacy assessments, teaching strategies, and student data analysis.
– Have access to reliable transportation to travel within a defined geographic region on a daily basis.
– Have some flexibility and adaptability in your work schedule, including some night and weekend time.
– Have excellent computer skills, including MS Office and database management.
– Hold a bachelor’s degree.
– Boast a deep belief in our mission.
– Root your work in our core values.
– Hold US Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status.
Bonus Points if you:
– Have at least 2 years of experience as a Program Manager at Reading Partners
– Hold a master’s degree in education or a related field
– Have knowledge of and a connection to the Colorado K-5 education community
– Have experience working in launch or growth phases of organizations
– Are an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or other national service alum/alumna
What we offer
Reading Partners offers the full package – great benefits, a great place to work and the opportunity to have a glowing and growing career.
We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience. This is a full time, exempt, salaried position.
We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, flex spending accounts, generous paid time off, commuter benefits, referral bonuses, 403(b) option, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
We offer an exciting and dynamic culture, and we commit to investing in and supporting our amazing people to grow their careers with us. As such, we provide ongoing professional development opportunities, including an annual staff retreat in Oakland, CA.
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.