Employment type: Full-time; 11 months
Classification: Exempt
Location: Elizabeth, NJ; Northern New Jersey
Average Salary: $97,000
Children’s Literacy Initiative is seeking skilled coaches with successful experience supporting teachers and leaders to strengthen literacy instruction. This role requires the ability to coach through complexity, translate data into action, and build strong, collaborative relationships that drive measurable impact for students. Ideal candidates are grounded in the belief that all students can thrive and that effective coaching is a critical lever for improving teaching and learning.
The CLI Manager of School Partnerships and Support is a(n):
- Content area expert in language and literacy instruction
- Experienced instructional leader witha clear visionfor systems that support learning
- Skilled coach who develops leaders and educators to strengthen instruction and outcomes
- Data-driven decision-maker who translates insights into action
- Strong relationship builder with the ability to influence and align diverse stakeholders
- Advocate for continuous improvement and a feedback-rich culture
- Adaptable and reflective professional who is comfortable in complex, evolving environments
- Champion for educational excellence and equity, ensuring that all students have access to rigorous, meaningful learning experiences
Responsibilities:
Instructional Coaching & Professional Learning
- Provide direct coaching to teachers and instructional leaders to strengthen educator practice and student outcomes.
- Design andfacilitateprofessional learning experiences and targeted training aligned to evidence-based literacy practices.
- Support implementation of literacy frameworks, culturally responsive pedagogy, and data-driven instruction.
- Lead collaborative planning and reflection sessions to sustain professional growth across school teams.
- Identifyand address barriers to instructional improvement, advancingequitableliteracy outcomes.
Strategic Planning, Partnership Management & Implementation
- Cultivate strong relationships with school and district stakeholders, serving as a trusted thought partner on instructional priorities.
- Partner with leaders to design long-term, sustainable literacy improvement strategies grounded in culturally sustaining practices.
- Develop and execute coaching plans aligned with school and district strategic goals.
- Collaborate with internal teams to ensure aligned, high-quality service delivery across partnerships.
- Monitorimplementationprogress and partnership effectiveness,identifyingmilestones, success metrics, and areas for growth.
Data Analysis, Impact Measurement & Thought Leadership
- Collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data from observations, coaching cycles, and student outcomes.
- Use data insights to inform coaching, professional learning design, and continuous improvement efforts.
- Provide clear progress reports and strategic recommendations to leadership, partners, and funders.
- Contribute to the refinement of CLI’s coaching models, tools, and professional development resources.
- Represent the organization as a literacy expert while staying current on research, policy, and best practices.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is motivated by CLI’s mission and brings a strong track record of improving literacy outcomes through instructional leadership and coaching.
- 5+ years of instructional leadership experience
- Demonstrated ability to coach and develop educators to improve instruction and student outcomes
- Strong understanding of school systems, leadership decision-making, and change management
- Deepexpertisein language and literacy development and effective instructional practices
- Experience designing andfacilitatingimpactful professional development for teachers and leaders
- Highly organized with strong project management and execution skills
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
- Master’s degreerequired
- Ability to travel (up to 25%)
About Children’s Literacy Initiative:
Founded in Philadelphia in 1988, Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI) is a national 501c3 working to advance equity in public education in the U.S. by ensuring Black and Latinx children achieve reading success by the end of third grade. CLI accomplishes this through job-embedded coaching and professional development, seminars, and workshops, and providing the books and materials teachers and children need along their early literacy journeys.
Learning to read has significance beyond building skills – it is an act of liberation. By helping educators learn and apply high impact, culturally sustaining instructional strategies and nurturing dynamic professional learning communities, CLI is building lasting capacity in teachers and principals to advance equity in education.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of instructional leadership experience
- Demonstrated ability to coach and develop educators to improve instruction and student outcomes
- Strong understanding of school systems, leadership decision-making, and change management
- Deep expertise in language and literacy development and effective instructional practices
- Experience designing and facilitating professional development for teachers and leaders
- Strong project management and execution skills
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
- Master's degree
- Ability to travel up to 25%
What We Do
Children’s Literacy Initiative is a nationwide educational nonprofit that partners with school leaders, teachers, and districts to improve literacy instruction and close reading gaps, particularly for children in high-need communities. It builds educator capacity through research-based professional development, classroom coaching, workshops, learning communities, and literacy resources, including children’s books. Its work supports students from birth through eighth grade in becoming confident, capable readers, writers, and thinkers.
