Open positions: School and Community Programs Coordinator

Join the Texas Book Festival Team! Over the past year we have continued to reach schools, libraries, students, and communities across Texas. We are looking for an enthusiastic person, committed to education, equity and inclusion, and community. Also, must love to read!

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The School and Community Programs Coordinator with the Texas Book Festival is responsible for coordinating the Texas Book Festival’s school and community programs, including Reading Rock Stars (Title I elementary school program), Real Reads (Title I middle- and high school program), and annual grants to Texas public libraries.

The School and Community Programs Coordinator is also responsible for planning and coordinating community outreach events throughout the year and maintaining relationships with relevant community organizations, stakeholders, and nonprofits, especially organizations and events related to TBF’s diversity initiatives.

All TBF staff members help with planning work, event support, and communication strategies for the annual Texas Book Festival, the Texas Teen Book Festival, and other literary events throughout the year.

RESPONSIBILITIES

SCHOOL AND LIBRARY PROGRAMS

• Coordinate all components of Reading Rock Stars programs in Austin and other areas of the state, including:
  • identify eligible schools in Texas
  • coordinate school application and selection process
  • manage Reading Rock Stars contractors and volunteers
  • identify Reading Rock Stars authors and send invitations for participation (coordinating w/Literary Director)
  • develop relationships with childrens’ book publishers and maintain active knowledge of current landscape of childrens’ literature and publishing
  • communicate with participating authors and school administrators
  • create, develop and distribute curriculum guides for each author and school
  • manage program budgets
  • order accurate numbers of books for each selected school, negotiating maximum discounts
  • ability to deliver programs virtually as needed
• Coordinate all components of Real Reads programs in Austin and other areas of the state, including:
  • identify eligible schools in Texas
  • coordinate school application and selection process
  • manage Real Reads contractors and volunteers
  • identify Real Reads authors and send invitations for participation (coordinating w/Literary Director)
  • develop relationships with Young Adult book publishers and maintain active knowledge of current landscape of YA literature and publishing
  • communicate with participating authors and school administrators
  • create, develop and distribute curriculum for each author and school
  • manage program budgets
  • order accurate numbers of books for each selected school, negotiating maximum discounts
  • ability to deliver program virtually as needed
• Manage grants to Texas public libraries including applications, scoring, reports, and correspondence, collaborating with Texas Library Association throughout the year and at their annual conference
• Manage and update historical records for all school and community programs
• Maintain close communication with TBF’s School and Community Programs Board Committee, including coordinating committee meetings and issuing regular reports on school, library and community programs
• Serve as TBF contact with TBF Community Ambassadors, coordinating meetings and updating TBF leadership on development and community engagement opportunities
• Devise and implement community outreach plans to promote participation in and awareness of all TBF programs (w/Communications Coordinator as needed)
• Produce reports for Executive Director and Board as needed
• Manage relevant interns, managing their hiring, schedules, tasks, and recommendations

COMMUNICATIONS

• Assist in creating/designing TBF school, library, and community outreach materials
• Assist with maintaining and producing school and community programs content for website and social media

FESTIVAL PROGRAM AND EVENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with TBF events throughout the year, including the Texas Book Festival, the Texas Teen Book Festival, and other literary, literacy, or volunteer events throughout the year.
• Work with school outreach volunteer(s) to help coordinate class introductions for children’s authors at the annual Festival
• Program Children’s Activity Tent and Children’s Entertainment Tent at the annual Festival by leveraging community partners
• Attend Children’s Author Selection Committee meetings to assist with annual Festival programming
• Coordinate Real Reads program at annual Festival and Texas Teen Book Festival
• Partner with other educational nonprofits to bring programming to their students (ex., Breakthrough Central Texas, Andy Roddick Foundation)

EXPECTATIONS

• Actively participate in and contribute to organization’s long-term strategic goals and success
• Support and assist TBF team members when they need help
• Embrace the all-in commitment required to make the annual Festival a success and understand that evening and weekend work will be expected in the weeks leading up to the Festival. Post-Festival days off and a generous office holiday schedule for Thanksgiving and December are provided in recognition of extra work time needed for the Festival.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum 2 – 4 years of professional experience – nonprofit experience a plus
• Flexibility and availability to travel around Texas (typically 1 – 2 overnights) to execute Reading Rock Stars, Real Reads, and Library Grant programs programs, or to adapt to virtual program delivery as needed
• Experience in elementary education, bilingual education, and literacy preferred
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
• Aptitude with technology and working in several different kinds of databases and programs
• Ability to think creatively to problem solve and promote the Texas Book Festival
• Dedication and enthusiasm for fulfilling the Texas Book Festival mission

APPLICATON INFO

Please submit cover letter, resume, and references to Gavin Quinn at bookfest@texasbookfestival.org.

Application deadline is September 20, 2021.