Writing Programs Senior Manager

GrubStreet is the leading literary arts center in the country. We are a hardworking and creative bunch and pride ourselves on a warm and supportive work environment. The Writing Programs Senior Manager position plays a vital role in helping GrubStreet to support our mission.

GrubStreet is seeking a Writing Programs Senior Manager to to support in the delivery of several hundred creative workshops annually, and to lead the way on our teen programming and Boston Public Library programming. The ideal candidate for this role will be a strong leader with a background in creative writing, substantial administrative and budgeting experience, preferably in an educational setting, and a passion for working with young adults and creating accessible programming.

This person will work with the Education team to oversee GrubStreet’s scholarship program, provide high level support to students and instructors across GrubStreet programs, lead the launch of our new teen programming model, and collaborate with our partners at the Boston Public Library. This role will work closely with the Director of Programs, and supervise our Writing Programs Associate, Student Support Assistant, and seasonal teen programming staff. The person who fills this role should be prepared to work in our Boston office three days per week from September to May, and up to five days per week in the summer months while the teen program is in session.

We recommend submitting your application before November 25th, 2024; however, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Responsibilities

Adult Writing Programs

• Oversee scholarship program for multi-week classes and short classes
• Work with Boston Public Library Staff to coordinate 45 classes/year
• Coordinate and collect attendance reports and survey results for all BPL classes
• Provide high level support to students participating in all GrubStreet programs, and to instructors
• Provide support across adult programs as needed

Teen Summer Writing Sessions

• Coordinate a total of 18 writing workshops, which will take place during four two-week Teen Summer Writing Sessions. The program includes daily morning check-ins, daily lunch, daily instructor office hours, weekly open mics, one college and workplace readiness writing day per session, and a total of four guest speaker visits
• Manage registration systems; track registrations and report on trends; manage parent permission form collection
• Process scholarship applications for Summer Writing Sessions
• Run application process for Teen Writing Fellowship
• Hire and train instructors to teach in the Fellowship program
• Host parent and teen orientation sessions in advance of the Fellowship
• Coordinate two-week Anthology Session at the end of the summer and host Anthology Launch Party in the fall
• Coordinate Teen Fellowship Showcase at the end of the program

Outreach and Communication

• Conduct year-round teen program outreach efforts in collaboration with Marketing team
• This work includes travel around the city of Boston, event attendance, tabling, school visits, and engaging with various partners throughout the the city
• Pursue new partnership opportunities with the goal of enrolling more Boston teens in GrubStreet’s summer programming

Supervision

• Supervise full-time Writing Programs Associate and part time Student Support Assistant
• Hire, train, and supervise two seasonal assistants to support with daily operations of teen programming during the summer months

Reporting

• Complete quarterly reporting summarizing both qualitative and quantitative data on teen summer program and BPL programming

Qualifications

We acknowledge that there may be exceptional candidates who may not fulfill all these criteria, and we are aware that you might offer valuable insights, experiences, and skill sets that we haven't considered. If this resonates with you, we encourage you to submit your application and share your story with us.

• 3+ years of leadership and management experience, with a history of program administration
• Experience in working with youth and youth programming
• Skilled in working with numbers, spreadsheets, and large datasets
• Strong commitment to DEIB and increasing access to the creative writing world
• Proven ability to build systems, learn new systems
• Superb written communication skills
• Strong organizational, strategic, and problem solving skills

Position Details

GrubStreet is an equal opportunity employer. We provide a competitive salary and benefits package and a dynamic, collaborative work environment. The salary range for this position is $65,000-$75,250/annually, commensurate with experience.

About the Organization

GrubStreet, the largest creative writing center in the U.S., annually engages over 8,000 students – both teens and adults – in programs that range from two-hour workshops to year-long graduate-level seminars. At GrubStreet, our mission is to remove barriers — social, financial, and cultural — to the writing world, and provide rigorous artistic guidance in a supportive community. We work to ensure writers of all backgrounds have what they need to develop their voices and share their stories.

Our teachers are working artists who bring the highest quality instruction and mentorship to storytellers. We also host a major writing conference each year and public storytelling events. The education and networks we facilitate foster a richer local writing scene, with a strong focus on increasing opportunities for writers of color, low-income writers, and teen writers. Our programs eliminate common barriers to participation in the arts and lifelong learning, and build community among participants. We continue to increase scholarships and provide free writing programs (including bilingual classes) for adults and teens in low-income communities across Boston.

Statement of Belonging

At GrubStreet, belonging means creating and maintaining spaces where we boldly share our voices, our experiences, and our work as writers, readers, and audience members. Every member of our community commits to engaging across differences with curiosity and a desire to learn and grow together.

Community Agreements:

• Practice cultural humility, ask questions, and engage with different perspectives
• Grace to speak in draft form and be open to making mistakes
• Check our biases and be aware of how we carry our own identity and privilege

Position Status: Full time; exempt

Position Level: Senior Manager

Position Reports to: Director of Programs

Location: Boston (Seaport); Hybrid

GrubStreet’s policy is to assure equal employment opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants by prohibiting discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This practice applies to all terms, conditions and privileges of employment including hiring, transfer, compensation, layoffs, promotions, training, benefits, termination and retirement.