Operations / Administration Director of Content
Job Description
Teaching Lab is an equal opportunity employer, committed to reflecting the diversity of the students we serve. We enthusiastically welcome candidates of all backgrounds.
Our Mission
Teaching Lab is a non-profit startup devoted to creating educational equity through instructional improvement. We aim to change the fundamental paradigm for professional learning in the US to dramatically improve outcomes for low-income and minority students. Our model uses teacher-led cycles of inquiry focused on study of the curriculum. We have supported teachers and students in Washington, DC, Louisiana, West Virginia, and New York.
Summary of Position
Teaching Lab is seeking a Director of Content to join our leadership team. The Director of Content will lead a team to design and deliver highly effective, curriculum-specific professional learning, with an initial focus on ELA/literacy. This work focuses on the creation of content modules to support curriculum study and cycles of inquiry.
As a rapidly growing nonprofit, we seek an entrepreneurial leader excited about building a team and an organization from the ground up.
Eligible candidates must have deep expertise in teaching, professional learning, curriculum, and the Common Core State Standards. Ideal candidates will have the unique combination of intellectual depth and skill in managing teams and projects. Above all, any candidate must have a demonstrated commitment to educational equity.
Responsibilities
All duties described below involve a mixture of directly doing the work and managing teams of consultants and/or full-time staff to do similar work.
Professional Learning Design (50% of time)
- Designing and developing curriculum-specific professional learning content
- Planning and managing large-scale content development projects
- Collaborating with high-quality curriculum publishers to develop aligned PL
- Supporting impact evaluation and refining Teaching Lab’s professional learning model
Professional Learning Delivery (25% of time)
- Planning and managing district professional learning partnerships
- Facilitating professional learning sessions in districts and schools (requires travel)
- Overseeing training and coaching of teacher-leaders of PL (primarily virtual)
- Advising district/school staff on effective implementation of curricula and PL
Management & Leadership (25% of time)
- Hiring, management, and training of content consultants and full-time content staff
- Participating in strategic decision making through Teaching Lab Leadership Team
- Developing expertise in research on curriculum, instruction, and professional learning
- Representing the organization externally through meetings, speaking engagements, writing and publishing
Qualifications
Teaching Lab team members bring both relevant experience and commitment to shared values and norms.
Experience
- Bachelor’s degree and minimum 5 years working experience
- Successful teaching experience with students from underserved background (3 years minimum)
- Full-time experience leading and designing professional learning
- Extensive experience with Common Core ELA/Literacy Standards
- Experience with implementation of high-quality, standards-aligned curricula
Values
- Passionate commitment to educational equity
- Relentless focus on results for underserved students
- High-bar for quality of work
- Growth mindset
- Intellectual depth and curiosity
Working Style
- Positive and generous teamwork attitude
- Reliability and follow through
- Commitment to use of evidence in decision-making
- Comfort navigating different working styles
- Tolerance for risk and entrepreneurial spirit
Working Conditions
This position is offered as an in-person position, based out of the Washington, DC offices of Teaching Lab. It is not eligible for long-term remote work, but offers flexible scheduling and working location on a daily or weekly basis.
This position will require significant travel (10-25%) based on organizational needs and capacity.
We are committed to building a sustainable startup. We love our work and want to be able to do it for years to come. This means that despite the pace and intensity of a startup organization, we commit to maintaining a balance between work and other parts of our lives. We do not expect team members to work perpetual overtime and we support families through generous parental leave (equal regardless of gender and sexual orientation).
To Learn More
- Read about our work in the Aspen Institute report, Practice What You Teach (pg. 9-11)
- Check out examples of content we’ve developed with partner orgs here
- Explore one of the curricula we currently support including:
- EL Education Literacy Curriculum (Grades K-5)
- Louisiana ELA Guidebooks 2.0 (Grades 3-12)
How to Apply
To Apply Please submit your resume, a sample work product, and responses to the following prompts to jobs@teachinglab.us using the guidelines described below:- If you had to choose the single most important trait or skill for this role, which would you choose and why? Describe how you’ve demonstrated this skill or trait. (max 500 words)
- Provide a sample work product that highlights your experience and qualifications for this role.
- What guidelines or materials were you given in order to develop this work product?
- Describe your role in producing the work product.
