Community Programs Manager - Indy Reads

About Indy Reads  

Our vision is simple: 100% literacy for all.  

Located in historic Fountain Square and serving central Indiana, Indy Reads builds the literacy, English language, and job readiness skills to empower adults and families to reach their full potential. We advance our mission through our virtual and in-person Community Classrooms and our community bookstore, which serves as a retail space, community space, and extension of educational programming. This highly regarded, well-established nonprofit organization has nearly 40 years of experience in adult education. Under the direction of new leadership and deeply committed to advancing social equity within all aspects of the organization, Indy Reads is poised for growth.   

Our adult learners are at the heart of everything we do. Dedicated staff and volunteers work with native and non-native English speakers to strengthen their literacy and English language skills, earn their High School Equivalency diplomas, and acquire workforce certifications. With literacy and language education, our adult learners redefine their potential for success. They get new and better jobs, help their children with homework, and engage with society in new and deeper ways. Indy Reads advances social equity through education.  

Position Overview  

The full-time Community Programs Manager is focused on leveraging and enabling the potential of Indy Reads’ beloved community bookstore as a mission-centered and revenue-generating community hub. The Manager advances Indy Reads’ strategic goals by connecting the community and agencies to our mission in creative and value-adding initiatives and contributing to bookstore operations. Specifically, the Manager will facilitate community-facing, student-centered events in the bookstore in coordination and collaboration with internal and external colleagues, including Development and Communications colleagues, community groups, and corporate partners. With the Academic Program Department, the Manager will support Indy Reads’ strategic goals to engage our students and their voices as participants and leaders in community-facing programming, The ideal candidate will have demonstrable experience leveraging and elevating the profile of mission-driven initiatives to effectively and proactively deepen connections and relationships that advance our vision and generate revenue.  

The Community Programs Manager will report to the Senior Director of Finance and Engagement and contribute to a cohesive team that innovatively works toward the vision of 100% literacy for all. This full-time, non-exempt, 40hr/week position will have flexible working hours, to include weekdays, evenings, and weekends as needed for special events, bookstore coverage, and face-to-face meetings offsite. Hybrid work options may be arranged. 

The following is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job. Other duties may be assigned. 

Community Outreach 

• Represent Indy Reads at relevant external forums, including with partners and networks (such as Fountain Fletcher District Association, Indiana Humanities, and others), to bring attention to adult literacy issues in Indiana, promote related programming, and raise awareness of Indy Reads’ work and mission 
• Represent the organization positively in public as a professional representative and ambassador of Indy Reads’ mission, values, and initiatives 
• Raise the visibility and awareness of Indy Reads and Indy Reads’ community bookstore and programs in collaboration with the Bookstore Manager, Community Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator, and Communications team 
• Increase the usage of the bookstore space as a community hub for literacy-based resources for the whole family 

Community Programming and Fund Development 

• Collaborate with Indy Reads’ Bookstore Manager to generate and manage literacy-focused and mission-aligned programming in our community bookstore. Facilitate Indy Reads-led programming as appropriate 
• Work with program staff and teachers to assist with the design and implementation of 2Gen and other programming for and by our students and their families – both within the bookstore and the wider community 
• Assist Indy Reads’ staff, board, volunteers, and supporters to cultivate and grow community partnerships and business relationships to advance Indy Reads’ mission, programming, and fund development 
• Develop partnerships with organizations looking to host events in our bookstore to generate sales, build donor relationships, and communicate our program opportunities 
• Work with development staff to generate and manage programs/events related to the bookstore to cultivate corporate and individual supporters/donors, including the engagement and growth of our Literacy League (monthly donors' group) 
• Assist with select grant applications and reporting as appropriate 
• Track cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts in the organization’s CRM (Salesforce) system 

Bookstore Operations 

• Cover retail shifts as needed 
• Support the operations of the bookstore as needed, supporting volunteer training and management, and other needs that occur within the bookstore 
• Support the mentorship of Customer Service Skills Program (CSSP) Trainees, along with the Bookstore Manager 
• Provide assistance and planning for off-site sales opportunities as needed 

Organizational Leadership 

• Participate actively in staff meetings, social events, and activities 
• Support the mission and goals of the organization by supporting and participating in both revenue generation and mission delivery efforts and programs 
• Contribute to our ongoing learning and exploration of the expansive power of literacy 

Qualifications  

• At least 3 years of related experience, facilitating, curating, and designing mission-centered, value-adding events and initiatives that engage diverse groups  
• Strong internal and external customer-service orientation, ideally with retail experience, though not required 
• Proficiency with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office Suite, Office 365, Asana, Slack, and other tools 
• Ability to work well as part of a team within a culturally diverse environment with people from all backgrounds and with varying degrees of experience and skills  
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely as a public representative of the organization, both orally and in writing 
• Entrepreneurial self-starter who enjoys healthy challenge, and creating and implementing new initiatives  
• Able to work with wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including a diverse student body, colleagues, human services providers, and private sector employers to foster collaboration and partnerships 
• Multi-lingual proficiency preferred, not required 
• Demonstrated time management and efficiency skills; proven dependability 
• Self-motivated, highly organized, and eager to learn and develop skills 
• Curious, open, and dedicated to participating in Indy Reads’ journey to advance DEIA  
• Commitment to the mission of Indy Reads  
• A sense of humor 

We strongly encourage people of color, people from marginalized backgrounds, and people with immigrant experience to apply for positions at our organization. Indy Reads is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

Studies have shown that people from marginalized communities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. If you are excited about this opportunity and believe you have skills to contribute to the role, yet your past work experience isn't 100% in alignment with the listed qualifications, please apply anyway. We seek employees from all backgrounds to join our team and encourage them to bring their authentic and best selves to work.  

We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. 

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Indy Reads makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use his/her hands to feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk and sit. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required for this position include close vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.  

Compensation  

This is an outstanding opportunity for a highly motivated individual to assume a pivotal role in advancing Indy Reads’ mission. Indy Reads offers a very attractive compensation package, including a competitive base salary ($42,000-45,000) as well as health, 401(k), and generous PTO/days off benefits with 2 Weeks of Wellness, 11 Company Holidays, and 20 days PTO. 

Apply 

To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume for the position on the Indy Reads website. Applicants are asked to go to the "About” tab on the Indy Reads homepage and choose the "Our Team” page from the drop-down menu. A link to open positions is at the top of the page. Applications received by September 6, 2024, will be given priority consideration.