Literations envisions a day when all students, regardless of zip code, enter the fifth grade as proficient readers poised for academic success. Our mission is driving educational equity through experienced community volunteers empowering young readers for lifelong learning. We serve communities where opportunity gaps exist to ensure all students have the resources to become literacy proficient. Our experienced community volunteers are matched 1:1 with early elementary students from one of our 17 partners. These pairs meet weekly throughout the school year to accelerate students’ reading growth. Our highly-effective programming annually supports over 500 children to help them succeed in school and beyond. Literations is an affiliate of AARP Foundation Experience Corps, a national leader in engaging older adult volunteer coaches to improve grade 1-4 student literacy.
Literations is looking for an individual with demonstrated nonprofit program experience who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is flexible and customer service oriented. The Program Specialist will play a vital role in ensuring the successful implementation of our After-School program. This position is ideal for individuals who are self-starters, want to expand their skills in implementing a program model with fidelity, and are looking to grow their experience in stakeholder relationship building and management.
At the heart of Literations’ programming is our dedicated corps of older adult volunteers (50+). We are seeking a specialist who is passionate about intergenerational work and thrives when supporting a mature, service-minded population.
Overview of Position
The After-School Program Specialist, in partnership with a team of Program Specialists, is responsible for the successful delivery of Literations’ literacy program across our portfolio of Boston after school sites (currently 3 Boys and Girls Clubs). This role sits at the intersection of program operations, relationship management, and volunteer coaching, ensuring that every student receives consistent, high-quality literacy support each week.
The After-School Program Specialist will play a vital role in ensuring and continuing the success of Literations’ new partnership with Curry College, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Boston, and implementing the Aicardi Early Steps (AES) curriculum in all three of our after-school program sites. As the primary on-site contact for this partnership, the After-School Program Specialist will support not only Literations’ fluency programming but also the effective implementation of the AES curriculum with coordination, training, and evaluation opportunities.
This is a full-time, non-exempt, salaried position reporting directly to the Director of Programs with an average M-Th schedule of 10am-6pm, F: 9am-5pm. The Program Specialist provides weekly in-person support across their sites, with additional remote administrative work throughout the week. The role also requires attendance at in-person office days and staff meetings in Boston (2-3x/month) and several organization-wide events annually.
This position is well-suited for an educator who believes in the power of community to transform educational outcomes and who is energized by developing and coaching volunteers to become effective, confident literacy coaches for the youngest learners who need it most.
Core Responsibilities
As the subject matter expert in Literations' program model, the Program Specialist is directly responsible for ensuring consistent and faithful implementation across all assigned sites - and personally owns the coaching, observation, and ongoing professional development of volunteers at their sites.
- Supervise and coach volunteers and Site Team Leaders on a regular basis, guiding them in adapting proven strategies informed by session data and the Literations program model and materials
- Conduct regular in-person observations of student literacy sessions to ensure program fidelity and deliver timely, specific coaching feedback to volunteers
- Guide and facilitate regular planning sessions with volunteers to review and analyze student data and progress - and translate findings into adjusted coaching approaches
- Lead ongoing professional development sessions (with the support of the Training Specialist) tailored to trends in student needs and volunteer development at monthly team meetings
- Recruit, onboard, and directly supervise Site Team Leaders; direct and support Site Team Leaders in their role as on-the-ground logistical coordinators - while Site Team Leaders provide valuable day-to-day presence at sites, accountability for volunteer coaching, observation, and program fidelity rests with the Program Specialist
- Support the planning and facilitation of volunteer recognition events in partnership with the recruitment team
- During the summer months, support volunteer recruitment efforts including facilitating community-based information sessions and conducting new volunteer interviews
- Participate in Literations programmatic professional development as scheduled
- Attend and support volunteer pre- and in-service trainings throughout the year- includes Club and AES specific trainings
Program Operations & Data Management
- Oversee the full student enrollment cycle: student referral, guardian consent, student/volunteer matching, and session scheduling
- Conduct programmatic assessments for students and volunteers within your portfolio
- Utilize our data management system for regular portfolio operations management and program fidelity monitoring, including but not limited to: volunteer communication, updating volunteer records, program scheduling maintenance, etc.
