Literature

The Communications Manager is a leader in defining and managing 826 Valencia’s external communications, telling the story of what’s happening at 826 and keeping our messages current, compelling, and top of mind for our audience. The Communications Manager creates strategic, on-brand, and powerful messages that help to amplify our students’ voices and grow our media, volunteer, donor, and general public audiences. Alongside the Design Director and with the support of the Executive Director and Director of Advancement, the Communications Manager is “keeper of the brand,” responsible for the organizational identity as defined through written words, public platforms and advocacy, and online and print collateral. Under the Communications Manager’s leadership, all external communications will serve to establish the organization and our students as thought leaders on the topics of why writing matters, anti-racist education, and local issues impacting our students’ communities. 

WHO WE ARE
826 Valencia is an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to supporting under-resourced students ages six to eighteen with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our innovative model has inspired more than 40 like-minded organizations world-wide.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to the Director of Advancement. Supervises the Communications Associate. 

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, implement, and evaluate 826 Valencia’s annual Communications goals and plan
• Project manage, write, and/or edit the organization’s major print collateral and marketing materials, including: the annual report, the end-of-year appeal, various newsletters (monthly, volunteer, and stores), and special communications projects as they arise (such as donor cultivation materials, event programs and invitations, and special projects as needed) 
• Manage the website content and functionality
• Engage, cultivate, and manage press to ensure coverage of 826 Valencia programs, special events, and public announcements
• Manage 826 Valencia’s social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) and grow audience engagement
• Manage online networking platforms like GuideStar and Charity Navigator
• Use data tracking tools such as Google Analytics and social analytics to evaluate communications and develop strategy
• Serve as a resource to various stakeholders (consult on communications matters, uphold the brand, adhere to communication standards) 
• Facilitate communication among staff and between departments; engage the whole staff in communications and outreach work as appropriate 
• As a member of the Advancement (fundraising) Team, support with grant writing process, facilitation of external partnerships, events, and special projects as needed
• Supervise a Communications Associate by providing ongoing coaching, support, informal feedback, and formal evaluations

Other Responsibilities

• Attend staff meetings, participate in internal committees on diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-racism trainings, other professional development workshops, and performance appraisal systems
• Participate in the annual 826 National conference and in 826 network communications cohort
• Meet all deadlines
• All other duties as assigned by the Executive Director and Director of Advancement 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• At least 5 years of experience in communications or marketing
• Experience in nonprofit, arts, and education fields (preferred) 
• Supervisory experience (preferred)

Required Competencies 

• Demonstrates effective written and verbal communication, tailoring organizational voice for a variety of audiences, formats and goals 
• Able to manage resources, time, and people efficiently and effectively 
• Connects the work of others across different teams in a manner that is integrated, seamless, and inclusive; defines and communicates a team vision rooted in 826’s broader vision and priorities
• Provides appropriate level of day-to-day support to team, differentiating styles based on individuals/assignments; designs opportunities for growth in the scope of team members’ roles; and demonstrates ability to effectively manage others in times of uncertainty and change
• Creates and engages in opportunities for team to connect and deepen relationships, and builds team capacity to understand the impact of one’s own thoughts and behaviors on others
• Sets up strong collaboration structures and ensures roles and responsibilities are clear 
• Sees and responds to the big picture of which stakeholders are being engaged and heard, and actively amplifies the voices of marginalized or underrepresented groups
• Appreciates and articulates the value of diversity, equity and inclusion to 826 and its mission
• Pushes self to make necessary changes based on knowledge gained through courageous conversations about community context and happenings 

OTHER DETAILS
This exempt role is full-time (40 hours per week) with a flexible work schedule Monday through Friday (e.g., 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) and some evenings and weekends as required. This role is based at the Tenderloin Center, 180 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this role is currently remote from a home location with high-speed Internet access, but will return to the office when we reopen our centers. Candidates must be located in or willing to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they are expected to work in an open-office environment with substantial ambient noise and overheard conversations

BENEFITS

• $65,000 to $75,000 Annual Salary, with $1,000-per-year language premium for employees who meet the criteria
• Paid Time Off: 15 Vacation days per year (increases to 20 days after two years), approximately 9 Wellness days per year, 13 Holidays, and winter office closure. (Additional COVID-19 paid time off available through federal and state COVID-19 leave regulations)
• Health insurance coverage, Employee Assistance Program, group life insurance
• Pre-Tax Savings: 401(k) plan with employer match, Flexible Spending Account for health and dependent care expenses, Commuter Benefits
• Professional development funds (budget permitting)
• Reimbursement for local work-related travel expenses, such as between writing centers and school sites. While working remotely due to COVID-19, partial reimbursement for high-speed Internet and utilities
• Relocation support may be available if moving to California from another state
• 30% discount at all 826 Valencia stores

