SF Literacy Coalition Director

At the San Francisco Literacy Coalition (SFLC), we partner with literacy based reading and writing supplemental programs operating in SFUSD schools, SFUSD, and directly with schools to create equitable access to quality literacy supports and interventions for TK-5th graders. The SFLC was launched by local CBO partners to align with the district’s ELA priorities, and support the efforts within schools to improve literacy rates for all students. The SFLC is working within schools where a majority of their student population live at or below poverty levels and where a majority of their students are not meeting literacy milestones.

Recently the Coalition was awarded a three year operating grant in order to take the work to the next level and both broaden and deepen our impact in SFUSD. The intent is to develop and grow the work of the SFLC to demonstrate progress to goals over the course of the three years and to secure funding for this work in the long term. The grant will fund all SFLC positions and support the strategic planning, implementation, evaluation and iteration of our SFLC Focal School work and our 2 to 3 annual Convenings. Our first point of business is to identify and hire a leader for this work, the SFLC Director, who will provide strategic direction, coordination and leadership for the SF Literacy Coalition’s programmatic and learning efforts to advance our mission of working together to ensure that every child in SFUSD is reading and writing at grade level. This role is not a fundraising role, however, there is a possibility that after two years the role could shift to include fundraising and development.

This position will report into the CEO of the San Francisco Education Fund. The SFLC Director will manage a small team, coordinate with schools and literacy programs in the city, while fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and excellence. In addition, the first year of the role will support in the execution of the strategic planning and evaluation for the SFLC initiative, both of which will be conducted by external consultants. Once complete, the Director will be charged with building off of the critical planning work in 2024 to expand and improve the work of the SFLC for the future.

As the representative of the SFLC work, the Director will cultivate and maintain partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including district leaders, school leaders, community leaders, philanthropic leaders and literacy providers to maximize the reach and impact of our efforts and build the SFLC’s role and reputation as an effective and valuable resource to the district and to schools. Duties will include but are not limited to working with school leaders (literacy coaches, Principals etc.) on focal school priorities, including securing data sharing agreements, reflecting and analyzing school and program assessment data, leading the collective reflection and response to data across focal schools and determining Convening agendas and topics as a result.

This is a full-time, exempt position (40 hours per week) based in San Francisco, CA. This is a hybrid remote position, with Wednesdays required in person at the Ed Fund office, and the remaining days either remote or school based. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required.

This is a salaried position with an annual compensation of $100,000- $130,000 based on experience, and a competitive benefits package that supports employees’ overall well-being.

Hiring Timeline: Applications opened on May 8 and we anticipate a July start date.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Program Management

• Lead the strategy development and evaluation work of the SFLC by managing the contract with external consultant(s) requiring close coordination with steering committee members and SF Ed Fund CEO. Strategic planning and the evaluation designing and tracking will be taking place during the 2024 academic year in order to design and articulate the theory of change and determine the evaluation frameworks and systems to assess program outcomes, measure effectiveness, and drive continuous improvement.
• Oversee the steering committee agendas, collective planning, reflection and iteration processes, on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. The steering committee is comprised of 5-9 CBO partners leading literacy programs in SFUSD. They currently include 826Valencia; Springboard Collaborative, Reading Partners, Tandem, Raising a Reader and the SF Ed Fund. These meetings guide, update and build the efforts of the SFLC in alignment with the needs of the focal schools and SFUSD literacy priorities.
• Oversee the approximately 2 to 3 annual SFLC Convenings with all regional supporters and partners in the work. This requires coordinating with city and district leadership, managing and stewarding relationships of coalition partners, external facilitators or presenters, identifying relevant and important topics regarding literacy across the district, and managing the logistics of the convenings as they occur.
• Lead the focal school work by managing up to three the on the ground SFLitCo manager(s) and ensuring progress is made at each focal school site and learning outcomes are being reached.
• Support program budget development and monitor expenses to stay within the allocated budget.
• Prepare annual updates and reports for SF Ed Fund Board and SFLC funders and the larger SFLC partners on activities, progress, impact and updates.

Team Leadership & People Management

• Manage and supervise the SFLC manager(s), ensuring they consistently execute work plans, deliver high quality support to the focal schools, maintain high performance standards.
• Set clear performance expectations, and provide management, guidance and constructive feedback to enhance individual and team performance.
• Provide coaching to bring out the best in staff and promote growth and professional development.
• Cultivate a positive and inclusive work environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, and fosters a sense of belonging among team members.

Organization Leadership & Capacity

• Serve as an effective, highly regarded ambassador and representative for the SFLC to partners and stakeholders in the community, including funders and donors.
• Build and maintain knowledge of prevailing trends, issues, and best practices related to literacy with the potential to impact the local ecosystem and student achievement.
• Build trust-based relationships with diverse organizations and stakeholders through authentic listening and communication. Encourage feedback to contribute to the improvement of the SFLC’s learning programs and strategy.
• Contribute to other projects and priorities that advance the organization’s mission.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to the SFLC’s vision; ability to operate and bring structure in ambiguous and uncertain environments, enjoys management, teamwork and collaboration, and thrives as an independent and responsible contributor.

• 8-10 years experience in program management and/or design with 3+ years in a leadership and staff supervision role, preferably within a nonprofit, education organization, school or District with demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve ambitious goals and objectives.
• Background in education with experience in and a strong understanding of best practices in literacy education required. Familiarity with the San Francisco education landscape a plus.
• Strategic and systems-level thinker with the ability to anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and develop innovative, scalable solutions.
• Proven track record navigating the ambiguity of school district changes, leading others through change, while fostering a culture of adaptability, learning, innovation, and accountability.
• Experience managing a program budget, creating program budget proposals, and contributing to/interpreting program financial projections/models.
• Outstanding project management skills; proven ability to manage multiple priorities and drive short and long term projects towards completion within target timelines. It’s easy for you to adapt systems to your needs and support teams in using systems effectively.
• Highly effective interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, build trust and maintain effective relationships with external and internal stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and exceptional presentation skills with the ability to articulate complex ideas and concepts to diverse audiences.

AA/EOE. The San Francisco Education Fund is committed to building a culturally diverse staff and strongly encourages women, people of color, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply.