Employment Opportunity

Executive Director

First Literacy is currently seeking an experienced, innovative, and collaborative professional to be the new Executive Director. The ideal candidate will bring management, fundraising, and marketing skills to lead a dedicated team of highly experienced adult literacy and fundraising professionals. The Executive Director is the public face of First Literacy, working to expand awareness of our mission and raising funds to support
and grow our impact. This is an excellent opportunity for a strategic, creative, and results-oriented individual ideas, strengths, and career experience to work with an engaged Board of Directors to lead First Literacy into the future.

Click here to access the PDF version of the job description

To Apply:

Please submit your cover letter and resume to apply.firstliteracy@gmail.com. No phone calls please.

People of color and bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

ABOUT FIRST LITERACY

Founded in 1988, First Literacy’s mission is to ensure that adults with low-literacy or limited English proficiency have high-quality educational opportunities that enable them to thrive as individuals and as family members, in their workplaces, and in their communities. We partner with community-based literacy programs, mainly in Greater Boston, to ensure that high-quality classes are available by:

  • offering best practice workshops for teachers and other adult education professionals;
  • encouraging, supporting, and disseminating innovative practices and resources through our First Literacy Lab grant initiative; and
  • awarding scholarships and providing peer support for adult learners who are starting college.

THE OPPORTUNITY

First Literacy is currently seeking an experienced, innovative, and collaborative professional to be the new Executive Director. The ideal candidate will bring management, fundraising, and marketing skills to lead a dedicated team of highly experienced adult literacy and fundraising professionals. The Executive Director is the public face of First Literacy, working to expand awareness of our mission and raising funds to support and grow our impact. This is an excellent opportunity for a strategic, creative, and results-oriented individual with ideas, strengths, and career experience to work with an engaged Board of Directors to lead First Literacy into the future.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to, and with the assistance of, the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for First Literacy, comprising its staff, programs, finance, fundraising, expansion, communications, and execution of its mission.

Leadership and Management

  • Responsible for all programmatic, personnel, financial, operational, administrative, fundraising, marketing, and compliance aspects of the daily organizational management of First Literacy
  • Liaise effectively with local organizations and coordinate the monetary and non-monetary contributions of diverse groups including the Board, Community Advisory Council, donors, staff, volunteers, and community groups
  • Build and develop strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships between First Literacy and the Adult Basic Education providers that First Literacy supports through its programs
  • Implement the Board’s Strategic Plan while ensuring First Literacy’s viability and fiscal accountability
  • Implement effective processes to track program progress and outcomes, and regularly evaluate program components to measure outcomes that can be effectively communicated to the Board, funders, and other constituents
  • Set and measure organizational and personnel goals with appropriate input from the Board and staff

Fundraising and Communications

  • Oversee all aspects of First Literacy’s fundraising efforts including special events, grant-writing, major donor cultivation, and individual solicitation efforts
  • Provide leadership in developing, executing, and monitoring fundraising plans with staff and Board of Directors
  • Deepen and refine all aspects of communications and marketing—from web presence to external relations with the goal of improving First Literacy’s name recognition
  • Ensure appropriate representation, as a spokesperson, of First Literacy’s goals and objectives to community and corporate groups and other stakeholders
  • Identify and develop new partnerships with business and community leaders with the goal of creating new fundraising opportunities
  • Develop and manage an external marketing plan to foster and spread First Literacy’s message, outreach, and donor expansion

Financial and Organizational Oversight

  • Provide leadership in the development and tracking of the annual budget and regularly report to the Finance Committee and Board
  • Ensure legal compliance and fiscal accountability
  • Manage First Literacy’s retirement and health benefits
  • Develop or update policies and procedures as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

  • Minimum of five to seven years-experience in senior-level administrative or not-for-profit management
  • Experience with:
    • strategic and organizational planning
    • fundraising development, donor relations, solicitation, and grant-writing
    • marketing and public relations
    • personnel management and development
    • finance, budget development, and management
    • board development and support
  • Strong public speaking, and written communications and presentation skills
  • Excellent computer skills and working knowledge of QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, and donor/data management software
  • Flexibility to work evenings and weekends, as needed

Preferred:

  • Demonstrated understanding of Adult Basic Education concepts and providers, the learners served, and the needs of adult educators
  • Advanced degree or nonprofit management certification
  • Bilingual capabilities, especially Spanish

RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting to, and with the assistance of, the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for First Literacy, comprising its staff, programs, finance, fundraising, expansion, communications, and execution of its mission.

To Apply:

Please submit your cover letter and resume to apply.firstliteracy@gmail.com. No phone calls please.

People of color and bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Click here to access the PDF version of the job description