- Regularly review programmatic data reports to monitor program fidelity, identify trends, and surface opportunities for volunteer coaching and program improvement
- In partnership with Curry College, manage the coordination and logistics of the AES research study
- Maintain clear, efficient systems for communicating session schedules and program information to volunteers, students, site staff, and families
- Manage physical setup of materials and coaching spaces at each site to support effective program delivery
- Conduct regular inventory / replenishment of site supplies and program materials
- Responsible for collaborating with each Site Team Leader to develop team meeting agendas and facilitate monthly meetings
- Manage the site budget and reimbursement process for your portfolio of sites
- Responsible for timely collection of session data and partner / program surveys; support volunteers in session data entry into Literations' reporting systems
- Collaborate with the Recruitment, Training, and Operations staff to ensure smooth volunteer onboarding and ongoing program administration
- Other duties as assigned, including staff-wide gatherings and support for fundraising events
Partner & Community Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary relationship manager for all site partners within portfolio, including school principals, club/program directors, academic liaisons, and data coordinators
- Collaborate with site partner staff to plan effective program implementation across the site
- Build strong, trust-based relationships with partner stakeholders and represent Literations at partner and community events, deepening Literations' presence within each site and broader community
- Collaborate with Director of Programs to build and strengthen the partnership with Curry College and Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston
- Lead regular partner meetings in collaboration with the Director of Programs to support program planning, data sharing, and partner satisfaction
- Proactively identify and address partner needs, concerns, or logistical challenges in a timely, solutions-oriented manner
Teamwork & Collaboration
- Collaborate with program team colleagues to create detailed project plans, timelines, and milestones that reflect team bandwidth and goals
- Attend and engage in collaboration meetings, workshops, and brainstorming sessions to keep projects on schedule and foster alignment
- Track shared tasks and follow up with team members across the organization to ensure the on-time completion of deliverables
Qualifications
Required
- Minimum 2–3 years of experience working in an early education, elementary school, or youth-serving setting (e.g., classroom aide, interventionist, after-school program staff, early literacy program coordinator)
- Demonstrated experience coaching, mentoring, or supporting practitioners (older adults 50+ preferred) — such as volunteers, paraprofessionals, or teaching assistants — in an instructional or program context
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust and work productively with a wide range of stakeholders, including community partners, school staff, older adult volunteers, and families
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong organizational and time management skills with high attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
- Demonstrated problem-solving skills and a proactive, solutions-oriented approach
- Technical Proficiency: Zoom, Google Suite (email, Drive, Docs, Sheets, etc), website navigation, and data management systems
- Physical Requirement: Able to lift 25 lbs to assist with site setup, maintenance, and transport materials across various program sites
- Current, valid driver's license and reliable access to a vehicle (required for regular site travel)
Preferred
- Combination of experience and education that equates to Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Education, Child Development, Human Services, or a related field
- Or a degree in the fields mentioned above
- Experience in: early childhood literacy and/or working with EL students
- Coursework or certification in literacy instruction, reading development, or early childhood education
- Familiarity with and commuting distance to [community] and its surrounding neighborhoods
- Bi-/multilingual: Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian-Creole preferred
Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time, non-exempt, salaried position (40 hours/week). The starting salary range is $72,000-$77,000 and is commensurate with experience. Benefits include:
- Health, dental, vision (80% covered by employer);
- Long-term disability (fully covered by employer);
- Access to a 403b retirement plan (2% employer contribution),
- $500 towards professional development,
- Generous personal time and
- Supportive working environment.
You can find a more complete outline of benefits .
To apply, please send a current resume and cover letter to In your cover letter, please share what compelled you to apply and address your experience in the nonprofit sector. Include “After-School Program Specialist” in the subject line. Please send documents as .doc (or other editable format) files, not .pdf and include your first and last name in the file name. Application review and our hiring process include several staff members to include diverse experience and perspective and mitigate implicit bias in our hiring process. No phone calls please.
Literations is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating and supporting a diverse work environment. Candidates of color, bi-/multilingual, bicultural, and LGBTQIA+ are strongly encouraged to apply.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $72,000.00 - $77,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Boston, MA 02110
