NEED IN DEED
Organizational Background
Need in Deed (NID) was established in 1987 when a group of Philadelphia parents endeavored to increase their children’s involvement in their school-based community service and, in doing so, to make the students’ academic curriculum material more engaging and meaningful. These ideas formed the basis of Need in Deed’s mission – transforming teaching and learning using a tailored framework for service-learning – a teaching pedagogy that gives students a voice in their classroom while allowing them to make authentic connections between learning and the real world. For nearly forty years, Need in Deed has strengthened student’s educational experiences by helping their teachers ground their lessons in service-learning initiatives that make academic concepts real and relevant.
Need in Deed transforms teaching and learning in Philadelphia’s public school classrooms grades 3-8. Our unique approach starts with individual educators, invites students to advocate for change, and connects the classroom with the community. We are guided by a vision for equity that honors every child’s right to a high-quality education, acknowledges every child’s potential, dismantles racist and oppressive systems, prioritizes social-emotional well-being, and puts students at the center of the learning experience.
Annually, supporting over 100 teachers in over 50 schools, we engage 2500 students in learning that makes connections between the world they see around them, the issues they care about, and the skills and concepts of the school curriculum; supporting classroom educators in using effective teaching strategies.
The impact toward education equity that we seek is that teachers:
- learn and incorporate student-centered instructional practices;
- show increased recognition of students’ strengths and capacity for learning;
- advocate in their schools and district for expanded student-centered approaches.
As a result, students:
- will demonstrate enthusiastic engagement in learning that leads to successful application of academic standards;
- will demonstrate comfort, trust, and belonging with their teacher;
- will identify community social issues, articulate their complexities, and implement and/or advocate for solutions.
Position: Program Coordinator
Reports to: Program Director
Work Environment: Hybrid (in person in our office in the Germantown section of Philadelphia and remote)
Overall Responsibility: The Program Coordinator will support Need in Deed Program Staff in the facilitation of our My Voice service-learning framework in classrooms. The Program Coordinator will handle the administrative and logistical details necessary to maintain our high functioning teacher network and contribute to the overall success of our organization.
Specific Areas of Responsibility:
- Assist the Program Director in all operations of the teacher network, including coordination of administrative details for teacher training sessions, help maintain and update records on teacher network activities (food, space, etc.), program evaluators, grant partners, etc.
- Assist Program Manager(s) in researching and finding classroom resources, community partners, field trip ideas, and possible service-learning project opportunities.
- Assist in the development and growth of the NID Student Advisory Council.
- Assist the Program Team in supporting teacher network members in service-learning theory and practice by contributing to formal and informal professional learning sessions and classroom visits.
- Help with planning NID events.
- Share photos and information regarding NID projects and related information via social media.
- Make recommendations for the future of the teacher network.
- Stay current with education and service-learning trends.
Education and desirable areas of expertise:
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in related field.
- Experience working in public school classrooms, preferably in an urban setting.
- Committed to the equitable education of all children.
- Excellent interpersonal skills: able to interact by phone, email, and in person with various NID constituents, including teachers, students, administrators, and community partners.
- Self-motivated: able to see tasks/projects through from start to finish.
- Organized: able to stay current with changing teacher network needs and maintain relevant records, attention to detail is a high priority.
- Pro-active: able to anticipate tasks/needs and plan accordingly.
- Strong verbal communication and presentation skills: able to communicate essential information in a timely manner to NID teachers, staff, and community partners.
- Good written communication skills: able to compose basic letters, emails, documents, and records.
- Experience with Google and Microsoft Suite, Airtable a plus.
- Access to reliable transportation.
- Desirable background could include: youth program development, classroom teachers, knowledge of city’s human services/non-profits, service-learning, etc.
- A related combination of education, training, or experience will also be considered.
Salary Range: 45K-50K. We offer a benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and life; paid vacation and holidays; and a 401K with employer contribution.
To apply, email cover letter and resume to program@needindeed.org
No calls please.