Accelerate Fellows Program Directors are responsible for supporting and tracking the progress of up to 50 undergraduate Accelerate Fellows over the course of a eight week fellowship experience during the summer of 2018. Accelerate Program Directors will guide fellows in their understanding of social and civic innovation and the role that Teach For America and its corps members and alumni play in the fight for equity in education and beyond. They’ll also be responsible for coaching Fellows, maintaining relationships with fellowship hosts and partners in each region, facilitating adult learning, and delivering programming for fellows during the course of training. Accelerate Program Directors must be available to travel regularly and work evenings and weekends from June 18 through the first week of August 11, as the fellowship will take place in Chicago, Nashville, and New Mexico. Accelerate Program Directors must also be travel for in-person trainings (2-4 days) and participate in virtual and independent training and prep work during the spring and early summer.
Accelerate: Teach For America’s Leadership Fellowship
Accelerate Fellows engage in eight weeks of high-impact, hands-on, and community driven work in three communities served by Teach For America across the country. Fellows begin with training on innovation and social change, then apply these new skills in social and private sector organizations lead by Teach For America alumni. With the support of Teach For America’s alumni, staff and community partners fellows work together to develop solutions to local and regional issues that directly impact the educational experience of community members. Accelerate Fellows earn a competitive compensation package including a generous salary, travel and accommodations.
- Facilitating professional development for fellows in small and large groups
- Assessing and managing performance in fellowship projects and at host organizations
- Providing coaching and feedback to fellows around ventures and pitch ideas
- Managing relationships with regional Teach For America staff, community partners, and fellowship hosts
- Execute and lead community immersion experiences, including but not limited to organization site visits, school visits, community interviews, solution validation, focus groups, etc.
- Maintain and manage relationships with external partner organizations
- Lead and facilitate collaboration and design sessions with a cohort of fellows, along with internal and external partners, and support skill and knowledge building around leadership, diversity, critical thinking, design thinking, innovation, executive communication, pitching, and problem solving
- Consistent national travel throughout the course of the seven-week fellowship is required
- Teach For America corps member experience is highly preferred
- Experience on Teach For America recruitment, regional, or institute staff is preferred
- Experience with social entrepreneurship, startups, and/or design thinking preferred
- Prior experience interviewing candidates in Teach For America’s admissions process preferred
Work Demands
- Ability to travel nationally over the course of the seven week fellowship during the months of June-August 2018
- Ability to travel nationally for one multi-day training during the months of April or May (tentative)
- Regular evening and weekend work may be required during June-August 2018
Skills
- Exemplifies Teach For America’s core values and demonstrates an ability to work with a diverse set of teammates and stakeholders
- Strong ability to juggle multiple projects, meet deadlines, and keep a close eye on myriad, important details
- Strong ability to build relationships, understand the perspectives of others
- Strong analytical skills, including the ability to identify process improvements
- Strong communication skills, in written and verbal form, and for both professional and interpersonal settings
- Orientation towards innovative thinking and creative problem solving
- Experience in design thinking, business model canvas, or some type of start-up ideation/innovation process is prefered