Literacy Director

KIPP Memphis•Memphis, TN

About The Position

The Literacy Director is a systems-level instructional leader responsible for driving literacy and English language arts achievement across KIPP Memphis campuses. This role sets the vision for rigorous, standards-aligned reading and writing instruction; builds the instructional capacity of teachers and school-based leaders; and ensures that curriculum, data, and intervention systems work together to accelerate student literacy outcomes — including readiness for ACT, PSAT, and state assessments. The Literacy Director works closely with school leadership teams, instructional coaches, and the broader academics team to ensure every student has access to excellent English instruction and the support needed to close literacy gaps.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
Minimum of 5 years of teaching experience, with a strong track record of student achievement in literacy/English language arts
Experience teaching high school English/literacy required, given this role's responsibility for aligning instruction to ACT, Pre-ACT, and state assessment expectations
Prior experience coaching or leading adults (teachers, coaches, or instructional leaders)
Deep knowledge of K–12 literacy content, standards-aligned instructional practices, and the reading/writing skills assessed on the ACT, PreACT, and state assessments
Experience using student work and assessment data to drive instructional decisions
Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in education, literacy, curriculum & instruction, or a related field
Experience in a charter school, high-performing urban school, or similar mission-driven environment
Familiarity with Tennessee academic standards and state assessments
Experience designing and facilitating adult professional learning

Responsibilities

Provide real-time coaching and instructional modeling for teachers, including live observation and feedback, co-teaching, and demonstration lessons
Build teachers' capacity to deliver rigorous, engaging literacy instruction across reading, writing, and language standards
Support lesson internalization and curriculum planning, helping teachers deeply understand text complexity, standards alignment, and instructional purpose before they teach
Partner with teachers to anticipate student misconceptions and plan responsive, standards-aligned instruction
Analyze student work and writing outcomes to identify trends in student understanding and inform coaching priorities
Build protocols and systems that help teachers use student work to adjust instruction in real time
Develop literacy intervention strategies for students reading below grade level or struggling with foundational literacy skills
Partner with campus teams (including special education and RTI staff) to ensure tiered literacy supports are well-matched to student needs and progress is regularly monitored
Align instruction to ACT, PreACT, and state assessment expectations, ensuring students are building the reading, writing, and language skills needed for college and career readiness
Monitor assessment data across grade levels to identify gaps and adjust instructional priorities accordingly
Collaborate with school leaders to strengthen English instructional practices network-wide, aligning campus-level priorities with network literacy goals
Serve as a thought partner to principals and instructional leaders on literacy vision, curriculum, and staffing decisions
Design and facilitate professional learning on literacy instruction, including network-wide PD, campus-based training, and summer institute sessions
Collaborate with school leaders and the academics team to set and track annual literacy achievement goals
Represent KIPP Memphis literacy instruction in network-wide and community-facing settings as needed
Perform other duties as assigned in support of the academic mission of KIPP Memphis