TESOL Technical Officer II

Position description

FHI 360 designs and implements academic, professional, cultural, and youth exchange programs  for students and emerging leaders around the world. We are seeking a TESOL Technical Officer to join the Online Professional English Network (OPEN) team to support the development of  online professional development courses for English teachers, learners and professionals worldwide, as well as engagement opportunities for course alumni. OPEN offers English-language professional development through online university level courses, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and synchronous webinars. This project is funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language  Programs (ECA/A/L). Are you interested in learning more about how an international non-profit implements the foreign policy strategies of the U.S. Department of State through virtual programming to promote English language acquisition and teacher professional development? Ideal candidates will have a background in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), experience with learning management systems, and an interest in supporting the development of openly-licensed educational materials for educators and learners around the world.

Job Summary:

This position reports to the Project Manager for Online Curriculum Development and works closely with other Technical Officers and program staff at FHI 360 and with ECA/A/L to support the implementation of the OPEN Program, specifically MOOCs and alumni engagement and training  programs. The TESOL Technical Officer II uses expertise in learning management systems (LMS) to revise existing OPEN MOOCs before they are offered again. They are also responsible for the development of technical strengthening initiatives to leverage the multiplier effect of the OPEN Program through use of program alumni in follow-on activities. This involves developing distance training programs to equip alumni to effectively moderate online courses. As needed, the TESOL Technical Officer II provides technical support and guidance to new staff and program partners on standard operating procedures for course development projects, including training on program technical guidelines, processes, and tools. Serving as a Lead or Second Reviewer, the TESOL Technical Officer II ensures programmatic effectiveness by reviewing curriculum and materials for online courses developed by university/non-profit subawardees against program standards and provides feedback based on OPEN’s course development guidelines (TESOL content, Instructional Design, and Creative Commons Licensing) to ensure they are accessible, incorporate the latest methodology for English language acquisition, are appropriately licensed with Creative Commons Attribution licensing, and meet the needs of the funder.

Accountabilities:

Project Design Implementation / Technical Requirements

• Works closely with OPEN program staff and university or non-profit subawardees to ensure activities are implemented according to standard operating procedures (SOPs), ensuring project implementation remains technically sound and adheres to program standards agreed upon with the funder:

  • Revises existing MOOCs for future deployment in a self-paced format using the Canvas LMS.

  • As Lead or Second Reviewer for new courses, ensures project activities are on track with work plans and contractual requirements, with technical expertise informing project implementation. Communicates with subawardees to ensure that project milestones are completed on time and up to program standards. 

  • In collaboration with Technical Officers and project leadership, writes technical reports to facilitate best practices, policies and procedures, including but not limited to guidelines and standards for curriculum development and open licensing.

  • Provides technical support by contributing to the review of proposals for course  development projects and the selection of university/non-profit subawardees. 

  • Provides technical support by moderating discussion boards in MOOCs, answering questions and guiding discussions, as needed. 

  • Works with program team to ensure activities are implemented  according to SOPs, including training new staff on program guidelines, tools and procedures for course development projects.  

  • Creates digital badges for new courses.

  • Assists with presentations and online Community of Practice content, as needed.  

• Coordinates the training of OPEN alumni for follow-on professional development activities:

  • Develops content for, instructs, and updates the alumni facilitator training course to prepare alumni to serve as MOOC discussion facilitators.

  • Coordinates with program staff to recruit, schedule, track progress for, and coordinate certification for alumni facilitators.

  • Assists the Online Engagement team with developing training content in Canvas to prepare alumni to serve as Community Leads in the Community of Practice.

  • As needed, provides guidance to course development subawardees to implement alumni training and scheduling for facilitated MOOCs.

Operations Management:

• Coordinates with OPEN’s Operations Team to ensure that MOOC enrollment and survey details are appropriately shared and incorporated into courses.

Project/Program Reporting:

• Drafts participant satisfaction surveys for MOOCs, based on course objectives and program goals. Drafts reports based on survey results, as needed.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or its international equivalent in International Education, TESOL,  Instructional Design, Educational Technology or related field; Master’s degree in TESOL  or Applied Linguistics strongly preferred. 

• Minimum 4 years of experience including experience teaching or developing curriculum  for an EFL audience. 6-8 years of experience, including experience with EFL teacher training preferred. 

• Experience with learning management systems (LMS) required. Experience using Canvas  and teaching or developing massive open online courses (MOOCs) preferred. 

• Experience with word processing software, Microsoft Excel, and Google Suite (Docs,  Sheets, Forms) required. Experience with SurveyMonkey and SharePoint preferred. 

• Experience with intellectual property and licensing considerations in the educational  context preferred; in particular, experience with open licensing using Creative Commons  licenses. 

• Must be able to read, write, and speak fluent English. 

• Demonstrated ability to learn quickly, to think strategically and creatively, to find  innovative ways to respond to emerging organizational and project needs, and to respond  flexibly and adapt to changing funder requests and priorities. 

• Prior work experience in a non-governmental organization (NGO), government agency,  or private company required; experience with a USG international exchange such as  Peace Corps, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, or English Language Fellow or  Specialist preferred. 

• Sensitivity to cultural diversity and understanding of political, contextual and ethical  issues impacting English language education and training abroad required.

Typical Physical Demands:

• Typical office environment.

• Ability to spend long hours looking at computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.

• Ability to sit/stand for extended periods of time.

• Ability to lift/move up to 5 lbs.

Technology to be Used:

• Personal Computer/Laptop, Microsoft applications (i.e., Office 365, SharePoint, Skype/Zoom/Teams), cell phone/mobile technology, and standard office equipment.

Travel Requirements:

• Minimal travel expected for approved domestic conferences and overseas needs assessments.

The expected hiring salary range for this role is listed below. FHI 360 pay ranges represent national averages that vary by geographic location. When determining an offer amount, FHI 360 factors in multiple considerations, including but not limited to: relevant years of experience and education possessed by the applicant, internal equity, business sector, and budget. 

Base salary is only one component of our offer. FHI 360 contributes 12% of monthly base pay to a money purchase pension plan account. Additionally, all US based staff working full-time, which is calculated at 40 hours/week, receive 18 days of paid vacation per year, 12 sick days per year, and 11 holidays per year. Paid time off is reduced pro rata for employees working less than a full-time schedule.

Hiring Salary Range:  $68,000 – $87,000

Application instructions

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