Lead, Reviews (Early Literacy)

Purpose of Position

The Lead, Reviews will oversee and support the review of instructional materials within their designated content area, ensuring that reviews are evidence-rich, aligned to EdReports criteria, and meet the needs of educators and curriculum decision makers. The Lead, Reviews will collaborate with content teams and stakeholders to enhance review processes, provide expert guidance, and drive improvements in instruction across the nation.

This specific role will bring deep expertise in early literacy and foundational skills to EdReports’ work, with a focus on how children develop the knowledge and skills essential for reading and writing. The Lead will apply expertise in the Science of Reading, evidence based foundational skills instruction, standards, learning progressions, and up-to-date research supported practices to the review of instructional materials and related organizational initiatives. This role is well suited for someone who is energized by instructional materials and the review process itself, including working with educator reviewers in digging deeply into curriculum, collecting and analyzing evidence, identifying patterns, and translating findings into clear, accurate, evidence rich written reviews. The Lead will balance this detailed and diligent individual contributor work with broader content leadership, serving as a cross functional early literacy expert who partners across EdReports to strengthen review tools and processes, inform strategic projects and initiatives, and ensure the organization’s work reflects current research and the needs of educators and students.

Key Responsibilities & Outcomes

Responsibilities:

• Lead and support reviews of early literacy and foundational skills instructional materials, ensuring alignment to relevant standards, current research, and EdReports’ high-quality, evidence-based criteria. This role requires flexibility to support reviewer meetings and review activities, including late afternoon and evening availability when reviewer meetings are scheduled during those times.
• Apply deep expertise in early literacy, foundational skills, the Science of Reading, learning progressions, and research-supported instructional practices to support the accurate analysis of instructional materials.
• Train and support educator-reviewers, ensuring consistent calibration across teams to produce reliable, evidence-rich reviews that meet EdReports' quality benchmarks.
• Collaborate across content teams to update and refine the content specific review tools and processes based on research, feedback, and evolving educational trends, with a focus on improving instructional quality.
• Provide expert guidance and coaching to review teams, helping them navigate the review process and fostering consensus on key educational criteria.
• Exercise independent judgment on complex content and review questions, resolving issues within established review standards and elevating decisions with broader strategic or organizational implications as appropriate.
• Engage with external stakeholders, publishers, to communicate the review process.
• Serve as a thought leader in the ecosystem to explain the results of EdReports content specific reviews for a variety of external audiences, including educators, districts, states, and partner nonprofits that use our resources to select curriculum.
• Serve as an early literacy subject matter expert across EdReports, partnering cross-functionally to inform organizational projects, strategies, resources, and initiatives that benefit from early literacy expertise.
• Other relevant duties as assigned to support the organization's strategic goals, with the expectation that all EdReports employees remain flexible and adaptable to evolving responsibilities.

Outcomes:

• Successfully contribute to the completion reviews in line with 2026 goals and KPIs.
• Achieve 100% alignment in calibration checks across review teams by the end of each review cycle, ensuring that evidence and criteria are consistently applied.
• Implement three process improvements annually with a goal of reducing review cycle times while maintaining or increasing the quality of published reviews.
• Ensure that 100% of reviewers complete the required training and demonstrate proficiency, as measured through calibration activities and post-training assessments.
• Spend roughly 10% time engaging with the Brand Office to plan, share, and contribute to thought leadership ideas and initiatives, applying for and presenting at key events, and supporting partner organizations and funders to understand our review process and the outcomes of each completed review.
• Collaborate with colleagues to plan and contribute to cross-functional strategic and operational initiatives.

Travel

National travel will occur related to organizational needs and for professional learning, as needed. The amount of travel will be monitored to ensure it is appropriate for both the organization and the Lead, Reviews position.

Qualifications

Required:

• Passion for EdReports’ mission and vision, our core values, and our commitment to Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity;
• At least seven years of relevant professional experience in curriculum design, instruction, coaching, research, assessment, program leadership, or a related field, demonstrating deep expertise in College and Career Ready Standards, ELA instructional shifts, early literacy, and the Science of Reading;
• Understanding of K-12 ELA education political and policy landscape;
• Ability to analyze complex instructional materials and synthesize evidence into clear, actionable recommendations for diverse stakeholders;
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex initiatives and influence cross-functional stakeholders toward shared outcomes without relying on formal authority;
• Demonstrated skill facilitating adult learning, coaching educators or colleagues, and building alignment across groups with differing perspectives or interpretations of evidence.
• Exceptional written and spoken communication skills and interpersonal skills;
• Fluent in Google Suite, MS Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, etc.);
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience; and
• Residency in and authorization to work in the United States.

Preferred:

• Additional expertise in support of Multilingual Learners or Special Populations;
• K-12 classroom and coaching experience;
• Strong communication and public speaking skills, with experience in thought leadership and external engagement, including presenting at key events and effectively communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences such as partner organizations, funders, and stakeholders.
• Systems experience with Adobe Creative Suite, Salesforce, Canvas and online learning management platforms; and
• Master’s degree

Salary

The salary for this position is $102,824 - $139,114 annually. At EdReports, we determine final salaries based on the role's requirements and the candidate's experience and skills, while maintaining equity within our compensation bands. To support fairness and provide opportunities for growth, we typically offer salaries at or below the midpoint of the range. All salary offers are non-negotiable to ensure consistency and equity across the organization.

Benefits

We know the importance of living a fulfilling, healthy life–both professionally and personally. That’s why some of the benefits we offer include:

• Unlimited Discretionary Time Off (DTO) and Sick Time,
• 21 days of paid holidays and office closure days in 2026,
• Monthly Communications Reimbursement,
• Initial home office and technology setup stipend,
• EdReports pays for 90% of health care for both the employee and their immediate family, and
• 401k that new hires become eligible for after six months of employment (includes safe harbor, employer match, etc.).

Work Authorization Requirements

All EdReports employees must reside in and be authorized to work in the United States. EdReports does not sponsor employment visas, and we are unable to consider candidates residing outside the U.S.

Physical Requirements

Work is normally performed in a remote office environment including, but not limited to standing and sitting for long periods of time; and fine-finger and hand manipulation to operate a computer and keyboard. Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing electronic information, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, and extensive reading. This person will travel by car, air, or other transportation (as indicated in the Travel section) and should be able to physically withstand the demands of such travel. Employee may be required to walk for long distances at retreat venues or other relevant sites.

Core Competencies

• COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, BELONGING, INCLUSION, AND EQUITY: Actively welcome diverse perspectives, center equity in decision-making, foster authentic and inclusive relationships that promote a sense of belonging, confront biases to build understanding, and continuously build knowledge of systemic inequities to inform behaviors that lead to an inclusive organizational culture.
• ACCOUNTABILITY: Proficiently organize projects aligned with overarching objectives while proactively addressing challenges; ensure timely and high-quality fulfillment of responsibilities.
• COMMUNICATION: Effectively engage stakeholders, actively listen to others, convey information for desired results, and adapt style to foster relationships and trust.
• CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: Consistently reflect, seek feedback, and apply new insights; identify and implement solutions that enhance individual, team, and overall performance.
• CORE EXPERTISE: Possess skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform essential duties; keeps knowledge current; utilize multiple points of view to achieve goals and is a subject matter resource for others.
• ORGANIZATIONAL STEWARDSHIP: Cultivate external relationships, uphold policies, leverage historical insights, actively participate in organizational improvement, and adapt to align with the needs of the organization.