Director of Publishing & Distribution (Volunteer)

Director of Publishing & Distribution (Volunteer)

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Division: Storytelling, Literacy & Publishing (PromisePress)

Location: Remote via Google Meet and/or New York City

Type: Volunteer (Unpaid)

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit dedicated to supporting children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability. Through mentorship, literacy development, academic enrichment, social-emotional learning, creative expression, and community-centered storytelling, MAP creates safe, consistent, and empowering spaces where young people and families can thrive.

PromisePress is MAP’s publishing and distribution arm, responsible for children’s books, literacy materials, blogs, newsletters, curriculum-aligned content, and digital publications. Our goal is not simply to publish—but to ensure meaningful access, ethical dissemination, and real-world reach for stories that center dignity, resilience, and lived experience.

The Opportunity

The Director of Publishing & Distribution is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing how MAP’s written and published work moves from creation to audience. This role exists to ensure that high-quality content is strategically published, thoughtfully distributed, and equitably accessible—especially to the communities MAP serves.

This is not a marketing-only role. It is a systems, strategy, and stewardship position at the intersection of publishing, logistics, partnerships, and access.

Core Responsibilities

Publishing Strategy & Oversight

• Lead publishing strategy across PromisePress, including children’s books, educational materials, blogs, and digital publications.
• Oversee publishing timelines, formats (print, digital, hybrid), and release planning.
• Coordinate closely with Editorial Director, Senior Writers, and Multimedia teams to align content readiness with distribution plans.
• Ensure publishing practices reflect ethical, trauma-informed, and child-centered standards.

Distribution & Access

• Design and manage distribution pathways for books and materials (schools, shelters, community partners, digital platforms).
• Build relationships with printers, distributors, libraries, schools, and nonprofit partners.
• Explore equitable distribution models that prioritize access over profit.
• Support inventory planning, fulfillment coordination, and basic logistics (as appropriate for a nonprofit context).

Partnerships & Reach

• Collaborate with Development, Programs, and Education teams to align publishing efforts with program delivery and funding goals.
• Support partnerships with educators, shelters, literacy organizations, and community hubs.
• Identify opportunities for broader reach through grants, donations, or institutional partnerships.

Quality Control & Systems

• Establish clear publishing workflows, documentation, and handoffs between editorial, design, and distribution teams.
• Monitor timelines, bottlenecks, and operational risks.
• Support continuous improvement of publishing and distribution systems.
• Check and respond to emails daily, with responses within 48 hours.

How MAP Supports Senior Leaders

MAP treats publishing and distribution as mission-critical work. In this role, you can expect:

• Clear leadership scope and decision-making authority
• Close collaboration with editorial, education, and executive leadership
• Respect for time, capacity, and sustainability
• Transparent goals and collaborative problem-solving
• Professional references and letters of recommendation
• Recognition of publishing leadership as strategic stewardship, not logistics-only labor

Ideal Background & Expertise

• Experience in publishing operations, distribution, content strategy, or related fields.
• Strong understanding of print and/or digital publishing workflows.
• Ability to think systemically about access, reach, and equity in distribution.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and coordination skills.
• Comfort working across creative, operational, and programmatic teams.
• Commitment to literacy, equity, and mission-driven dissemination of content.

Valued but Not Required

• Experience with children’s publishing or educational materials
• Familiarity with nonprofit or community-based distribution models
• Experience working with schools, libraries, or literacy organizations
• Bilingual or multilingual abilities (Spanish or Haitian Creole a plus)

Commitment

• Volunteer role, approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6–12 month commitment preferred
• Remote collaboration via Google Meet, with optional NYC-based meetings
• MAP prioritizes sustainability, clarity, and care over urgency or burnout

What You’ll Gain

• Senior leadership experience overseeing nonprofit publishing and distribution
• Portfolio-worthy accomplishments in equitable content dissemination
• Collaboration with writers, editors, educators, and executive leadership
• Professional references and letters of recommendation
• The opportunity to ensure stories reach children who need them most

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist.

For any additional questions or concerns, please email us directly at hr@mentorapromise.org

Publish with intention. Distribute with equity. Help ensure every story reaches the hands—and hearts—it was written for.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, our volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals who are based in the United States. This limitation is due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements associated with our work. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.