Program Director – NYC

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 Director’s (PD) main role is to lead, develop and mobilize a team of Program Managers and AmeriCorps Members (ACMs) to implement all aspects of Reading Partners’ program with high fidelity.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, 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 and schools 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 Reading Partners New York (RP NYC) the Program Director will lead program implementation in a portfolio of schools. The Program Director is a resource mobilizer, and relationship-building expert, and is savvy at leading and leveraging people, processes, and policy, both internally and externally

What you’ll do:

Lead the recruitment, hiring, coaching, management and training of up to 40 Reading Partners AmeriCorps members toward successful program implementation across all NYC schools

• 90% ACM retention region-wide
• Support the strategy to recruit, hire, train and coach ACMs
• Build a strong, positive and productive culture across the ACM team (starts with hiring)

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 Program Managers.

• Enrollment and student achievement:
  • Achieve a minimum of 25 sessions/student
  • Ensure student attendance is > 90%
  • Enroll at least 1,200 students across 20 sites by March 15th
  • Ensure region wide balance of at least 85% target students
  • Ensure region reaches primary literacy goals for K-4 students
    • 85% of K-2 students achieve primary literacy goal
    • >75% of 3-4 students narrow their achievement gap
  • Ensure region wide satisfaction rating from tutors, teachers and Principals > FY21 results
  • 3rd and 4th grade students enrolled across region will meet individual performance goals
  • Lead program team through enhanced progress monitoring using formal (STAR) and informal assessment, tutor coaching, IRP creation and execution, curriculum enhancements in order to better achieve student impact
  • Lead regional program pilots working with relevant national reams as necessary

• People Management:
  • Retain high performing program staff through personal and professional development
  • Recruit, hire, train and onboard new program and regional staff as needed
  • Build a strong, positive and productive culture across the program team
  • Lead program managers in ongoing professional development to support their work at RP
  • Work closely with Community Engagement Director to ensure smooth transition of volunteers

• Partnership Management:
  • Work with regional leadership team to develop strategies to create deep partnerships within each community
  • Support program managers with challenging partnerships and creating champions for RP NYC
  • Ensure each school is commiting and paying fee for service
  • Support tutor recruitment and community building where appropriate/needed
    • Find additional and replacement schools for RP NYC
    • Develop and manage a strategy to understand the NYC DOE and how Reading Partners can be a fit
    • Lead on superintendent relationships and outreach
    • Manage relationship with city offices and funding sources

Lead and contribute to overall program goals including: AmeriCorps learning and development, hiring and onboarding/offboarding, program operations, program communication and overall team culture.

• Ongoing support:
  • Support and delegate special projects as delegated
  • Support tutor recruitment events in your community
  • Support fundraising events

Other duties as needed.

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. Support 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.

About you!

You’ll be successful in this role if you:

• Have 7-10 years working with elementary-aged students in an educational setting. Teaching experience is strongly preferred.
• Have direct management experience of volunteers, interns and/or emerging professionals
• Have experience with literacy assessments, teaching strategies, and student data analysis
• Have excellent computer skills, including MS Office and database management
• Can prove eligibility to work in the U.S. legally
• Boast a deep belief in our mission
• Root your work in our core values

Bonus points if you:

• Have experience working in the launch phase of projects or programs
• Have experience in educational administration
• Have knowledge of and a connection to the NYC elementary education community
• 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, 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.

The other things you need to know

• Travel: This position travels regularly to school sites in New York City, and attends community events and conducts partner visits throughout New York City. We are in four out of the five boroughs (except for Staten Island). This position may also involve occasional travel to Reading Partners’ National Headquarters in Oakland, CA.
• Typical Physical & Mental Demands: Requires prolonged sitting with some bending, stooping, and stretching. Also requires flexibility to readily adapt to a changing environment

What’s Next?

• A cover letter describing your interest in Reading Partners and how your past experience has prepared you for this role. Please include your salary needs.
• Resume