Program Operations Associate – New York

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. Watch this video to learn more about Reading Partners.

The high level:

The Program Operations Associate (POA) is part of a growing team of program staff working together to eradicate the early literacy crisis. The Program Operations Associate’s main role is to support the implementation of the Reading Partners program with students. Reporting directly to the Program Director, the Program Operations Associate supports the day-to-day operations of our program, drives processes to maximize literacy development in our students. The Program Operations Associate is savvy at the art of mobilizing projects, is goal-oriented, and is excited by both strategic and on-the-ground work.

What you’ll do:

Support operations for program implementation including, but not limited to, hiring and training of a team of Reading Partners Americorps Members, partnership management, family engagement and student progress toward successful program implementation.

Successful implementation looks like:

Student Enrollment Support:

• Support Program Team with meeting 100% enrollment across the region
• Ensure the enrollment of 90% target students/10% non-target students

People Management Support:

• Support hiring and training of AmeriCorps Member team
• Build a strong, positive, and productive culture across the AmeriCorps Member team

Partnership Management Support:

• Support collateral creation and data collection needed for partnership management and family engagement
• Support with paying and collecting Fee For Service (FFS) throughout the year

Ongoing support of:

• Special projects and new initiatives as delegated by Program Director and Executive Director (i.e. AmeriCorps training & PD, AmeriCorps communication, service days, team culture events)
• Development events (i.e. Tutor For A Days, Associate Board event, Benefit, etc.) 
• Supply and curriculum ordering
• Hiring for Americorps members serving in FY21

Other duties as needed.

How you’ll do it:

Leadership & Management: 

• Support recruitment, hiring, and onboarding AmeriCorps members. 

• Support our national network of Reading Partners program staff 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.

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 experience working with elementary-aged students in an educational setting. 
• Have some flexibility and adaptability in your work schedule, including some night and weekend time
• Have excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office and database management
• Can prove eligibility to work in the U.S. legally
• Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• 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 with literacy assessments, teaching strategies, and student data analysis
• Have knowledge of and a connection to the New York elementary education community
• Are an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or other national service alum/alumna 

What we offer:

Reading Partners offers the full package – a great place to work and the opportunity to have a glowing and growing career.

• This is a part-time, non-exempt, hourly position for up to 15 hours a week. This position will end in June 2021. 
• 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.

The other things you need to know:

• Typical Physical & Mental Demands: Requires prolonged sitting with some bending, stooping and stretching, and eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator, and other office equipment.  Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to communicate with volunteers and staff. Also requires flexibility to readily adapt to a changing environment.

What’s Next?

If you’re interested in joining our Reading Partners team, please submit the following application materials to our online job posting:

• 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