Duty Statement: Strong Reader Partnership Executive Director
Purpose
Help 2.2 million 0–5 California children become book owners and love reading as the Executive Director of the Imagination Library of California Strong Reader Partnership nonprofit.
Establish and lead a first of its kind nonprofit dedicated to getting books in the hands of every California child under 5, at no cost to their families.
Ensuring California’s youngest children become strong readers is the goal of this trailblazing partnership with Dolly Parton’s monthly home book gifting program and empowering families by helping to create opportunities for connection and storytelling is a critical step in building safe, stable nurturing environments for young children, their families, and communities.
With vision and an entrepreneurial spirit, the Executive Director will design and implement a strategy to expand children’s book ownership and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library across the state. A commitment to the growth of healthy reading ecosystems for parents, caregivers, partners, and the community is essential.
The Executive Director will be responsible for building a staff team of innovators as well as strong relationships with community partners to forge a path to early literacy throughout California. They will establish the infrastructure and budget capacity necessary for the short and long term success of this nascent nonprofit.
Under the general direction of the Partnership board and in consultation with the California State Librarian and the Deputy State Librarian, the Executive Director will leverage state funding to establish and grow an organization that will help generations of young children thrive in reading.
This is a remote-centered position with periodic meetings in Sacramento and travel throughout the state.
Organizational Leadership: 35%
- Sets, shapes, and carries out the vision of the Partnership
- Develops a strategic plan with short- and long-term goals for promoting statewide Imagination Library efforts and for encouraging children to read
- Manages, establishes goals for, and evaluates the nonprofit Partnership’s staff of five including community outreach coordinators and a communications director
- Develops and maintains the Partnership’s annual budget and ensures that sound financial practices are in place
- Attends all statewide Partnership Board meetings, preparing financial reports of the Partnership and creating and distributing agendas and minutes in a timely manner
- Works with the Partnership’s Board to develop and implement policy and file mandatory paperwork with appropriate local, state, and federal agencies and with the Dollywood Foundation
Partnerships and Fundraising: 35%
- Oversees the communication strategy
- Speaks to groups to generate funding and organizational support for Imagination Library local partnerships across California
- Develops and maintains relationships with partner organizations in California, maximizing existing resources to increase enrollment and fundraising
- Develops, leads, and makes presentations to prospective donors
- Works with California state agencies and departments to create statewide programs to more easily enroll California children in the Imagination Library, especially facilitating the enrollment of the state’s most vulnerable children
- Helps to create statewide campaigns and programs promoting books, literacy, and encouraging California’s children to read
- Oversees the development and production of countywide and statewide marketing materials and ensures an adequate supply of these remains available
- Periodic travel for training, information, and planning sessions (20%)
Financial Oversight: 15%
- Manages the Partnership’s finances; coordinates with outside service partners in the preparation of monthly, quarterly, annual financial statements, annual audit and tax filings, accounts payable, payroll, benefits, and cash flow management
- Administers grant funding for the Imagination Library, including statistical reporting and draft grant content
- Manages participation in statewide charitable giving campaigns
- Reviews service contracts and other transactional documents, negotiating optimal terms
Reporting: 10%
- Analyzes and reports regularly on statewide enrollment, program costs (including comparisons to budget estimates), enrollment trends, investment performance, and funding of counties receiving matching funds
- Prepares and presents annual Legislative report
- Files timely reports with state reporting agencies and maintains records for the Foundation accordingly
Other Duties: 5%
- Other duties may be assigned as directed by the Board, the State Librarian, or the Deputy State Librarian
Skills/Knowledge
- Demonstrates and uses excellent judgment and decision-making abilities throughout all job duties
- Exercises creativity and flexibility in problem identification and resolution
- Manages time and resources effectively; prioritizes and plans work activities and is disciplined in meeting deadlines and goals
- Responds to the Partnership Board, State Library Management, and to client needs
- Possesses excellent organizational skills as well as tact and good judgment when dealing with others, both locally and statewide
- Ability to focus on the daily details while managing the overall scope of the job responsibilities
- Ability to manage and resolve difficult or emotional situations
- Skilled in: Networking; Building Relationships; Leadership; Training; and Negotiation
- Excellent communicator via telephone, video conferencing and in person
- Exceptional verbal and written English language skills; patience in responsiveness to repetitive questions. Articulate, speaks, and writes clearly and informatively, proofs work for spelling and grammar. Listens for knowledge and clarification
- Responds promptly to requests for assistance. Responds well to questions
- Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills
- Works a varying schedule that may include nights, holidays, weekends, and occasional travel
- Observe safety and security functions; report potentially unsafe conditions; use equipment and materials properly; request assistance when necessary
Education/Experience
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree
- Executive level nonprofit experience preferred, including envisioning, launching, and developing new programs and managing staff, budgets, and programs and developing new and innovative strategies for achieving organizational goals
- Experience in working with governmental and public sector entities preferred
- A demonstrated track record in building successful collaborations and partnerships across sectors is preferred
- Experience working with multicultural and multilingual communities preferred
- Demonstrating an understanding of early literacy is required
- Must have strong verbal and written communication skills
- Proven ability in project management; Highly organized with attention to detail
- Technologically and socially informed and connected. Considerable knowledge and expertise in working with G Suite, Microsoft Word, Video Conferencing, PowerPoint, and Excel
- Dependable and suitable transportation with a license to drive automotive equipment. Must present a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance
- Ability to work and manage out of the home office or on the road; Must be able to travel extensively within California
To Apply
Email: inquiries@merrimacintl.com