The Opportunity
As the Director of External Affairs, you will have the unique opportunity to help shape the future direction of Reach Out and Read (ROR) by leading the external affairs and positioning of a nationally networked organization. This includes driving public awareness, brand visibility and overall communications strategies to raise the profile of the Reach Out and Read mission, creating and managing national relationships, and elevating the impact of the organization’s vision, values, and commitment to empowering and increasing equity in the communities that we serve, nationwide. The role reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and sits on the national Senior Leadership Team.
Your Key Responsibilities will include leading national strategy development and implementation efforts in the following key areas:
Public Relations
Communications and Branding Strategy
National Partnership Management & Development
Affiliate and Network Support and Technical Assistance
Qualifications and Experience:
There are innumerable ways to learn, grow and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. 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. We are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below and are committed to doing this work from an equity lens:
Position Specifications
This is a full time, exempt position. The Director of External Affairs may work from a home-based office anywhere in the country but travel to Boston and national meetings will be needed about 4 to 5 times a year.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is $115,000.00 - $130,000.00 and is commensurate with experience. ROR offers a robust benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with match, paid time off, and more.
Commitment to Diversity
Reach Out and Read is committed to building an organization that embraces diversity, pursues equity, and fosters an environment of inclusion. ROR sits at the intersection of health and education, uniquely positioned to play a critical role in addressing systemic disparities and inequities in the public health framework. ROR strives to be an antiracist organization, using its influence to fight against social injustice by supporting a culture of learning, empowerment, equity, and a deep appreciation for the unique experiences that we each bring to our communities. And, we believe that changing the world begins with holding ourselves and our workplace to that same standard.
About Reach Out and Read
Founded in 1989, Reach Out and Read is a national non-profit organization working to ensure all families have the opportunity to create meaningful everyday moments through shared reading aloud and building relationships. By leveraging pediatric care to champion the positive effects of reading daily and distribute books, Reach Out and Read gives young children a foundation for success and reaches 4.2 million children across the county – half of whom identify as BIPOC and a quarter of whom come from low-income families.
Reach Out and Read’s tens of thousands of trained pediatric providers use books as a diagnostic tool during regular check-ups, and teach parents how to engage their child with a book to promote positive parent-child interactions during the rapid brain growth between birth and age five. The daily practice of reading aloud with a parent supports children’s literacy and math skill development, their social-emotional development, and prepares them for future success in school. Working together with our sites and providers, we leverage our three decades of expertise, build on our literacy foundations, and engage our shared networks as a catalyst for change, focusing on equitably strengthening and deepening our impact on the children, families, and communities we serve.
The Impact
------------------------------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, gender identity or expression, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status. Reach out and Read is compliant with the Americans 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 us and our HR team will work to accommodate your needs.