Reach Out and Read- Executive Director Bay Area, CA

Reach Out and Read seeks an experienced and collaborative executive to lead our work in the Bay Area, California. As the region’s Executive Director, you'll help children and families thrive by facilitating access to literacy guidance, developmentally-appropriate books, and literacy-rich environments. Families need access to these resources more than ever as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our model helps families from across our community access these services through their existing relationships with pediatric healthcare providers.

For more than three decades, Reach Out and Read has demonstrated the impact of its approach to early childhood development by making books and resources available to families during visits to doctors in 29 states and regions across the United States. In the Bay Area alone, we provide services in more than 160 clinics, including a flagship partnership with the Children’s Health Center at San Francisco General Hospital. As Executive Director, you will help us to expand the number of Reach Out and Read sites at clinics, safety net hospitals, medical systems, and other healthcare settings across our region.

As the leader of the Bay Area region, you will focus both on strengthening our internal operations and on sharing stories of impact and opportunity across our community. You will hire and supervise a local team of employees, oversee program quality across sites, and raise the funds needed to sustain and grow our impact. Keys to your success include your knowledge of the local community and your ability to open doors to opportunities for funding and partnership. Our national development team will support your efforts to access new sources of philanthropy and mobilize the community in support of children and families.

As a Reach Out and Read Executive Director, you’ll be part of a vibrant team of professionals serving communities across the country. 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.

RESPONSIBILITIES

As Executive Director, you’ll serve as a member of the Reach Out and Reach leadership team focused on the day-to-day oversight and development of the Bay Area Region. You will report to the Chief Operating Officer and work closely with the experienced professionals on the national team to achieve the following outcomes:

Grow Reputation and Impact in the Bay Area

Reach Out and Read has grown its influence as a thought leader and service provider over many years and plays a leading role as an advocate for children and families. Through an unwavering commitment to equity, justice, and community-wide access, the Executive Director will grow the organization’s role as a trusted partner to healthcare providers and community members across the Bay Area. You will speak on behalf of the organization at key functions and champion the importance of our work to elected officials. Your knowledge and connections within the Bay Area will be key to expanding our reach, as will your ideas for increasing visibility through community-led initiatives and region-wide campaigns.

Sustain anti-racist activism

Reach Out and Read strives to be an antiracist organization, using its influence to fight against social injustice by supporting a culture of learning, empowerment, and equity in our communities. We believe that changing the world begins with changing ourselves. The Executive Director will be responsible for leading our local work to address systems of oppression embedded in our society. You will also serve as an active participant and steward of our internal work to examine bias and foster a more just and equitable workplace. Your willingness to learn and lead is crucial to our ability to meet the increased pressures placed on communities of color during the pandemic and throughout our nation’s history.

Deliver High Quality Programming

Reach Out and Read is recognized for the strength of its partnerships with book publishers, healthcare practitioners, hospital systems, and communities. You’ll draw from your experience delivering community-based programs to strengthen excellent services to our partners, leading to the continuation and eventual expansion of our program across the region. The Executive plays a direct role in driving program quality through their management of regional staff and their participation in national working sessions. More directly, you’ll lead continuous improvement initiatives and actively engage with local partners to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.

Cultivate and Nurture Community Partnerships

Community relationships are at the heart of our work to serve children and families. You’ll work within the community to identify opportunities to open Reach Out and Read sites best positioned to meet the needs of children and families. You’ll work to meet these community needs in partnership with healthcare providers and then mobilize interest to promote expansion of access and even sources of government funding to support deeper adoption.

Maintain and Grow Sources of Philanthropy

The Executive Director is responsible for cultivating gifts and for stewarding relationships with existing and new funders. You will work closely with the national development team to identify and secure funding from foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individual donors. Your target during your first full year will be to generate $750,000 in donations by renewing gifts from existing funders and by accessing new sources of giving.

QUALIFICATIONS

In reviewing applications, we take a broad and holistic look at the experience of each applicant. We are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate most of the qualifications and experience listed below.

• Success leading and raising funds to support community-based initiatives serving thousands across the Bay Area.
• Strong presence within local BIPOC communities and a depth of experience working to end the systemic inequities experienced by people with marginalized identities.
• Demonstrated ability to examine personal biases and foster inclusive spaces for individuals of all identities and backgrounds.
• Ability to use data to inform decision-making by identifying prospective solutions based on analysis and an understanding of the risks and rewards associated.
• Communicates in a positive and productive way that elicits interest and support for core ideas and beliefs.
• Fosters strong interpersonal relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders that are grounded in a sense of belonging and commitment to a shared mission.
• Experience supervising direct reports and colleagues to achieve excellence through clear expectation setting, delegation, prioritization of deliverables based on the availability of resources.
• Willingness to speak promptly, directly, and with compassion to colleagues who are both junior and senior when disagreements arise or there are opportunities to provide positive or adjusting feedback.
• Desire and capacity to work in collaboration with colleagues and departments across the organization in support of shared goals and a common vision for success.
• Effectively cultivates and nurtures internal and external partnerships that leverage strengths and resources for mutual benefit.
• Experience inspiring and mobilizing internal and external stakeholders by sharing an ambitious, inspiring or otherwise compelling pathway to greater impact or sustainability.
• Ability to alter the pace and approaches to meeting local needs in order to align with organizational systems and approaches in place to support greater impact nationally.

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND LOCATION

Reach Out and Read offers a comprehensive benefits package. The salary range for this position is $140,000 to $150,000 per year. While many of our teams are currently working remotely, the organization expects to return to in person activities and to increase community-based activities in the near future. Employees are expected to live within the Bay Area, with some travel required to national events, conferences, and convenings.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this position, please provide an updated resume and a thoughtfully written cover letter addressed to the attention of the Reach Out and Read Hiring Committee. Use the online form to submit an application for this position and be sure to attach your resume and cover letter. You can inquire confidentially about the position, access support in completing the application, and/or request an accommodation by emailing search@positivelypartners.org. All correspondence will receive a timely response from the Positively Partners team.

 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, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We value diversity and are committed to equal opportunity in employment. Members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Reach out and Read is compliant with the American 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 notify hr@reachoutandread.org and we will work to accommodate your needs.