Network Community and Learning Manager

Position Description

The Network Community & Learning Manager is a builder and connector, responsible for cultivating a thriving learning community across the 826 Network, designing and facilitating professional learning experiences that strengthen chapter staff, and serving as a trusted, responsive presence for the people doing the work in the field. This role owns the systems, resources, and relationships that help the 826 Network function and grow: from leading cohorts and network-wide virtual trainings, to stewarding 826's codified best practices and pedagogical tenets as a living, accessible resource, to expanding the infrastructure that supports chapter work day to day. The Network Support Manager is both a facilitator and a builder — equally comfortable designing an engaging virtual learning experience and developing the frameworks and tools that make that learning stick. This is a full-time position that reports to the Director of Field Operations.

The core priorities for the Network Support Manager include:

1. Leading the 826 Network's learning community, including cohorts and network-wide virtual trainings, creating strategic and meaningful engagement opportunities for chapter staff across the 826 Network, including ownership and management of the 826 National sponsored “Chapter Exchange” program.
2. Stewarding the 826 way — advancing 826's pedagogical tenets, program practices, and best practices through accessible resources, training, and ongoing support in collaboration with 826 Network teams.
3. Owning network-wide communications and serving as a highly responsive, solutions-oriented point of contact for chapter staff across programmatic and operational needs.
4. Owning, organizing, and advancing the Network-wide knowledge base and repository of resources, 826Connect.

Responsibilities

Network Learning Community & Cohort Leadership

• Oversee the 826 Network learning community, cultivating vibrant cohorts where chapter staff connect, grow, and learn from one another.
• Shape the cohort experience end-to-end by developing frameworks, cultivating engagement, and designing and facilitating agendas that reflect the needs and interests of 826 Network teams.
• Lead the hosting and facilitation of network-wide virtual trainings, workshops, and speaker sessions, partnering with the Director of Field Operations on intake and speaker/content planning and with National staff on technical support.
• Drive recurring professional learning offerings such as Lunch-and-Learns and Research Deep Dives, sourcing dynamic topics and speakers from across the 826 Network to spark conversation and build collective knowledge.

Communications & Community Management

• Build and sustain virtual community across a distributed, multi-chapter network, actively spotlighting chapter work and creating opportunities for staff to connect across sites.
• Serve as a highly responsive point of contact for chapter staff questions, requests, and troubleshooting related to 826 network programs, resources, and platforms.
• Own network-wide staff communications, including a bi-monthly staff newsletter, in coordination with the Communications team. Network Resources, Onboarding, & Systems
• Maintain and expand the 826 Network's shared programmatic resources, including 826Connect, onboarding materials, and best-practice documentation.
• Oversee onboarding systems for new Network staff — including the onboarding website, email series, and monthly webinar — with a continued focus on strengthening new-hire engagement and connection.
• Support administration of network-wide programs such as the Chapter Exchange Program, including applications, coordination, and follow-up.

826 Network Best Practices & Pedagogy

• Serve as a steward of the 826 way, championing the pedagogical tenets, program practices, and operational approaches that define high-quality 826 programming across the 826 Network.
• Maintain and expand 826 Network learning resources, ensuring program guidance, core pedagogical content, and Network examples stay current, purposeful, and genuinely useful to chapters.
• Develop and deliver training for Network staff on 826 best practices and pedagogy, drawing on this body of work as well as other professional learning content, and continuously refreshing both resources and learning experiences to reflect the evolving needs and strengths of the Network.

826 National Programmatic Support

• Contribute to 826 National programmatic initiatives as needed, spanning both network-facing work (e.g., cohort and resource development) and broader organization-wide projects (e.g., the 826 Anthology, 826 Digital educator resources), in collaboration with the Director of Field Operations and relevant teams. ● Co-develop curriculum and facilitate a variety of training and workshop events for Field Operations-led partnership initiatives such as “Write to Thrive”, serving as a thoughtful collaborator without holding lead ownership.
• Review and offer feedback on programmatic materials developed by other 826 National teams to help maintain consistency with 826 pedagogy and tenets across the organization.

Cross-Departmental & Field-Facing Collaboration

• Partner across 826 National departments — including Digital, Development, and Communications — to support shared projects involving network engagement, training, content development, and field-facing initiatives.
• Contribute to efforts that bring 826 best practices and programming approaches to audiences beyond the 826 Network, including partners, stakeholders, and field-based initiatives, developing materials and resources that represent 826's voice and values in a range of contexts.
• Collaborate with the Director of Field Operations and the 826 Digital team on initiatives that extend 826's reach and impact, as scope and capacity allow.

Skills & Qualifications

● A demonstrated passion for the mission, vision, and values of 826 National, with a genuine curiosity about the work happening across the 826 Network and a deep commitment to centering the student and staff experience.

● At least three to five years of experience in community engagement, facilitation, nonprofit network support, or the education sector.

● Strong virtual facilitation skills, including both the front-end art of hosting engaging, participatory sessions for distributed groups and the back-end technical fluency to manage digital platforms and tools with confidence.

● Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write and speak for a variety of audiences — from chapter staff to national partners — in a voice that is clear, engaging, and reflective of 826's values.

● Experience in adult learning design and the development of training content, with the ability to build clear, compelling resources and deliver or co-facilitate professional learning in virtual spaces. ● Strong working knowledge of Google Suite, including Google Sites and Google Drive, for building, organizing, and managing digital resources.

● Technology agility, including the ability to quickly learn, evaluate, and implement new digital platforms and support colleagues in integrating new tools into their workflows.

● Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to own multiple concurrent initiatives and bring others along with clarity and care.

● Experience supporting or leading colleagues across a distributed organization, with a collaborative, service-oriented approach to working with diverse teams and constituents.

● A solutions-oriented, systems-thinking mindset — comfortable building new programs and structures, spotting opportunities for impact, and assuming the best about the work happening locally across the 826 Network.

● Experience with in-person event facilitation or programming, though this role is currently focused on virtual and digital delivery.

● Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field. Spanish language skills are a plus.

Reporting & Travel

This is a full-time position reporting to the Director of Field Operations. The role occasionally requires evening /weekend work and travel to support network and virtual events.

Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision care, and retirement, paid holidays, 15 days of annual vacation for the first two years of employment, with increases thereafter.

English fluency. Excellent written and verbal skills.