TO APPLY
Please fill out this brief application: https://forms.gle/ZZ4p6rLgKZmDynf46. Submit your cover letter, résumé, and writing sample  to hiring@826valencia.org by July 12, and write “Communications Manager” in the subject line. This position is open until filled, with an ideal start date of August 9.

826 Valencia is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving a diverse staff and inclusive work environment. Candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. 826 Valencia does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, political orientation, disability, veteran status, or gender identity or expression. For more information, read the 826 Stand: https://826valencia.org/the-826-stand/. You can read about our core values at https://826valencia.org/core-values/.

Are you excited to work with youth on their writing and learn about nonprofits? Are you eager to give back to your community? This opportunity is a 10-month, full-time AmeriCorps service position (40 hours/week), through the Bay Area Youth Agency Consortium or BAYAC (a program of Bay Area Community Resources, BACR). We’re seeking to hire several AmeriCorps members to support various 826 Valencia programs starting on August 23, 2021. 

AmeriCorps members will work closely with 826 Valencia youth, volunteers, and staff to encourage students to share what they have to say with the world, as published authors. The ideal candidates love working with youth, believe that every young person can achieve at the highest levels, and will do their best to provide necessary support. Ideal candidates can persevere through challenges in pursuit of improved outcomes for the students we serve.

WHO WE ARE

826 Valencia is an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to supporting under-resourced students ages six to eighteen with their creative and expository writing skills, and helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our innovative model has inspired more than 40 like-minded organizations world-wide. 

We offer a highly collaborative, hardworking, fun work environment full of passionate professionals who strive to create programs that transform our students’ relationships to writing, and build an inclusive community that meets the needs and reflects the diverse backgrounds of our students.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Programs Associate reports to a Programs Manager or Programs Director, depending on the specific role.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Tutor and mentor students in order to improve students’ writing skills, confidence, and pride; maintain student safety through positive behavior management
• Provide ongoing guidance and feedback to volunteers and interns so they can meet 826 expectations and tutor effectively; escalate situations to the attention of 826 Valencia staff as needed
• Curate and copy-edit student writing by applying style guidelines consistently and honoring student voice
• Build relationships with volunteers so they strengthen their tutoring practice, are able to give and receive feedback from 826 Valencia, and stay engaged with the organization
• Track student and volunteer data in Salesforce, including attendance and program hours
• Actively participate in 826 Valencia meetings, on various teams and committees, and other work events, to develop their professional skills, gain a well-rounded experience of non-profit work, and contribute to org-wide initiatives.
• Attend BAYAC AmeriCorps Team Days twice a month and all other required BAYAC events including Days of Service with a regional cohort of youth educators for further professional development
• Other duties as assigned

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS 

• High school diploma or equivalent (bachelor’s degree preferred)
• Prior work or volunteer experience with group facilitation and youth development, and have worked directly with young people
• Able to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols and complete the BAYAC application, a background check and tuberculosis screening. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records
• Case management skills and related experience (preferred)
• Any fluency level in spoken and/or written Spanish, Chinese, Arabic (preferred)
• Familiar with the communities that 826 Valencia serves, either as a student who has participated in 826 programs, was an English-language learner, and/or graduated from an SFUSD school, or as a resident of the Mission, Mission Bay or Tenderloin neighborhoods (preferred)

Required Competencies 

• Strong organizational skills and are adaptable; you are able to handle multiple tasks and contribute to a variety of projects at once
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Able to work with a culturally-diverse student population and staff, and have a track record of communicating authentically and respectfully to resolve conflict, even across lines of difference
• Excellent interpersonal skills, are team-oriented, are able to work with a variety stakeholders and audiences, and can leverage the right people and resources to achieve outcomes 
• Able to manage your own work, ensuring high quality and timely delivery, and can adjust work accordingly to incorporate others’ perspectives
• Openly and regularly communicates information about progress toward goals with your supervisor and team, and contributes to a culture of giving and receiving input
• Demonstrates awareness of your own feelings, thoughts and behaviors, and their impact on others, and seek to understand your strengths and limitations

OTHER DETAILS

This full-time role (40 hours per week) is a 10-month AmeriCorps service position, through the Bay Area Youth Agency Consortium, BAYAC. Programs Associates are not 826 Valencia employees. Schedules are Monday through Friday, with some evening or weekend hours, and vary depending on the specific role. Programs Associates are based at one of three writing centers in San Francisco, with some roles spending substantial time at school sites. The centers are open-office environments where there may be substantial ambient noise and overheard conversations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these roles may work remotely at times, from a home location in the San Francisco Bay Area with high-speed Internet access. Candidates must be located in or willing to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area.

