Join the Words Alive Team

Employment Opportunities - Detailed Description

POSITION:  Operations Coordinator

STATUS: Regular, Part-Time, Non-Exempt

HOURS:  20 hours/week, occasional nights and weekends as needed (scheduled in advance). Must be available at least 4 days/week. Time is negotiable based on programming needs.

LOCATION: Requires in-person/in-office work at offices in Downtown San Diego

COMPENSATION: $21-$22/hour; generous PTO and holidays, 403(b), flex spending accounts, flexible/family-friendly workplace

REPORTS TO:  Associate Program Director

WHO WE ARE: Words Alive connects children, teens, and families to the power of reading.  We serve students of all ages and their families throughout San Diego County. Each year, we serve 5,000 children, teens, and families facing extraordinary life circumstances through family literacy workshops, read alouds in classrooms, and teen book clubs. Words Alive is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

WHO YOU ARE: Our ideal candidate:

  • Is obsessed with organization, order, and planning to maximize success, every day;

  • Loves efficiency, often imagining how they could tinker with a process or an event to help it flow more smoothly;

  • Is excited about mobilizing groups of volunteers to assemble learning kits, inventory books, and coordinate events;

  • Is a stickler for accuracy and quality;

  • Is seeking a mission-driven workplace that values efficiency, impact, flexibility, and growth;

  • Approaches their actions, words, and work with a keen focus on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility; and

  • Is motivated by the power of reading!

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Operations Coordinator plays a key role in managing the logistics and infrastructure that keep Words Alive programs running efficiently and will require an individual who is passionate about processes, systems, and integrity. This role focuses on maintaining the organization’s headquarters in the East Village of San Diego, coordinating the distribution of tens of thousands of books each year to children and families, while engaging volunteers in building the learning kits (crafts and parent guides bundled with books) that transport and transform young readers across the region.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Fulfillment, Inventory, and Logistical Support (60%)

  • Manage an expansive inventory of program materials, including receiving, organizing, and distributing items such as books and learning kits.

  • Oversee inventory logistics, ensuring a smooth workflow for sourcing, packaging, and distributing tens of thousands of books and learning kits annually.

  • Coordinate logistics for program events and activities, including scheduling, organizing materials, communicating with partners, and staffing events as necessary.

  • Maintain accurate electronic records related to inventory and program materials, ensuring data integrity.

  • Transport books and program materials to/from partner sites, schools, or other locations throughout San Diego County using a leased vehicle (e.g. cargo van) or own vehicle.

  • Arrange mobile furniture in the workspace to maximize efficiency for service events, community events, or workdays.

  • Maintain a clean, well-stocked space for service events, inventory management, and workflow.

  • Troubleshoot and resolve logistical issues as they arise.

  • Contribute to the development of tools and processes to enhance operations and volunteer engagement.

Volunteer Coordination (30%)

  • Coordinate volunteer activities related to inventory management, learning kit assembly, and book distribution at Words Alive headquarters or community sites.

  • Ensure volunteers meet eligibility requirements including background checks, trainings, etc. as necessary.

  • Foster an inclusive and supportive environment for volunteers, providing accommodations, addressing any issues, and celebrating contributions.

  • Collaborate with corporate and community partners to recruit, train, and engage volunteers.

  • Communicate with volunteers before, during, and after service activities on an array of topics including logistics, expectations, operations, and impact.

  • Manage inquiries from prospective and current volunteers.

  • Track and manage volunteer service hours and engagement data, providing regular reports.

  • Recognize and appreciate volunteer contributions through formal and informal channels.

  • Represent the organization at community events and corporate engagement initiatives.

Other Duties as Assigned (10%)

EXPECTATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate has/is a(n):

  • Experience (1+ year) in educational, nonprofit, or a community service setting.

  • Highly organized and can coordinate many moving parts of processes, programs, and calendars successfully.

  • Familiarity with leveraging technology to improve processes, efficiency, and effectiveness of operations and logistics.

  • Self-starter who takes ownership of projects, with strong time management skills and ability to navigate many priorities simultaneously.

  • Enthusiasm for improving operational processes, including creating creative solutions to allow for a wide array of people to volunteer

  • Capable communicator – verbal and written.

  • Good interpersonal skills and an ability to work with a diverse variety of individuals.

  • Accountable with a strong sense of responsibility.

  • Resourceful and can take initiative and gather information to work through a project independently.

  • Comfortable asking questions and clarifying directions.

  • Ability to respect and uphold confidentiality.

  • Optimistic, positive, welcoming, thoughtful, gratitude-driven, and professional demeanor.

  • Unwavering commitment to the mission and population served.

Educational and Technical Requirements

  • High school diploma or equivalent, required.

  • Bachelor’s degree preferred. Certificate programs, degrees, or equivalent experience are also perfectly acceptable.

  • Ability to navigate various technologies while continuously improving processes.

  • Confident computer skills. Including the ability to use virtual platforms such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), remote working platforms (Teams, Zoom), apps (Asana, AirTable, Canva), and search engines.  

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with project or program coordination, fulfillment/warehousing, and/or data management systems.

  • Experience working with volunteers.

  • Experience coordinating groups and individuals.

  • Prior experience volunteering with or working for a literacy, education, creative arts, or nonprofit organization.

  • Written or verbal language skills in Spanish is a plus.

  • Lived experiences aligned with the organization’s mission, participation in Words Alive programming.

Physical Demands, Travel & Availability

  • This position is responsible for maintaining the physical goods for our programming and regularly includes bending, lifting, twisting, carrying, and moving materials and equipment regularly weighing 30 lbs. or more. The position also requires arranging furniture on a regular basis. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals to perform essential functions.

  • This position is also responsible for supporting the delivery of books and program materials throughout the San Diego metro area.  This includes operating a leased vehicle (e.g. cargo van) or to support deliveries, as necessary.  This position requires a driver’s license and a safe driving record.

  • Ability to work on a computer and phone for at least 50% of the workday. 

  • Ability to travel to and from events, activities, and meetings mostly in the San Diego metro area but occasionally throughout Words Alive’s service area.

WORDS ALIVE VALUES & CULTURE
At Words Alive, our programs and impact made in the community are driven by our core values, which represent the motivation, dedication, and focus of our Words Alive staff and volunteers. Our values include:

  • Commitment: by pledging to make reading matter for everyone

  • Equitability: by working to level the playing field

  • Empowerment: by investing in lifelong learners

  • Responsiveness: by listening to community needs and developing innovative solutions

  • Collaboration: by partnering with the community

  • Connectedness: by creating a familial environment that includes all Words Alive participants and support

TO APPLY: Carefully review this job posting, expectations, compensation, and criteria to ensure it is a good fit. Submit 1) a brief cover letter or introductory video sharing why you’d like to work with Words Alive, and 2) a resume or summary of experiences qualifying you for this position via email (only) to: [email protected]. 

Posted: February 19, 2025 Start Date: As soon as possible