Senior Director of Literary Arts & Publishing (Volunteer)

Senior Director of Literary Arts & Publishing (Volunteer)

PromisePages | Literary Arts, Publishing & Story Development

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Division: PromisePages

Location: Remote with NYC-based collaboration as needed

Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week

Type: Volunteer Senior Leadership Role

Minimum Commitment: 6-month commitment required

Reports To: Chief of Content & Storytelling

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit organization serving children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, educational enrichment, workforce development, creative opportunity, advocacy, housing innovation, and community-centered support.

At MAP, literacy is more than reading.

It is imagination.

It is confidence.

It is self-expression.

It is the ability for a child to see themselves reflected in stories and to envision a future beyond their current circumstances.

Through books, stories, poetry, educational content, and creative writing, MAP seeks to cultivate a lifelong love of reading, storytelling, and learning.

About PromisePages

PromisePages is MAP's literary arts, creative writing, publishing, authorship, storytelling, and intellectual property division.

The division develops original books, children's literature, educational resources, poetry, literary works, story worlds, characters, and publishing initiatives that advance MAP's mission while expanding access to meaningful and representative stories.

PromisePages serves as the creative home for writers, authors, poets, editors, illustrators, and storytellers who believe in the transformative power of literature.

Role Overview

The Senior Director of Literary Arts & Publishing serves as the senior leader responsible for the vision, strategy, growth, and excellence of PromisePages.

This role oversees MAP's literary arts ecosystem, including creative writing, children's literature, publishing operations, editorial development, author engagement, story development, literary programming, and intellectual property creation.

Working closely with PromiseStudios, PromiseVoice, PromiseBrands, PromiseLearning, and executive leadership, the Senior Director helps establish MAP as a leading creator of mission-driven literature, educational storytelling, and original intellectual property.

The Senior Director serves as both literary leader and creative architect, helping build a publishing division that inspires imagination, strengthens literacy, amplifies diverse voices, and creates lasting impact for children and families.

Key Responsibilities

Literary Arts Strategy & Vision

• Develop and lead the long-term vision for PromisePages
• Establish strategic priorities for literary arts and publishing initiatives
• Expand opportunities for creative writing, storytelling, and literacy engagement
• Support the development of original literary works and publishing programs
• Align publishing initiatives with MAP's mission and educational goals

Publishing Leadership

• Oversee the development and publication of books, educational resources, literary works, and digital publications
• Guide publishing standards, editorial quality, and creative excellence
• Support publishing workflows from concept to distribution
• Strengthen MAP's publishing infrastructure and capabilities
• Promote innovation across publishing formats and platforms

Children's Literature Development

• Lead development of children's books and youth-centered literary content
• Ensure content reflects diverse experiences, imagination, hope, and belonging
• Support age-appropriate storytelling and literacy development
• Expand MAP's children's publishing portfolio
• Promote representation and accessibility in children's literature

Story Development & Intellectual Property

• Oversee creation of original characters, story worlds, and literary properties
• Support long-term intellectual property development and franchise opportunities
• Guide narrative development across books, educational content, podcasts, animation, and media
• Strengthen continuity and storytelling quality across creative properties
• Build a sustainable pipeline of original content and literary assets

Editorial & Author Development

• Support writers, authors, poets, editors, and storytellers across the division
• Establish editorial standards and development processes
• Mentor emerging authors and creative contributors
• Foster a culture of literary excellence and creative exploration
• Promote professional growth opportunities for volunteers and contributors

Literacy & Community Engagement

• Support literacy-focused initiatives and community storytelling programs
• Explore opportunities for writing workshops and literary enrichment experiences
• Strengthen engagement with readers, families, educators, and communities
• Promote reading, writing, and creative expression as tools for empowerment
• Expand access to literary arts opportunities

Cross-Divisional Collaboration

• Collaborate with PromiseStudios on multimedia storytelling initiatives
• Partner with PromiseLearning on educational resources and literacy programming
• Support PromiseBrands through publishing-related campaigns and promotions
• Work with PromiseVoice on editorial and storytelling opportunities
• Align literary initiatives with organizational priorities

Leadership Responsibilities

The Senior Director provides leadership and oversight for:

Literary Arts

Responsible for:

• Creative writing
• Poetry
• Fiction
• Creative nonfiction
• Literary programming

Publishing

Responsible for:

• Book publishing
• Editorial operations
• Publishing standards
• Publication strategy

Children's Literature

Responsible for:

• Children's books
• Youth storytelling
• Literacy-centered content
• Educational narratives

Story Development & Intellectual Property

Responsible for:

• Character creation
• Story worlds
• Narrative development
• Franchise storytelling

Author & Editorial Development

Responsible for:

• Writers
• Authors
• Editors
• Literary contributors

Potential Teams & Roles

The Senior Director may oversee roles such as:

• Director of Children's Literature
• Director of Story Development & Narrative Design
• Director of Editorial Operations
• Director of Author Development
• Editor in Chief
• Poet-in-Residence
• Creative Writers
• Children's Book Writers
• Story Developers
• Narrative Editors
• Copy Editors
• Illustrators
• Publishing Coordinators

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in publishing, literature, creative writing, editorial leadership, journalism, education, literary arts, storytelling, or related fields
• Strong understanding of publishing and editorial processes
• Experience leading creative or literary initiatives
• Exceptional written communication and storytelling abilities
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and strategic planning skills
• Passion for literacy, publishing, education, and youth development

Why This Role Matters

Books can change how children see themselves.

Stories can help young people imagine futures they have not yet experienced.

Literature can create belonging, understanding, empathy, and hope.

The Senior Director of Literary Arts & Publishing helps ensure that MAP creates stories that children carry with them long after the final page is turned.

This role helps build a literary legacy that strengthens literacy, amplifies voices, and creates opportunities for generations of young readers.

Success Measures

• Growth of MAP's publishing portfolio
• Development of original literary works and intellectual property
• Reader engagement and literary impact
• Expansion of children's literature initiatives
• Editorial quality and publishing excellence
• Author and volunteer development
• Advancement of literacy and storytelling outcomes

Volunteer Expectations

• Approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6-month commitment
• Maintain timely and professional communication
• Collaborate through MAP systems and communication platforms
• Support MAP's safeguarding standards, mission, and organizational values
• Participate in leadership, editorial, and strategic planning meetings

What You'll Gain

• Senior leadership experience overseeing a growing literary and publishing division
• Opportunity to shape the future of mission-driven publishing and children's literature
• Collaboration with writers, illustrators, educators, filmmakers, podcasters, and creative leaders
• Professional references and letters of recommendation
• Meaningful impact supporting literacy, imagination, and opportunity for children and families experiencing housing instability

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist and include their resume, writing samples, publishing portfolio, or examples of relevant work.

Please highlight experience involving publishing, literary arts, editorial leadership, creative writing, children's literature, storytelling, education, journalism, or related disciplines.

Help build the stories, books, and literary experiences that inspire children to dream bigger, read further, and believe in their own potential.

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