Impact Director - Washington, DC

ABOUT THE LITERACY LAB: The Literacy Lab is a national non-profit organization. We believe that literacy is not just a skill, but a fundamental human right. This belief fosters our unwavering desire to ensure that all people have access to evidence-based literacy development to unlock opportunities for success in school and life. Through this work, we aim to build a world where everyone has the literacy to shape their future and make their hopes and aspirations a reality. It is our commitment to people-first, continuous innovation and improvement, and transformative results that fuel everything we do.

We seek staff, leaders, and Fellows who see opportunities in every challenge, maintain a sense of abundance amidst the brutal facts, view holding oneself and others accountable as essential parts of showing care and respect, and use multiple forms of data to guide decisions, actions, and behaviors. We are an organization of people who bring different experiences and perspectives, aligned around a set of shared values, driving toward a common purpose.

The Literacy Lab currently operates in the following locations: Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Atlanta, GA; Cincinnati, OH; and Milwaukee, WI. Since 2009, The Literacy Lab has provided evidence-based literacy instruction to more than 40,000 children to develop early literacy skills.

POSITION: The Impact Director leads The Literacy Lab’s team and work in the delivery of programming to ensure that all people have access to evidence-based literacy development to unlock opportunities for success in school and life in Washington, DC. The Impact Director has responsibility for program and strategy implementation, external partnerships, staff and Fellow management, and finance in the location. The Impact Director ensures the success of the location’s program cohort and develops, manages, and builds a team culture which is rooted in our values: intentional action, meaningful impact; people first; both/and mindset; lifelong learning; and intentional resource stewardship. The Impact Director collaborates with other teams across the organization by serving as a consultant and translating the organization’s priorities and goals, systems, and processes for use and implementation in the location. The Impact Director is a critical member of the organization’s leadership and exemplifies The Literacy Lab’s core values and organizational culture while striving to make the organization better.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The Impact Director reports to the President of Regional Strategy and Implementation (PRSI) and is responsible for the following:

(Program Implementation) Ensuring programmatic excellence and bringing about measurable outcomes by:

• Leading the successful implementation and fidelity of The Literacy Lab’s programs within the location
• Building, managing, and supporting the local team and cohort of program Fellows while creating an affirming, motivating environment for all team members
• Providing regular individualized support and coaching to Fellows and facilitating assessment and instruction observations, student caseload selection, data review and decision-making meetings, and school visits
• Participating in, coordinating, and supporting the facilitation of all cohort training and professional learning in collaboration with the Impact and Innovation team and The Literacy Lab’s external literacy content provider
• Collaborating with Literacy Lab staff to ensure that Fellows have an affirming, meaningful experience that is rich in personal and professional development opportunities and equips Fellows and alumni with post-Fellowship college/career options and resources
• Ensuring effective and timely information-sharing and communication with school partner staff at all levels (lead teachers, school leaders, district champions) to equip them for their roles in the partnership and facilitate strong implementation across the school year
• Leading a culture of data-informed decision-making by ensuring timely completion of data entry across the cohort and integrating data review into regular programmatic planning
• Applying The Literacy Lab’s core values in the location’s approach to partnership management and facilitating transformational partnerships
• Ensuring that all program activities are conducted in compliance with various grant and school regulations and agreements, including federal and state/local grants
• Creating and implementing the local Fellow recruitment strategy and implementing the organization’s selection process to ensure a robust, talented pool of candidates to fill and retain all open local Fellow positions
• Leading the piloting of program innovations in the location, as assigned
• Performing other duties to promote the success of the location’s programs, as assigned

(Strategy Implementation and External Partnerships) Ensuring a sustainable and diversified partnerships and revenue generation strategy to promote service continuity in the location by:

• Executing on and growing resources to support the organization’s strategic plan, priorities, and vision for meaningful impact in the location
• Working closely with the PRSI and fundraising staff to develop and steward relationships with funders, school leaders and district champions, government officials, local higher education institutions, and other external partners over time through regular communication, meetings, site visits, and other events
• Maintaining awareness of local and national trends impacting the work in the location and making plans to respond and adapt accordingly
• Ensuring that the organization’s diversified funding model (school contracts, philanthropic support, public funding) is in place in the location, that all components are developed, stewarded, and monitored, and that deliverables and requirements are met
• Leading school partnership contracts cultivation, maintenance, and growth in the location in alignment with national school contracts strategy

(External Partnerships) Raising the profile of the organization and playing a leadership role in the location’s communities by:

