External Relations Coordinator

Book Harvest—an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to providing books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community—is seeking an External Relations Coordinator who is detail-oriented and has a passion for marketing and communications. 

This is a full-time, non-exempt position based in Durham, North Carolina.

Salary and Benefits: The salary range for this position is $41,280 to $51,280, commensurate with experience. Book Harvest employs an experience-based pay model with predefined salary ranges and annual opportunities for salary growth. Salaries are determined exclusively by years of relevant experience. Book Harvest does not inquire about prior earnings nor negotiate salary offers as part of our commitment to pay equity. 

Benefits include 100% employer-sponsored, gold-level health care and short-term disability insurance, elective dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) with a 3% contribution, generous PTO, paid family leave, professional development funds, a flexible work schedule, a purposeful workplace culture, and more. 

 Our Process: Apply on our website. A resume and cover letter are required.  The hiring process includes a phone interview, followed by an in-person interview with the External Relations team. Finalists will be asked to complete a work sample, then participate in a Zoom interview with additional members of the Book Harvest team.

Priority Deadline: August 8th, 2025. Applications received after this date are not guaranteed a review. 

Target Offer date: October 1, 2025

 We believe those who are affected most by literacy injustice must be centered in the work that we do, inside and out. We prioritize applications from individuals who have lived experiences of our programs or who come from the communities we serve, and we strongly encourage applications from candidates who identify as Black, Latinx, Indigenous or as a Person of Color; people with lived experience of poverty; LGBTQ+ individuals; people with disabilities; and others who may not have seen themselves reflected in books and stories as a child.
 

Position Overview  

The External Relations Coordinator plays a vital role in ensuring that Book Harvest's brand, mission, and values are clearly communicated across platforms and that our supporters feel acknowledged, informed, and inspired. This full-time position is a key member of the External Relations team and reports to the Chief External Relations Officer.

This position supports two critical and interconnected functions:

1. Marketing and Communications – supporting the development and implementation of branded content and campaigns, with a focus on social media, blogs, and website maintenance.
2. Advancement and Donor Engagement – ensuring excellent data hygiene, timely donor acknowledgments, and a consistent, brand-aligned donor experience.

The ideal candidate is a strong writer and digital communicator who is enthusiastic about building relationships with supporters. They are also detail-oriented, organized, and understand the value of consistency and care in how an organization shows up, both online and in person. 

This is a hybrid position; in a typical week, approximately 40-50% of the work will take place at Book Harvest’s office at 2501 University Drive in Durham, NC, and/or in the community. Typical work hours span Monday–Friday, with occasional evenings and weekends required for events and timely campaign execution.

Responsibilities

Marketing and Communications (50%)

• Support the execution of Book Harvest’s digital content strategy by drafting, scheduling, and publishing social media posts across platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Collaborate with the Chief External Relations Officer on the development of visual collateral that amplifies Book Harvest’s programs, stories, and impact. This includes the capturing and curation of compelling photo and video content at Book Harvest events and programs.
• Assist with the creation and distribution of email newsletters and digital campaigns; assist with the creation and distribution of physical mailing campaigns.
• Help maintain the organization’s editorial calendar and website content.
• Track and report on analytics related to digital engagement (social media, web traffic, and email metrics).
• Ensure alignment with brand guidelines across all external-facing materials.
• Conceptualize and design merchandise (e.g., t-shirts, hats, bags) and coordinate ordering and production with printers and vendors.

Advancement and Donor Engagement (40%)

• Manage timely, accurate, and personalized donor acknowledgments using the Virtuous CRM system.
• Maintain donor records and gift entry with exceptional attention to accuracy and brand integrity.
• Collaborate with the Advancement team to ensure a seamless and high-quality donor experience—one that reflects Book Harvest’s values, tone, and commitment to excellence.
• Prepare thank you letters, tribute cards, donor reports, and other materials as needed.
• Assist with donor list segmentation, research, and tracking for campaigns and stewardship.
• Support external relations events and campaigns, including logistics, communications, and follow-up.

Administrative and Team Support (10%)

• Take and apply direction thoughtfully; revise work as needed based on feedback.
• Build relationships with vendors and partners to support communications efforts.
• Contribute to team meetings, staff retreats, and organizational planning conversations.
• Participate in ongoing learning and professional development.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate demonstrates experience in all of the following areas. However, we recognize that talent comes from many backgrounds and experiences. We consider candidates on a case-by-case basis, and we encourage you to apply whether or not you meet all the qualifications:

• Demonstrated design experience with a strong visual eye—beyond templates—and deep understanding of color, layout, and messaging
• Strong writing and editing skills, with an eye for clarity, accuracy, and audience engagement.
• Experience supporting organizational social media accounts and using platforms such as Canva and Meta Business Suite.
• Proficiency in Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); experience with mail merges and other database-related tools, including spreadsheet formulas.
• Experience using a CRM/database system (Virtuous or similar).
• Highly organized, responsive, and detail-oriented with strong project coordination skills.
• Ability to work independently while also thriving as part of a team
• Ability to work well under pressure, particularly during high-volume periods like major events or appeal campaigns.
• Availability to occasionally work evenings and weekends for events.
• Passionate about Book Harvest’s mission and able to articulate the organization's goals to donors and partners.
• Cultural competence and understanding of the systemic nature of inequity. Lived experience of literacy injustice and/or direct experience with Book Harvest programs is a plus! 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Book Harvest is committed to creating an inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity and certified Family Forward employer.

Book Harvest complies with federal and state disability laws, including all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Book Harvest will not discriminate against any qualified employee or applicant concerning any terms or conditions of employment because of such individual’s disability or perceived disability. Book Harvest will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities, as defined by the ADA, or another medical condition who has made Book Harvest aware of their limitation, provided that such accommodation does not constitute an undue hardship for Book Harvest. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [email protected].

Book Harvest is committed to protecting children through its child safeguarding policies. All offers of employment at Book Harvest are contingent upon acceptable results of a thorough background check. Attention to detail matters: if you read this far, be sure to include in your cover letter the title of your favorite children’s book! Staff are held to high standards of child protection.