Austin Bat Cave - Mobile Literacy Specialist
Position Summary: Austin Bat Cave (ABC) seeks a part-time Mobile Literacy Specialist beginning in January, 2025. The rising cost of living in Austin is pushing low-income families away from the urban core and limiting access to creative arts programming. In 2018, Austin Bat Cave purchased and converted a city bus—the ABC Bat Mobile—into a mobile classroom and bookmobile. The Bat Mobile brings free books and literacy workshops to youth living in Austin’s surrounding rural areas and has served multiple schools and communities in Austin and Del Valle in after-school programs, in-school programs and community events, including distributing free books to 650 students in 2023.
The Mobile Literacy Specialist will oversee the mobile program and serve as the liaison between ABC and the communities served by the Bat Mobile. Key Mobile Program stakeholders include students, parents, and school and nonprofit partners.
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
Work directly with the Executive Director and Program Director to plan and implement ABC’s mobile programs as well as to design metrics for assessing efficacy of programs.
Manage weekly operation of mobile program, including driving the bus and attending to its maintenance (gas, etc), reporting to the Executive Director when additional maintenance is needed.
Plan and set learning objectives, develop literacy curriculum, and create lesson plans for Mobile Program events and drop-ins.
Maintain and organize the mobile library and collaborate with local partners for new book donations, including inventorying and keeping in-kind donation records.
Serve as liaison with partner schools/organizations to ensure needs are met.
Expand mobile programming into new schools and organizations and nurture existing school/organization relationships.
Keep records of lesson plans, student work, surveys and other forms.
Collect data to measure program impact and utilize metrics to improve mobile programming and for future funding opportunities.
Sub for regular weekly programs as needed.
Qualifications and Skills:
Bilingual in English and Spanish
Teaching and/or youth programming experience (minimum of 2 years) working with K-5th grade students (early childhood literacy training preferred).
Valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with a variety of audiences.
Excellent organizational skills and a strong attention to detail.
Self-direction and a strong ability to multitask.
Knowledge of and passion for ABC’s mission and programs.
Strong knowledge of education issues, including a clear understanding of issues around equity in public school settings.
Must have a reasonably flexible schedule and be able to take on tasks as they come up.
Must be able to commit to 20 hours per week (including hours present at workshops and some remote hours that fit your schedule).
Must be willing to assist in the transport of materials and boxes of books up to 50lbs (accomodations and assistance for transport can be provided).
Pass a background check, district fingerprinting and complete subsequent ABC trainings
Proficiency in Google programs (Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive)
A strong collaborative spirit, a positive attitude, and a sense of creativity and fun!
Compensation and Benefits:
Hours Per Week: 15-20 hours per week
Starting Salary: $30/hr
Start: January, 2025.
How to Apply: Please send a resume, cover letter that addresses your relevant experience and answers the following questions to ABC’s Executive Director, Leticia Urieta, on or before Friday, December 20th at leticia@austinbatcave.org:
Tell us why you are interested in working with ABC.
What challenges do students from low-income communities face, and how can ABC better serve these students?
What is your comfort level with transporting a large vehicle like the Bat Mobile? How would you troubleshoot a situation where the bus had mechanical problems or would not start?
Austin Bat Cave is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity.
Application Deadline: December 20th
About Austin Bat Cave: Austin Bat Cave is a creative community. Our writing programs empower students to find their voices and tell their stories.
