Director of Education & Partnerships

Position Overview

Director of Education & Partnerships

Full-Time, Exempt | 40 hours per week | Eligible for full benefits | On-site (Winston-Salem, NC)

Reports to: Executive Director

Direct Reports: School Program Coordinator

The Director of Education & Partnerships is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping, advancing, and sustaining Bookmarks’ educational mission through schools, educators, literacy organizations, and community partners. This position leads the strategy, growth, and impact of all education-related programming and partnerships, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and long-term sustainability.

The Director serves as a key external ambassador and internal leader, building systems, relationships, and resources that expand Bookmarks’ reach and deepen its impact on students and educators across the region. This role works closely with the Executive Director and leadership team to integrate education and partnership strategies into the broader organizational vision.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

● Lead the strategic direction, multi-year planning, and growth of Bookmarks’ education and partnership initiatives.

● Translate organizational strategic priorities into a scalable and sustainable education and outreach roadmap.

● Identify emerging opportunities to expand programming, deepen school engagement, and strengthen community partnerships.

● Establish clear goals, priorities, and success metrics for all education and partnership work.

Partnership Development & External Relations

● Build and sustain high-level relationships with schools, educators, librarians, administrators, literacy organizations, nonprofits, and community partners.

● Develop and steward institutional partnerships that advance Bookmarks’ mission and contribute to both earned and contributed revenue.

● Serve as a primary external representative of Bookmarks in educational, civic, and philanthropic spaces.

● Identify and cultivate collaborative opportunities that expand Bookmarks’ visibility, reach, and impact.

Program Oversight & Systems Building

● Oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of key initiatives including Authors in Schools, student field trips, school-based programming, and youth-focused events.

● Design and strengthen systems, workflows, and tools that support scalable and consistent delivery of education programs.

● Establish and maintain evaluation frameworks to measure program effectiveness, impact, and outcomes.

● Ensure all education and partnership programming reflects Bookmarks’ mission, values, and commitment to access and literacy.

Revenue, Funding & Sustainability

● Collaborate with the Development team to identify, cultivate, and secure funding opportunities related to education and partnership initiatives.

● Support grant writing, sponsorship development, and donor storytelling related to education programs.

● Identify opportunities to grow earned revenue through school relationships, partnerships, and program offerings.

● Contribute to long-term financial sustainability of education programming through strategic planning and partnership development.

Cross-Functional Leadership

● Work closely with the Program Director to align educational initiatives with bookstore programming, author events, and organizational priorities.

● Partner with the Development team to strengthen fundraising strategy, messaging, and external visibility of education programs.

● Collaborate with Operations and Communications teams to ensure effective execution, storytelling, and organizational alignment.

● Serve as a key member of the leadership team contributing to organizational strategy and decision-making.

Team Leadership & Management

● Supervise, support, and develop the School Programs Coordinator and any additional education or partnership staff or contractors.

● Provide coaching, feedback, and professional development to build a high-performing and mission-aligned team.

● Build staffing structures and capacity as needed to support program growth and expansion.

Accountability & Reporting

● Monitor and report on program performance, partnership development, and impact metrics.

● Provide regular updates and strategic insights to the Executive Director and leadership team.

● Identify risks, gaps, and opportunities within education and partnership work and recommend solutions.

Schedule & Hours

This is a full-time, on-site position with a regular schedule of Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week in our downtown Winston-Salem office location. Hours and days may occasionally shift depending on organizational needs, including events, holidays, and special programs.

All Bookmarks employees are required to work the annual Festival of Books & Authors, held the last weekend of September. Flexibility and team-oriented mindset are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications & Experience

While none of the below qualifications are required, our ideal candidate possesses a combination of these skills:

● 7+ years of experience in education, nonprofit programming, school partnerships, youth engagement, literacy initiatives, or a related field

● 3+ years of experience in a leadership, managerial, or senior-level role with responsibility for strategy, staff supervision, and program outcomes

● Demonstrated experience building and managing relationships with schools, school districts, educators, administrators, and/or community-based organizations

● Proven ability to design, implement, and evaluate multi-site or scalable programs, ideally in education or community engagement settings

● Experience developing and managing budgets, program goals, and performance metrics tied to organizational strategy

● Track record of securing, stewarding, or supporting funding streams such as grants, sponsorships, or institutional partnerships

● Strong experience collaborating across departments (e.g., development, communications, operations) in a nonprofit or mission-driven environment

● Experience supervising staff, contractors, or volunteers, including hiring support, coaching, and performance management

● Comfort serving as an external representative or ambassador of an organization in professional, educational, or philanthropic settings

● Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience with reporting, storytelling, or presenting program impact

● Ability to build systems, workflows, and tools that support scalable and sustainable program delivery

● Deep commitment to literacy, educational equity, youth engagement, and community access to books and learning opportunities

● Confident, proactive, and solutions-oriented leader who thrives with autonomy and is comfortable making decisions in complex, fast-moving environments;

● Strategic thinker who can balance big-picture vision with detailed execution and translate organizational goals into actionable plans;

● Enthusiastic about fostering collaboration between the bookstore and nonprofit’s outreach and programming teams, with a strong belief in cross-functional success;

● Skilled relationship builder who can engage effectively with educators, administrators, nonprofit leaders, funders, and community partners;

● Experienced in navigating school systems or large institutional environments with diplomacy, professionalism, and persistence;

● Comfortable operating as both a high-level strategist and a public-facing representative of the organization;

● Demonstrates strong judgment in prioritizing resources, identifying opportunities, and evaluating program impact;

● Dedicated to building systems, not just managing programs—seeking to create sustainable, scalable, and repeatable impact;

● Values data-informed decision-making and uses metrics and feedback to continuously improve programs and partnerships;

● Committed to cultivating a culture of warmth, respect, hospitality, and inclusion in both internal teams and external partnerships;

● Energized by mentoring and supporting staff development and building strong, mission-aligned teams;

● Deeply committed to literacy, educational access, and strengthening community connections through books and storytelling.

Salary & Benefits

● Salary: Starting salary for this position is $70,000;

● Healthcare: Monthly employer stipend toward premiums for employees enrolled in our United Healthcare plan;

● Paid Time Off (PTO): 12 days annually;

● Paid Holidays: 7 floating holidays to be used at employees’ discretion plus three set days when all of Bookmarks operations are closed (January 1, Thanksgiving Day, December 25);

● Staff perks: Bookstore discount and access to free print, audio, and digital books.

To apply, please submit a letter of interest and resume to ***email_hidden***.