Reach Out and Read Northeast Program Manager

The Opportunity

Reach Out and Read Northeast, an affiliate of the national Reach Out and Read network, supports early literacy and healthy family relationships throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Upstate New York. Across our region, we reach over 450,000 children annually, distributing more than 750,000 books through 4,000 medical providers in over 625 clinics. Our commitment is centered on equity: 62% of the children we serve are from low-income families, 42% identify as children of color, and 21% speak a home language other than English. Together, we contribute to the national organization’s impact, which reaches 4.7 million children and distributes over 7.7 million books each year.

As the Program Manager, you will play a pivotal role in supporting and expanding Reach Out and Read programs across Massachusetts (Middlesex, Essex, and Worcester counties) and New Hampshire (Hillsborough and Cheshire counties). You will work with approximately 100 clinical sites, strengthening program quality, fostering meaningful relationships, and broadening the program’s reach. Collaborating closely with clinics, community partners, and the Reach Out and Read Northeast team, you will advance early literacy and family well-being. Reporting to the Northeast Senior Program Manager, you will serve within a dynamic and growing affiliate, contributing to impactful work across the region through hybrid collaboration, site visits, team engagement, and participation in ROR conferences.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include:

Programmatic Assistance and Quality Assurance Support (60%)

• Recruit and onboard new clinics, cultivating champions within medical and administrative staff
• Conduct site visits (in-person and virtual) to assess program quality and provide tailored support
• Develop quality improvement plans and address barriers to program sustainability
• Prioritize program expansion in clinics serving BIPOC and Medicaid populations
• Support clinics in creating literacy-rich environments and securing books
• Providing technical assistance to clinic staff and providers

Program Data and Reporting (25%)

• Oversee completion of twice-yearly progress reports and maintain accurate data in myROR database
• Complete all visit paperwork within five business days of site visits
• Collect stories and testimonials from program sites for development efforts

Community Engagement and Program Support (10%)

• Build relationships with early education organizations and health centers to strengthen Reach Out and Read’s impact
• Represent ROR at regional events, fostering partnerships and advocating for the program

Book Support and Funding (5%)

• Assist sites in selecting and ordering books to meet patient needs
• Collaborate on equitable allocation of book funding

* This job description outlines the general nature and level of work expected but is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or tasks required.

Qualifications and Experience:

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. We’ll honor your lived and professional experience as key aspects of your candidacy for the role and prioritize applicants with experience dismantling the structural inequities that disproportionately impact children and families with traditionally marginalized identities. We are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

• Commitment to increasing equity in opportunity and outcomes for children
• 2+ years of professional experience in healthcare, social work, early education, literacy, or related fields (equivalent education and lived experience considered)
• Prior remote work experience strongly preferred with demonstrated ability to work independently, manage time, and stay productive without direct supervision
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to maintain professionalism across diverse audiences, including busy medical providers
• Ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, adapt flexibly, and handle unexpected changes
• Experience providing program implementation, quality improvement, or professional development support
• Success fostering partnerships with diverse stakeholders through inclusive, culturally responsive engagement
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), Zoom, and Slack. Intermediate Excel skills essential
• Ability to troubleshoot basic internet and hardware issues independently
• Strong organizational skills with ability to plan proactively and manage site visit schedules
• Reliable transportation for frequent regional travel within Massachusetts and portions of New Hampshire

Position Specifications:

This is a full-time, non-exempt position, requiring 40 hours per week and based in Massachusetts (preferably in or near Middlesex, Essex, or Worcester counties). The Program Manager will primarily work remotely from a home-based office but will travel regularly to clinic sites across the assigned region. Travel may occasionally require overnight stays for distant sites. Additionally, attendance at 2–3 regional meetings annually in Boston and 1-2 National meetings every 18 months is required. The position requires flexibility to travel across time zones for national conferences.

Compensation and Benefits:

The annual salary for this position is $67,800, reflecting Reach Out and Read’s commitment to equitable and competitive pay. The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan with match, paid time off, and additional perks.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their application through our online portal. The interview process will include a preliminary questionnaire followed by a hiring manager interview with the Program Manager. Advancing candidates will have a virtual final interview with other members of the Reach Out and Read team. The anticipated start date for this role is January 2026.

Commitment to Diversity:

Reach Out and Read is committed to building an organization that embraces diversity, pursues equity, and fosters an environment of inclusion. ROR sits at the intersection of health and education, uniquely positioned to play a critical role in addressing systemic disparities and inequities in the public health framework. ROR strives to be an antiracist organization, using its influence to fight against social injustice by supporting a culture of learning, empowerment, equity, and a deep appreciation for the unique experiences that we each bring to our communities. And, we believe that changing the world begins with holding ourselves and our workplace to that same standard.

About Reach Out and Read:

Founded in 1989, Reach Out and Read is a national non-profit organization working to ensure all families have the opportunity to create meaningful everyday moments through shared reading aloud and building relationships. By leveraging pediatric care to champion the positive effects of reading daily and distributing books, Reach Out and Read gives young children a foundation for success and reaches 4.4 million children across the county – half of whom identify as BIPOC and two-thirds of whom come from low-income families.

Reach Out and Read’s tens of thousands of trained pediatric providers use books as a diagnostic tool during regular check-ups, and teach parents how to engage their child with a book to promote positive parent-child interactions during the rapid brain growth between birth and age five. The daily practice of reading aloud with a parent supports children’s literacy and math skill development, their social-emotional development, and prepares them for future success in school. Working together with our sites and providers, we leverage our three decades of expertise, build on our literacy foundations, and engage our shared networks as a catalyst for change, focusing on equitably strengthening and deepening our impact on the children, families, and communities we serve.

The Impact:

• Reach Out and Read program sites are located in 6,500 clinics, safety net hospitals, medical systems, and other healthcare settings in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. • Reach Out and Read serves 4.6 million children and their families annually.
• More than 7.7 million new, developmentally appropriate books are integrated into well-child visits with families annually.
• 39,000 clinicians currently participate in Reach Out and Read
• Our peer-reviewed body of evidence demonstrates that Reach Out and Read parents are two-and-a-half times more likely to read regularly to their children, and that children experiencing Reach Out and Read show enhanced language development.

To learn more about Reach Out and Read, visit www.reachoutandread.org.

ROR is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Reach Out and Read is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status. Reach Out and Read is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and we are committed to making special accommodations for your interview or work as a member of our team. If specific accommodations are needed, please email HR @ reachoutandread.org and our HR team will work to accommodate your needs.