Literacy Together Job Opportunity: Executive Director

Literacy Together in Asheville, NC is seeking an experienced and passionate candidate to lead the organization as executive director and add to its exceptional 36-year history.

Mission: To transform lives and communities through the power of literacy.

Vision: A just and equitable community in which literacy is accessible and achievable by all.

About the Organization

Literacy Together is a strong, stable organization with solid infrastructure poised to move to the next level of greater impact with the inspired leadership of the right individual.

Literacy Together’s core values include Lifelong Learning, Individual Dignity, Equity and Justice, Leadership and Innovation. Literacy Together believes literacy is a social justice issue and acknowledges and works to address the systemic barriers to literacy experienced by its students.

Literacy Together teaches individuals of all ages basic reading, writing, and English language skills through specialized instruction provided by trained volunteer tutors. Programs include Adult Literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Youth Literacy, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®. Students gain self-confidence and self-sufficiency to transform their lives as individuals, parents, workers, and citizens.

Literacy Together, a nonproﬁt organization accredited by ProLiteracy and serving the community since 1987, provides highly individualized tutoring to ﬁt the needs of over 300 students annually through the skilled instruction of over 250 volunteer tutors. Literacy Together is governed by a 12-member board of directors and staffed by nine highly skilled professionals. The organization has an annual budget of $462,000, funded primarily by a mix of individual donations, foundations, and government grants. The organizational culture is collaborative, committed, mission-driven, and service-oriented.

The Position

The next ED will take advantage of Literacy Together’s strong infrastructure, high-quality programs, and existing partnerships by continuing to develop collaborations and build relationships with donors and funders to broaden the organization’s impact. The next ED will also be a dynamic presence and an effective communicator strongly aligned with the organizational values of Lifelong Learning, Individual Dignity, Equity and Justice, Leadership and Innovation.

Organizational Priorities

The Board of Directors and staff of Literacy Together have identified the following as the highest priorities for the new executive, the board, and the staff over the next 12 to 18 months:

Continue Literacy Together’s track record of securing sustainable funding from diverse revenue sources by focusing primarily on a growing individual and major donor base
Strengthen existing and build new partnerships and collaborations to meet the community’s need
Support staff in delivering high-quality tutoring services as prioritized in the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan
Further define and deepen the organization’s ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, in order to identify and work to remove barriers to literacy
Conduct an organizational compensation and beneﬁt analysis, with continued exploration of healthcare coverage and other beneﬁts, to retain and motivate talented, dedicated staff

Ongoing Responsibilities

Vision, Mission, and Strategies – Work closely with the board and staff to translate Literacy Together’s mission and vision into clear, equity-driven strategic directions, goals, and initiatives.
Accomplishment of Management Objectives – Oversee operational and program objectives that support the organization’s strategic goals and lead the staff in their implementation.
Fundraising and Resource Development – In partnership with the board and staff, develop and implement appropriate and diversified fundraising and financial development strategies.
Fiscal Management – Ensure that solid planning and budgeting systems continue so that income is managed wisely and that the organization’s goals serve as the basis for sound financial planning. Ensure that systems and staff are in place to accurately monitor, assess, and manage the organization’s financial health.
Human Resources Management – Foster and maintain a strong staff built on teamwork and collaborative decision-making in a positive and empowering environment. Oversee staff development activities that build leadership skills and motivate performance. Ensure adherence to the personnel policies in all hiring and employment practices.
External Liaison, Public Image, and Partnerships – Serve as the primary spokesperson and public face for Literacy Together, representing it locally and regionally. Develop dynamic working relationships and collaborations with diverse constituencies, including government, education, and nonproﬁt groups that support the work of Literacy Together.

Desired Experience, Skills, and Attributes

Literacy Together is committed to building an inclusive workforce and leadership team that represents our diverse community. Candidates with a compelling combination of most of the following experience, skills, and attributes are encouraged to apply:

Strong fundraising and relationship-building skills with primarily individual and major donors, as well as foundations and government grants
A history of leadership or management success in the nonproﬁt sector
Background in youth or adult literacy, ESOL, or the education sector
Educational, professional, personal, and/or lived experience related to the essential functions of the job
Commitment to social justice and to programming that addresses structural inequities and barriers
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, strong interpersonal and public speaking skills, and success in increasing organizational visibility
Financial literacy and experience with budget preparation and management
Demonstrated ability to work with and facilitate strong board development and leadership
A collaborative, “bridge-builder” mindset with an exceptional ability to foster a spirit of cooperation with external partners and among board members and staff
An inclusive leadership style characterized by empathy, mutual respect, and trust that honors staff expertise, knowledge, and experience
Awareness, appreciation, sensitivity, and enthusiasm for working with diverse communities and cultures
A working knowledge of office technology (Google Suite and MS Office) and data management systems
Bilingual skills a plus

Compensation

The salary range for this full-time, 40-hours-per-week position is $65,000-70,000, with the exact salary depending on experience. Literacy Together offers a flexible work environment and a generous time-off package.