FHI 360 designs and implements academic, professional, cultural, and youth exchange programs for students and emerging leaders around the world. We are seeking a Technical Officer II to provide technical support and guidance to the American English (AE) E-Teacher program. The AE E-Teacher program offers professional development opportunities to foreign English teaching and other professionals through high-quality virtual exchange components, including online university level courses, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), webinars, Open Educational Resources (OER), and a Community of Practice (CoP). 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).
The TESOL Technical Officer II reports to the Project Manager and works closely with Technical and Program teams at FHI 360 and with ECA/A/L to support the implementation of regional online course projects and CoP and alumni engagement initiatives. Technical strengthening and capacity-building initiatives include completing in-country needs assessments to establish goals and objectives for online courses, training the program’s academic partners on required guidelines for course development including TESOL Content Standards, Instructional Design and Online Learning, and Creative Commons Licensing. The Technical Officer will review curriculum and materials against program standards and provide guideline-based feedback to ensure that all courses and materials 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. The Technical Officer may develop materials to enhance engagement in the AE E-Teacher CoP and to support in-country alumni engagement activities, as well as other duties and projects as assigned.
- Working closely with the Technical team, ensures course development activities are implemented according to standard operating procedures;
- Conducting research and educational needs assessments;
- Writing and editing technical reports and documents such as needs assessment reports and scopes of work;
- Assisting with publications, web pages, and presentations including but not limited to presentations for the annual TESOL International Convention and CoP content;
- Conducting searches of literature related to TESOL, teacher training, online learning, and Open Educational Resources, among others;
- Monitoring course development projects, maintaining correspondence and data and documenting submission and approval of deliverables;
- Responding to requests and inquiries from internal and external staff including Program and Technical team members, ECA/A/L, and partners on topics including but not limited to TESOL content, LMS features and functionality, and licensing issues;
- Contributing to the development of best practices, guidelines, and templates for course development;
- Analyzing program implementation to identify areas for improvement and proposing appropriate technical strategies and guidelines;
- Writing survey questions, evaluating survey results and partner reports, and summarizing project results;
- Collaborating with Technical and Program teams to ensure that educational technology and social media tools are appropriately incorporated throughout the program;
- Delivering presentations at professional meetings and conferences;
- Other duties as assigned.
- Minimum of 5-8 years of experience required, including a combination of experience as an ESL/EFL instructor, teacher trainer, curriculum designer/developer, and online instructor.
- Proficiency with online tools including database management software and online search tools required. Strong computer skills including use of survey software, word processing software, Microsoft Excel, SharePoint, and Google (docs, sheets, forms, etc.) required. Prior experience with the Canvas LMS preferred. Experience developing content for online platforms such as a CoP a plus.
- Experience developing Open Educational Resources (OER) strongly preferred; experience with Creative Commons licensing desired.
- Sensitivity to cultural diversity and understanding of political, contextual, and ethical issues impacting English language education and training abroad required.
- Excellent analytical skills and ability to problem solve and implement corrective action required.
- Must be able to read, write and speak fluent English; fluent in host country language as appropriate. Excellent oral and written communication skills required.
- Prior experience in a non- governmental organization (NGO) preferred including experience as a Peace Corps volunteer, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, or English Language Fellow or Specialist, etc.
Typical Physical Demands:
- Typical office environment.
- Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
- Ability to lift 5-50 lbs.
Technology to be Used:
- Personal Computer, Microsoft Office (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), e-mail, telephone, printer, calculator, copier, cell phones, PDAs and other hand held devices.
FHI 360 fosters the strength and health of its workforce through a competitive benefits package, professional development and policies and programs that support healthy work/life balance. Join our global workforce to make a positive difference for others — and yourself.