BENEFITS THROUGH BACR

• $1,700 monthly living allowance that does not affect eligibility for work-study, any other federal student aid, or other federal need-based programs such as food stamps, Section 8 housing, or public housing 
• $10,000 combined education award granted upon completing a year of service (1,700 hours), to be used on college, trade school, or other educational expenses
• Forbearance on most existing student loans, so you do not have to make any payments while in service. Once you have successfully completed the term of service, the National Service Trust will pay the interest that accrued on any student loans while you were serving
• Health insurance and Employee Assistance Program
• Worker’s compensation insurance
• Subsidized childcare for eligible members

Additional Benefits from 826 Valencia

• Additional $900 monthly stipend from 826 Valencia (budget permitting). Should the monthly living allowance from BACR increase by any amount for the 2021-2022 service year, the additional stipend from 826 Valencia will decrease by the same amount
• Support determining eligibility and applying for public benefits such as CalFresh, Medi-Cal or a subsidized Covered CA health insurance plan
• Reimbursement for local work-related travel expenses, such as between writing centers and school sites, and (if not working at the centers) partial reimbursement for high-speed Internet at remote work location 
• Relocation support may be available for moving to California from another state
• 30% discount on any purchases at the three 826 Valencia stores
• AmeriCorps associates who wish to enroll their children in our programs may do so, as long as said participation does not displace our focal program participants

TO APPLY 

Complete this short online application: https://forms.gle/LwrStrMFtgpPKnfVA. Please email your resume and cover letter to hiring@826valencia.org, with the position title in the subject line. Candidates are encouraged to apply by May 31, since we review applications on a rolling basis and will hire until all positions are filled. 

826 Valencia is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving a diverse staff and inclusive work environment. Candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. 826 Valencia does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, political orientation, disability, veteran status, or gender identity or expression. For more information, read the 826 Stand: https://826valencia.org/the-826-stand/. You can read about our core values at https://826valencia.org/core-values/.

The Tenderloin Programs Director ensures that the students who attend our programs at our Tenderloin Center and in our Tenderloin Schools develop their skills, confidence, and pride in welcoming, creative, and rigorous programs: Podcasting Field Trips, After School Writing Workshops, and In-Schools.  Our ideal candidate has a proven track record meeting the needs of students of color who live in low-income communities, has actively closed the opportunity gap, and is excited to help students develop their voices as published authors.  The Tenderloin Programs Director is a supportive and experienced manager who can support a diverse team of staff and volunteers to do their jobs well, and helps each team member develop professionally. Whether programs happen online, in person at our centers, or at our partner schools, the Tenderloin Programs Director develops well-scaffolded, standards-aligned, and engaging writing curriculum and nurtures strategic partnerships with other organizations, teachers, and parents to best meet students’ needs.  

WHO WE ARE
826 Valencia is an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to supporting under-resourced students ages six to eighteen with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our innovative model has inspired more than 40 like-minded organizations world-wide.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
The Programs Director reports to the Director of Education. The Programs Director leads a team of six staff members. They will supervise one Programs Manager (who supervises three AmeriCorps associates), two Programs Coordinators, interns, and volunteers.  

