Community Engagement Associate – Washington, DC 

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 Community Engagement Associate (CEA) is part of an energetic team of relationship builders working together to leverage Reading Partners’ mission in the community. The Community Engagement Associate’s main role is to support volunteer recruitment, retention, training, and celebration efforts for the region. Reporting directly to the Community Engagement Manager, the Community Engagement Associate cultivates and manages partnerships that contribute to the overall volunteer recruitment goals for the region. The Community Engagement Associate leads and supports a variety of other volunteer recruitment and initiatives including event planning, community visits, outreach calls, and more. The Community Engagement Associate is relationship-focused, is goal-oriented, and is excited by both higher level and on-the-ground work. 

What you’ll do: 

Each fiscal year, work collaboratively with volunteers and internal team members to contribute to the region successfully reaching or exceeding volunteer recruitment, retention, and training goals. 

• Serve as an ambassador for Reading Partners at community events and as the first point of contact for new volunteers 
• Lead up to three tutor orientations each week for up to 100 volunteers
• Manage communication via email, phone, and in-person for each step of onboarding for volunteers 
• Manage a portfolio of community partners and their associated volunteers
• Maintain records for volunteers and partners in the Salesforce database 

Each year, execute a comprehensive community engagement strategy to meet and exceed volunteer recruitment targets. 

• Coordinate events for tutor appreciation and engagement 
• Support regular, ongoing tutor training 
• Support the DC region’s ability to meet or exceed its volunteer recruitment goal of 1200+ annually 
• Support the region in retaining 45% of volunteers annually
• Support the region in achieving a volunteer satisfaction goal of at least 95% 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 and volunteers. Support our emerging national network of community engagement staff. 

Relationship Development & Collaboration: 

• Leverage existing relationships and build new transformational relationships in the community. Establish highly collaborative cross-functional relationships, and work effectively with all internal stakeholders for both organizational fundraising and program delivery. Celebrate wins with all stakeholders. 

Communication: 

• Externally, demonstrate the ability to genuinely promote Reading Partners and our mission through a variety of strategies. Provide excellent customer service to partners and volunteers. Have a high level of comfort with public speaking and with crafting mass communications. Be able to differentiate communication depending upon your audience.
• Internally, set up strong systems for communication and messaging, tailor communication to audiences, and contextualize messaging. Demonstrate a strong aptitude for effective communication, remotely and in person, with direct reports, school stakeholders, and other Reading Partners staff. Be able to conduct difficult conversations with grace and ease. 

Project Management: 

• Create innovative solutions in the face of competition for resources, time, etc. with a high degree of adaptability and flexibility. Anticipate challenges and/or questions, and proactively execute solutions. Understand larger strategic priorities and make measurable progress against these larger goals. Be able to make quick, sound, and on-the-fly decisions that consider all stakeholders. See the bigger picture and also drill down to smaller details to connect the dots. 

About you! 

You’ll be successful in this role if you: 

• Demonstrate knowledge of the Washington, DC education landscape and the broader community 
• Have 2+ years of progressive experience in customer service, marketing, client management, community organizing, or similar field 
• Have direct management experience of volunteers, interns, and/or emerging professionals 
• Have database management experience and high level of comfort with MS Office, Google Apps 
• Have access to reliable transportation to travel within a defined geographic region on a daily basis 
• Have flexibility and adaptability in work style and work schedule, including some night and weekend time 
• Ability to work remote and independently with minimum supervision
• Hold a Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent prior experience 
• A deep belief in our mission
• A desire to root your work in our core values
• Ability to prove eligibility to work legally in the U.S.
• COVID-19 vaccination is required unless a medical or religious accommodation is requested and approved. Please review our Vaccination Policy.

Bonus Points if you: 

• Have experience working in the launch phase of projects or programs
• 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. 

• This is a full-time, non-exempt, hourly position. Pay for this position is at $21.00 per hour.
• 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 may travel regularly throughout Washington, DC. This position may also involve occasional travel to Reading Partners’ National Headquarters in Oakland, CA. During the COVID-19 pandemic travel and in-person events will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

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