Program Manager

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 truly works. Join our stellar, committed team leading the charge to deepen our impact and expand our service. Watch this video to learn more about the mission and core tutoring work of Reading Partners.

The high level:

The Program Manager (PM) is part of a growing team of leaders rallied together to eradicate the early literacy crisis. The Program Manager’s main role is to lead, develop and mobilize a team of AmeriCorps members and volunteers to deliver high quality, effective one-on-one instruction to our students. Reporting directly to the Seattle Program Director, the Program Manager manages all aspects of program quality, delivery and implementation in up to six schools. The Program Manager directs the day-to-day operations of our reading centers, manages internal and external relationships, leads and supports a team of up to twelve emerging professionals, coaches and supports volunteers, drives processes and strategies to maximize literacy development in our students, and uses data to drive decision-making and progress. The Program Manager is an inspiring team leader, is savvy at the art of managing people and projects, is goal-oriented and is excited by both strategic and on-the-ground work. 

What you’ll do:

Recruit, hire, coach, manage and train a team of up twelve Reading Partners Program Coordinators toward successful program implementation across up to six schools.

• Achieve a rating of at least 95% satisfaction from tutors, teachers, and principal partners 
• Retain 90% of AmeriCorps members through the term of service 
• Build a strong, positive and productive culture across the AmeriCorps team via professional development
• Visit schools and conduct regular observations of students/tutors to collect anecdotal data to monitor progress
• Support tutor community building efforts in portfolio with the support of the team, to help recruit and retain volunteers

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 and coaching AmeriCorps members.

• Achieve 90% enrollment of students by the beginning of February each school year.
• Achieve and maintain above 90% attendance for all students enrolled in the program 
• Provide support so that students will master grade-appropriate foundational literacy skills, as measured by a research-based, elementary literacy assessment:
• 90% of students in K-2nd grade will master grade-appropriate foundational literacy skills
• 85% of all students will meet their individualized end-of-year literacy growth goal

Manage and improve systems and structures for tracking efficacy.

• Proactively assess current organizational systems, and suggest improvements
• Independently study current resources to become an information hub for ACMs

Other duties as needed, including supporting AmeriCorps recruitment beginning in late winter of each school year.

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. This includes regular local travel to all sites. 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.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships and partnership with the schools we serve, encompassing the entire school community. 

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 3+ 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 access to reliable transportation to travel within a defined geographic region on a daily basis and are energized by being in schools
• 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

Bonus Points if you:

• 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 Seattle elementary education community
• Are an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or other national service alum/alumna 

What we offer:

Reading Partners’ compensation and benefits programs are designed to attract, motivate, engage, and retain top talent to propel our mission forward. We aim to set salaries based on objective, external, high-quality market data. Our salaries are adjusted for candidates in different geographic regions. We do our very best to ensure that we’re bringing our best offer - therefore we do not engage in salary negotiations.

• This is a full-time, exempt, and salaried position. The pay range for this position is $67,786 - $79,748 per year.
• 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.
• Professional development reimbursement fund up to $1,000 per year.
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) benefits for regular employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week
• 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 throughout the greater Seattle area. This position may also involve occasional travel to Reading Partners’ National Headquarters in Oakland, CA.