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation

• Direct three innovative, high-quality, project-based programs that provide students with a unique opportunity to demonstrate learning, develop skills, and express ideas creatively; support the Tenderloin Youth Leadership Advisory Board and Black Literary Achievement Club
• Oversee assigned daily program operations and coordinate assigned program activities for all programs run out of the Tenderloin Center
• Develop outreach campaigns to ensure partner schools and focal student populations are aware of services and recruited to engage in programs
• Build systems to manage effective and expedient communication with teachers to schedule field trips and share information about students/curricular goals; develop supporting curricular resources
• Build relationships with community-based organizations to develop effective partnerships
• Design culturally-responsive, engaging, standards-based curriculum for a diverse group of learners with varied strengths and needs
• Determine program priorities and track progress towards goals/objectives; evaluate program effectiveness to develop improved methods for program delivery and report out impact
• Manage related student publications and coordinate release parties for students and families
• Report on program progress to fundraising and volunteer teams

Supervision

• Supervise and support one programs manager (who supervises three AmeriCorps associates) and two programs coordinators by providing ongoing coaching and conducting formal evaluations
• Coordinate and supervise the activities of assigned volunteers; recruit, train, support, and celebrate volunteers to ensure adequate staffing; track volunteer participation in Salesforce
• Supervise interns effectively and support their professional development

Other Duties

• Attend staff meetings, participate in internal committees on diversity, equity and inclusion, the annual 826 National conference, anti-racism trainings, other professional development workshops, and performance appraisal systems
• Meet all deadlines
• Update relevant sections of the 826 Valencia website and publication materials
• Provide updates to development staff and host funders as needed
• Work collaboratively with all staff members to ensure robust programming
• All other duties as assigned by the Executive Director

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree 
• Teaching Credential, English and/or Elementary Education, with CLAD certification
• At least ten years of experience in education and five years experience in management
• Demonstrated ability to improve student achievement
• Familiarity with Google Suite and Microsoft Office programs
• Experience using Google Classroom and Zoom (preferred)
• Bilingual in Spanish or Arabic (preferred)
• Able to complete a background check and tuberculosis screening

Required Competencies

• Designs enduring, scalable, and codified systems for sustainable programs that plan for interdependencies, risks and contingencies.
• Leads others in creative problem solving, applying project management and field best practices.
• Develops and implements systems to effectively support managers in developing and demonstrating management skills; develops and implements accountability and coaching structures to support team members at all job levels.
• Develops and implements systems to take down silos within and across departments, creating formal/informal structures for cross-department collaboration that leverages differences and inspires trust among members.
• Demonstrates awareness of cultural values, biases and differences in self and others and tailors approach based on this understanding. Applies a culturally competent lens to work, ensuring an inclusive environment where people of all backgrounds can thrive..
• Demonstrates highly developed awareness of how one’s leadership and behaviors directly and indirectly impact others; anticipates and understands implications and communicates these across the organization.
• Confidently leads the team through times of change and transition, working with the team to identify opportunities for innovation and new possibilities amidst change.
• Identifies and understands stakeholder perspectives. Anticipates and embraces stakeholder reactions and works to address concerns in ways that resonate.
• Creates a culture of professional development, continuous feedback, and mutual support among staff within purview and in collaboration with other directors; provides a compelling career progression within the department and environment for growth and development;  develops and implements systems to celebrate team accomplishments.

OTHER DETAILS
This exempt, full-time role (40 hours per week) is based at the Tenderloin Center, 180 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this role is currently remote with high-speed Internet access needed, but will return to the office when we reopen our centers. Candidates must be located in or willing to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area by Monday, August 2, and able to work in an open-office environment where there may be substantial ambient noise and overheard conversations. 

BENEFITS

• $75,000 to $85,000 Annual Salary, with $1,000-per-year language premium for employees who meet the criteria
• Paid Time Off: 15 Vacation days per year (increases to 20 days after two years), approximately 9 Wellness days per year, 13 Holidays, and winter office closure. (Additional COVID-19 paid time off available through federal and state COVID-19 leave regulations)
• Health insurance coverage, Employee Assistance Program, group life insurance
• Pre-Tax Savings: 401(k) plan with employer match, Flexible Spending Account for health and dependent care expenses, Commuter Benefits
• Professional development funds (budget permitting)
• Reimbursement for local work-related travel expenses, such as between writing centers and school sites. While working remotely due to COVID-19, partial reimbursement for high-speed Internet and utilities
• Relocation support may be available if moving to California from another state
• 30% discount at all 826 Valencia stores

TO APPLY
Please fill out this short application: https://forms.gle/iPDniXMuJohxAcw16. Send a résumé and cover letter to hiring@826valencia.org with “Tenderloin Programs Director” in the subject line.  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through June 15 or until filled. 

826 Valencia is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving a diverse staff and inclusive work environment. Candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. 826 Valencia does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, political orientation, disability, veteran status, or gender identity or expression. For more information, read the 826 Stand: https://826valencia.org/the-826-stand/. You can read about our core values at https://826valencia.org/core-values/.