First Book - job posting

Job Title: Community Development Coordinator
Department: Community Development
Reports To: Director, Community Development
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt


First Book is a national nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give 
children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first 
new books. Since 1992, First Book has provided an ongoing supply of books to 
children participating in existing community-based mentoring, tutoring, and 
family literacy programs nationwide.  First Book has collaborated with public 
and private sector leaders on numerous initiatives and cause-based marketing 
campaigns, thereby developing a powerful national network of strategic 
partnerships that are vital to our success.  In the last three years, First 
Book has provided more than 20 million new books to hundreds of thousands of 
children nationwide. 

In neighborhoods across the country, First Book Advisory Boards unite leaders 
from all sectors of the community to identify the most effective 
community-based literacy programs (Recipient Groups) reaching children living 
at or below the poverty line and provide them with First Book grants of free 
books.  

Summary:  The primary responsibility of the Community Development Coordinator 
is to work with the Director and Manager of Community Development to develop 
and support the relationship between First Book Recipient Groups and 
volunteers.  The Coordinator is also an integral part of the team that works 
with First Book volunteers in the field to help them provide children in need 
with new books in each community served by First Book.
 
First Book recently received funding from the Department of Education to expand 
First Book's efforts in Idaho.  This position will include working with the 
Region 2 Community Development Team to develop 15 Advisory Boards (including 5 
Campus Advisory Boards) in Idaho over the next two years.
 
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:  Other duties may 
be assigned.
        *       Streamline communications and provide customer service to 
Recipient Groups 
        *       Process Recipient Group Book Grant Applications and Award 
Packets
        *       Educate Recipient Groups on First Book events and coordinate 
their involvement in local fundraising and outreach 
        *       Help the Director and Manager with recruitment and maintenance 
of Advisory Boards
        *       Assist volunteers with fundraising, event planning, and 
creating promotional materials
        *       Assist in organizing and executing cause-based marketing 
campaigns 
        *       Work with First Book's database to track book orders, book 
grants, and Advisory Board accounts 
        *       Help with various tasks as assigned (writing monthly updates, 
tracking interest in First Book, research on potential local funders and 
partners for Advisory Boards) 
 
Idaho Grant Responsibilities:
        *       Organize and help prepare for trainings, conferences, and 
events 
        *       Develop Community Incentive Program (a method used to provide 
incentives to volunteers to meet goals for sustainability) 
        *       Assist in writing and editing regular Federal Grant Reports 
        *       Outreach to potential volunteers and organizations to start and 
join First Book Advisory Boards
 
Other Tasks:
        *       Assist in maintenance and improvement of the Online Resource 
Center
        *       Assist in writing and editing existing training materials and 
creating new materials (video, brochure) 
        *       Travel to Idaho and other states as needed to assist with 
trainings, book distributions, and corporate events 
*       Work with the Community Development Team to streamline efforts to 
increase the network of volunteer-led First Book Advisory Boards 



Supervisory Responsibilities:  Individual is responsible for assisting 
volunteers with guidance from team leader.

Qualifications:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able 
to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below 
are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities 
to perform the essential functions.

Must be able to work in a fast paced multi-tasked environment and possess good 
organization and time management skills, be self-motivated and energetic.  Must 
possess strong verbal/ written communication skills and strong interpersonal 
skills.  Individual should have experience in community organizing; an interest 
in promoting literacy; strong leadership skills; the ability to think 
creatively; and experience in staff and volunteer coordination.  Must be 
dependable and punctual.  

Education and/or Experience:  BA/BS preferred; prior experience working with 
community organization and interaction with volunteers of different levels; 
organizational skills; knowledge of MS Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, ACT!; 
basic accounting skills

Work Hours:  The required hours for this position are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 
Monday - Friday.  The individual in this job must be at his/her desk promptly 
at 9:00 a.m. each day, ready to work.  This position requires flexibility in 
work schedule and the ability to travel.

Candidates are invited to submit a resume, a cover letter that explains how the 
candidate is a good fit for the position, and a one to two page writing sample 
to recruitcoordinator@firstbook.org no later than May 28, 2004. No phone calls 
please.