The authors of this article state that, as literacy coaches negotiate complex tasks in their work with teachers, they assume dual roles. The authors review the evolution of International Reading Association (IRA) standards, paying particular attention to the roles of literacy coach and literacy coordinator. The authors then present data on the coaching roles reported by a group of principals and coaches working in professional development together, but then enacting their own school-level initiatives. These data indicate that principals see coaches either as mentors or directors, and coaches in both categories define their jobs to include assessment, formative observation, modeling, curriculum management, training, and teaching. Finally, the authors provide a call for flexible models for defining the coach's role in a specific school. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)