Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
State Relations Director
Based in the United States (Remote)
The Company:
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a monthly book gifting program that mails free, high-quality, age- appropriate books to children from birth to age five – no matter their family’s income.
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After launching in 1995, the program grew quickly. At first, books were only distributed to children living in Dolly’s hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee. It became such a success that in 2000 a national replication effort was underway. By 2003, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library had mailed one million books. It would prove to be the first of many millions of books sent to children around the world.
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Dolly’s home state of Tennessee then pledged to pursue statewide coverage in 2004 and global expansion was on the horizon. After the United States, the program launched in Canada in 2006 followed by the United Kingdom in 2007, Australia in 2013, and the Republic of Ireland in 2019.
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The results have been nothing short of staggering: from 100 million books in 2018 to over 250 million books in 2024. Today, the program is in all 50 U.S. states, with 21 of them having statewide programs.
The Role:
Under the direction of the Director North America, the State Relations Director will be a key driver of strategic growth and sustainability for The Dollywood Foundation. This role involves overseeing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) statewide programs in the United States, ensuring their expansion and sustained success. This position also leads state teams where a turnkey DPIL program is operational.
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The State Relations Director will effectively lead and manage team members assigned to report to the position. They will monitor legislative and regulatory activities at the state level to provide timely updates to internal and external stakeholders. They will develop and maintain relationships with government officials, policymakers, organizations, and other key stakeholders to advocate for The Foundation’s interests
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This is a remote-centered position with periodic travel throughout the United States and Canada.