• Developing and leading the location’s community advisory board, when appropriate
• Being an active participant in local collaboratives, networking groups, initiatives and other such opportunities to raise the profile of The Literacy Lab
• Serving as The Literacy Lab’s lead local representative and ambassador, actively seeking and creating opportunities to represent the organization at speaking engagements, conferences, and events and in the media, in collaboration with fundraising staff

(Staff and Fellow Management) Providing effective management and building and leading a strong local team by:

• Hiring, assembling, motivating, and developing an effective team of talented Fellows and staff
• Working closely with the Impact and Innovation team, Impact Directors across the organization, and The Literacy Lab’s external literacy content provider to develop, improve, and implement standard training for Impact staff, Fellows, and Fellow leaders
• Holding high expectations for all team members and creating space for multidirectional feedback and opportunities for team members to continue to grow, develop, and thrive
• Ensuring adherence to organizational policies and practices
• Ensuring a team infrastructure that supports all people and resources to flourish and reach ambitious goals and key objectives
• Creating an inclusive workplace environment that makes people want to work and stay at The Literacy Lab
• Engaging in active succession planning as a core element of coaching others and ensuring the sustainability of the location

(Finance) Ensuring that the organization’s resources are stewarded intentionally by:

• Monitoring the local budget in collaboration with the local team and adjusting as necessary
• Making decisions with resource allocation in mind and ensuring that resources are used in a way that is consistent with the organization’s mission and goals and supports organizational health
• Planning all local operations, events, and local activities with a focus on sustainability through thoughtful and diligent planning and supply/inventory management

(Organizational Leadership) Serving as a leader across the organization through an approach that centers intentional action, meaningful impact, and people first by:

• Engaging in deep collaboration with the PRSI to ensure departmental alignment and success
• Exemplifying our core values in all interactions with all internal and external constituents
• Serving as a mentor and role model to other staff members and being an active participant in the organization’s Director-level leadership team, projects, and initiatives
• Identifying and advancing goals and priorities for inclusive community within the local team and Fellow cohort and across the organization
• Exercising sound judgment when facing new challenges and viewing situations through multiple lenses to weigh options and determine the best course of action
• Leading with integrity and demonstrating an optimistic, growth- and solution-oriented mindset in the face of challenges

WORK LOCATION: This position will be based in The Literacy Lab’s Washington, DC location.

WORK DEMANDS: This position has hybrid work flexibility (blend of in-person work and remote work). This position requires regular visits to school sites and local travel within Washington, DC. This position may require out-of-town travel of approximately 5-10 nights per year for meetings, training, staff events, site visits, and conferences (when permitted). Performance of duties may require extended hours, evening or weekend work at times.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE: We are seeking candidates with:

• A deep commitment to The Literacy Lab’s mission and values
• Demonstrated success assembling and managing individuals and effective teams using a relationship-centered, people-first approach
• A track record of building trust, culture, and inclusive community and leading teams through change to achieve results
• Strong strategic thinking skills and ability to proactively and responsively identify approaches to achieving priorities with consideration to relevant tradeoffs
• A focus on data and continuous improvement, openness to feedback and guidance, and embrace of a growth mindset, curiosity, and sense of possibility
• The capacity to manage multiple demands, projects, and shifting priorities from a variety of sources with minimal direction
• The ability to face challenging situations calmly and competently and to adapt to change
• The ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial, startup environment
• Effective communication skills and demonstrated experience in cultivating supporters, champions, and transformational partnerships
• Knowledge of the location’s education landscape and willingness to establish oneself as a key partner and leader in local movements to support access to literacy development for all people
• Basic understanding of nonprofit finances and experience managing a work unit budget
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office 2010 (or later) software, especially Word and Excel, and Google Suite
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in Nonprofit Management, Education, Workforce Development, Learning and Development, Adult Learning, or a related field
• Bachelor’s Degree required

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience working in low-income communities in a nonprofit, education, or related setting
• Experience in implementing the SEEDS of Learning framework and/or early literacy strategies in preschool
• Experience working with school and funding partners in Washington, DC
• Experience working with public grants and contracts
• 5+ years of management-level experience in Nonprofit Management, Education, Workforce Development, Learning and Development, Adult Learning, or related field
• Master’s Degree (preferred)

The Literacy Lab is an equal opportunity employer that values and recruits a diverse, inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. The Literacy Lab participates in the federal government's E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility. To learn more about the E-Verify program, please click here.