Job Description

The Executive Director will lead the launch and growth of the Midwest Literacy Collective. This role offers a unique opportunity to launch a funded nonprofit, which is ideal for a leader committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of Nebraska students. The mission of the Midwest Literacy Collective is: we serve as Nebraska’s trusted hub for coordinating, scaling and sustaining evidence-based practices and resources to advance literacy for all learners, from birth through adulthood. Blending strategic leadership with hands-on operational management, the role is designed for a leader who thrives in ambiguity, builds strong teams and has a passion for literacy. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ideal candidate is comfortable toggling between vision and execution.

Responsibilities

Build the organization’s reach and impact across Nebraska and surrounding communities

• Cultivate strategic relationships with peer organizations, community partners, policymakers, education leaders and teachers, and develop strategic partnerships that advance defined objectives
• Serve as the primary ambassador, promoting public awareness and visibility
• Strengthen credibility and visibility through results and disciplined messaging
• Contribute to thought leadership, marketing initiatives and communications campaigns to support the mission
• Communicate directly and factually to stakeholders, policymakers, and partners

Deliver strategic leadership and operational oversight

• Build, coach and inspire a diverse, high-focused team in preparation for scaling the organization
• Foster an organizational culture rooted in equity, inclusion and belonging
• Continue to develop, iterate and execute on the vision and strategic plan by establishing and achieving annual goals
• Develop and maintain operational systems and infrastructure to support organizational growth
• Develop new initiatives aligned to the organization’s strategic plan and monitor their success and impact
• Maintain control of priorities, ensuring alignment with organizational goals
• Establish tools and metrics to assess organizational effectiveness and progress toward goals
• Oversee the organization’s budget and ensure responsible management of resources
• Ensure organizational compliance with legal, regulatory and policy requirements

Collaborate with the Board of Directors and committees to advance the organization’s mission

• Serve as a trusted liaison between the Board and staff, ensuring transparency, aligned decision-making and accountability
• Continue to develop, iterate and execute on the vision and strategic plan by establishing and meeting annual goals
• Identify risks early and implement corrective actions
• Attend board meetings and contribute to ensure alignment between governance and execution

Competencies (the skills, knowledge, abilities required for success)

Equitable Systems Perspective

• Passionate about the importance of literacy as a core tenet of access and achievement for students and community engagement to support literacy
• Deep understanding of complex education systems with the ability to navigate them to build coherence and drive impact
• Committed to the vision of a more equitable education system

Communication, Connection, and Relationship Building

• Excellent oral and written communication skills that support driving impact and change
• Solicit, elevate, understand, and value--either through personal experience or empathy--the perspective of a wide variety of stakeholders
• Navigate the complex political landscape of a large, diverse community with skill and diplomacy, building trust and productive relationships across various entities served by the organization
• Open to giving and receiving constructive feedback

Strategy and Project Management

• Comfortable thriving in ambiguity and designing new opportunities
• Effectively prioritize competing demands, with strong, inclusive project management and strategic skills, - - able to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously
• Analyze complex situations and data, before making decisions, and then set clear metrics for success, monitor progress and honestly acknowledge mistakes when something does not go as planned
• Operate at a micro and macro level, paying acute attention to detail while balancing the overarching goals with detailed steps to achieve the organization’s objectives and priorities
• Solutions-oriented, demonstrating urgency and sound judgment in accomplishing difficult or complex work

Requirements

Background and Experiences the Ideal Candidate Possesses

• Experience as a leader in education or nonprofit organizations
• Experience collaborating with Boards and committees to advance organizational goals with intentionality
• Proven experience leading high-performing teams using equity-based frameworks
• Experiencing managing an organization’s budget.

Nice-to-Have

• Experience leading an early-stage nonprofit organization or experience in a startup environment
• Experience serving the P12 education system
• Knowledge of the Nebraska education landscape
• Deep literacy content knowledge

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Decisive, assertive, and results-driven
• Independent thinker who operates effectively with minimal oversight
• Process-oriented, with a strong preference for structure and order
• Analytical and strategic, able to evaluate complex systems and act confidently
• Direct communicator—clear, factual, and authoritative
• High standards for performance, both personally and across the team
• Comfortable making difficult decisions and enforcing accountability
• Motivated by measurable outcomes, not recognition or consensus

Benefits

Compensation + Benefits

The starting salary for the position is between $200,000-$225,000 The final offer will be determined based on experience and qualifications.

About Midwest Literacy Collective

The Midwest Literacy Collective is a 501(c)3 funded by the Nebraska Community Foundation in partnership with the Lozier Foundation. The Collective is envisioned as a nonpartisan, trusted hub for coordinating, delivering and sustaining evidence-based literacy practices, research and funding across the state. The ultimate goal, grounded in the Science of Reading, is to help ensure that Nebraska students learn to read at grade level.