Program Director – Washington, D.C.

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 Director’s main role is to lead, develop and mobilize a team of Program Managers (including a Senior Program Manager, Deputy Program Director, and Program Associate) 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 drives our Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work within our program, 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 the Executive Director in growing the region to deepen the impact. In D.C., the Program Director will lead program implementation and oversee all program for the Washington, DC region. The Program Director is a resource mobilizer, a relationship-building expert, and is savvy at leading and leveraging people, processes, and policy, both internally and externally. 

What you’ll do:

Each year, lead the entire program team at D.C. toward highly successful program implementation across 19 (and growing!) sites. 

• Achieve a rating of at least 90% satisfaction from tutors, teachers, and principals from all school partners.
• Retain 95% of AmeriCorps members through the term of service.
• Retain 95% of the Program Manager team
• Achieve enrollment of 1,000 students per year during distance, and in-person learning
• Achieve and maintain a goal of at least 33 sessions per student.
• Support 95% of students in meeting their literacy goals (based on mastery of subdomains and percentile growth). 
• Develop a Race Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion strategy to support the learning and development of program staff and AmeriCorps Members

Each year, collaborate closely with the Executive Director to support regional growth by cultivating and stewarding transformational external relationships at the district and school levels.

• Build and sustain school partnerships each fiscal year, with the potential for regional growth to additional schools. 
• Recruit new schools as needed. 
• Support the region in exploring new opportunities for service including community sites. 

Oversee all operational aspects of program delivery in the region. 

• Ensure all finance activities are 100% completed in a timely manner (e.g. billing, etc.).
• Ensure all contracts, MOUs, and Basic Procurement Agreements are signed and submitted in a timely manner.
• Partner effectively with the External Relations team to ensure program alignment

Other duties as needed. 

How you’ll do it:

Leadership & Management: 

• Demonstrate an 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. Possess a strong ability to coach direct reports on the management of emerging professionals.

• Set clear goals, delegate, and provide growth opportunities while supporting progress along the way. Recruit, hire, onboard, and deliver high-quality training to the regional program team. Provide on-site regular coaching and support to the program team. 

• Support a 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 to address them. 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 the regional team of Senior Program Managers and Program Associates to ensure high fidelity of the Reading Partners model at all school sites. Provide guidance and support 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 the program team 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 strongly preferred. In addition, you’ll be successful if you have 3+ years of educational program management experience.
• Regularly lead team members to meet or exceed goals 
• Have experience with literacy assessments, teaching strategies, and student data analysis
• Have access to reliable transportation to travel within Washington D.C. 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
• 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 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 experience working in the launch phase of projects or programs
• Have knowledge of and a connection to the Washington D.C. 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. Starting salary for this position is $73,700.
• We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, flex spending accounts, generous paid time off, commuter benefits, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and currently a 403(b) match option. 
• 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 throughout Washington D.C. 
• 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 a 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