Rural Education & Innovation - Instructional Specialist

Job Summary

The Georgia Department of Education - Office of Rural Education and Innovation is recruiting for an experienced Rural Education and Innovation Instructional Specialist. Under the Deputy Superintendent’s direction and supervision, this position aims to strengthen Georgia’s rural K-12 educational supports and services by collaborating with districts to enhance evidence-based instructional practices and academic opportunities for K-12 rural students. The Office of Rural Education and Innovation is committed to educating Georgia’s future by leading transformational efforts to ensure a prosperous, connected, and thriving rural Georgia. This position will ensure a strong foundation for Georgia’s K-12 students in rural areas.  This is a time-limited position.

Key Responsibilities

This position will support infrastructure development and expansion of district capacity, services, and supports for teaching and learning in rural districts; collaborate with rural curriculum directors and the offices of Rural Education and Innovation and Teaching and Learning to identify rural instructional priorities using data, assist rural curriculum directors in identifying barriers to high-quality instruction and student achievement; foster relationships and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders and facilitate coordination of targeted supports to develop, implement, and sustain high-quality, evidence-based instructional practices and supports in grades K-12 to eliminate identified barriers and possess strong verbal and written communication skills. Limited statewide travel may be required.

The job responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Description of Duties

• Support professional learning and technical assistance in delivery of evidence-based instructional practices in content/subject areas
• Create and implement coordinated action plans to install effective, evidence-based instruction in K-12 rural schools.
• Provide targeted toolkits, professional learning, training, and supports for identified priorities using GaDOE resources
• Establish, coordinate, and leverage statewide, regional, and community partnerships focused on the development of strong, systematic instruction
• Work as a team to align efforts to the vision and mission of the Office of Rural Education and Innovation

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to applicants who, in addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, possess one or more of the following:

• Specialist degree or higher in education, preferably Curriculum & Instruction or leadership
• Strong district-level background in Curriculum and Instruction, Teaching and Learning, Instructional Coaching, Leadership or related experience
• Content knowledge with emphasis in reading, mathematics, science, social studies, and/or STEM/STEAM
• 3 years experience in coordinating, developing, and conducting professional learning, data collection/analysis, and conducting comprehensive research and preparing resources for a school district.
• Experience at the district level in a rural school system
• Experience in data analysis and the organization and implementation of major educational or public agency initiatives
• Experience working with development of online modules, podcasts, data analysis and interpretation, and using a variety of software solutions (Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Experience conducting online webinars, meetings, and teleconferences
• Strong work ethic, self-directed, and self-motivated
• The ability to manage multiple, overlapping high-priority tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated success in team building and the continuous improvement process
• Working knowledge of designing programmatic infrastructure, data analysis, continuous improvement action planning, and leading stakeholder engagement activities

Note: Successful candidate will have demonstrated progressive success in designing, delivering, and/or implementing professional learning and building capacity, thinking analytically, troubleshooting implementation processes and data, and assisting in designing, developing, and implementing appropriate solutions.

                                                          **This is a remote field position.

Consideration/interviews will begin as soon as a list of applicants is established. Applications/resumes will be evaluated and only those meeting the qualifications may be forwarded to the hiring manager to be considered. Candidates chosen for interviews will be contacted directly. No notification will be sent to applicants except those who are selected for interviews.

It is the policy of the Georgia Department of Education not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, disability, or age in its employment practices. The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and each associated State School is a registered participant in the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify. The GaDOE utilizes the program to verify employment eligibility of individuals hired on or after July 1, 2007