Program Director, Club & Library

About the role

The Program Director, Club & Library, leads J3 Foundation’s flagship literacy programming: the Cozy Reading Club (CRC), the organization’s lending library, and builds and maintains J3’s book collection. In partnership with the Vice President, Program, the Director translates J3’s multi-year program vision into annual plans, curriculum, and consistent implementation across all school sites. The Director designs the training, tools, and fidelity standards for program delivery; equips Regional Program Managers to train and supervise the part-time coaches who execute the program; and monitors implementation quality and student outcomes across the portfolio.

Responsibilities

• CRC Program Strategy & Planning
• Drive annual program planning for the Cozy Reading Club, owning delivery against program targets and milestones, including attendance and outcomes goals; ensure plans advance the multi-year vision established with the Vice President, Program
• Develop and oversee the CRC’s approach to measuring student growth in vocabulary, comprehension, and reading identity, and collaborate with the Director, Data & Partnerships, to develop and refine measures of vocabulary, comprehension, and reading motivation
• Analyze attendance, fidelity, and student growth data to inform curriculum updates, training priorities, and engagement strategy
• Lead regular data review cycles with the VP, Program, and RPMs; report progress toward goals and other annual targets to organizational leadership
• CRC Curriculum & Experience
• Stay current on the science of reading, reading motivation research and social emotional learning to inform program design and strategic recommendations
• Own the Cozy Reading Club curriculum: design, maintain, and continuously improve scope, sequence, session plans, and materials
• Design programming that balances joy and rigor, embedding vocabulary, comprehension, and reading motivation development within high-interest, student-centered experiences
• Develop and execute an attendance and engagement strategy that makes the Cozy Reading Club an experience students don’t want to miss — growing voluntary participation through student voice in book selection, themed experiences, creative use of LA-based partnerships and experiences, and family engagement
• Curate new materials, thematic units, and experiences aligned with J3’s mission
• Pilot, evaluate, and scale program innovations based on implementation data and student feedback
• CRC Coach Hiring, Training & Program Fidelity
• Serve as hiring manager for part-time CRC coaches: define the coach role profile and selection criteria, lead recruitment and hiring in collaboration with RPMs and VP
• Forecast coach staffing needs across sites and maintain a recruitment pipeline to ensure clubs are fully staffed
• Lead, refine, and scale the CRC training program for RPMs and part-time coaches, including onboarding, session facilitation guides, model lessons, and ongoing professional development
• Create CRC fidelity standards, observation rubrics, and quality benchmarks for club delivery across all sites
• Oversee program fidelity in partnership with RPMs: track fidelity data across sites, identify trends and gaps, and adjust training and tools accordingly; RPMs conduct observations and deliver written feedback to coaches
• Facilitate a regular community of practice with RPMs to calibrate quality expectations and address implementation challenges
• Ensure training and fidelity systems are consistently executed across all regions, escalating implementation concerns to the VP, Program as needed
• Library & Literacy Resource Management
• Manage and grow J3’s centralized lending library (8,000+ books), ensuring selections are diverse, high-interest, culturally relevant, and aligned to club curriculum and student demographics
• Develop a collection strategy governing acquisitions, retirements, and alignment of titles to reading levels, languages, and student interests
• Develop and maintain systems for book lending, inventory tracking, and school-site book rotation
• Coordinate regular book distributions and student giveaways
• Generate usage reports and insights from library systems to inform program enhancements
• Build and maintain book donation partnerships and other external relationships that support the collection
• Develop and coordinate program partnerships that enrich the club experience, such as therapy-dog visits and author engagements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Library Science, Literacy, or a related field
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in literacy programming, curriculum development, or instruction, including experience leading a program (e.g., owning program goals, designing curriculum or training, or managing staff and systems)
• Strong foundation in literacy and literacy curriculum design, including working knowledge of the science of reading and how to build reading motivation and reading identity in students
• Strong knowledge of children’s literature and experience with book collections, curriculum resources, or reading programs
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to own multiple workstreams
• Effective communicator who builds trust across school communities, staff, and partners
• Deep commitment to literacy access, cultural relevance, and educational equity

Work Environment & Travel

Hybrid role based in Los Angeles with regular on-site presence at the J3 office, school sites, and community partners; this is not a remote position, and relocation assistance is not provided
Occasional evening or weekend work for training or events, including a minimum of one overnight trip for the annual J3 team retreat

Salary & Benefits

The full salary range for this position is $100,000 – $138,000. The anticipated starting range is $100,00-119,000. Placement within the anticipated starting range will be based on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise as evaluated during the hiring process.
J3 offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance, as well as paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays and office closures.

Application Process

Applications will be reviewed as they come in. Candidates who best fit the role and mission will be contacted for a phone screening, followed by in-person interviews with a panel, a short work sample, and reference checks. Final candidates will complete any required background clearances.

Questions

If you have questions about the position or hiring process, please contact us at hiring@j3foundation.org. To help us keep communication organized, please use this email address only.