Note: the official title of this position is Professional Development Specialist, DEVELOP.
Position Description
EnCompass LLC seeks a Professional Development (PD) Specialist to lead, manage, and provide technical expertise on the Designing Effective eVidence-based Engagement and Learning for Organizational Performance (DEVELOP) project. DEVELOP supports USAID’s Center for Education in strengthening its organizational capacity to lead in the education sector with a particular focus on organizational effectiveness, professional development of USAID education staff, knowledge management, and communications. The Professional Development (PD) Specialist will work closely with USAID stakeholders and the Deputy Director to develop a competency framework and blended learning journeys to build consistently strong technical, leadership, and management skills to support progress toward education outcomes.
The position is based at EnCompass Rockville, Maryland headquarters with the possibility of working remotely. The Professional Development Specialist will be expected to work from client sites in the Washington, DC metro area as needed. This position is expected to be fully remote until September 30, 2021.
Position Duties and Responsibilities
Essential functions:
- Bring leading-edge thinking, methodologies and approaches to a range of PD training, learning and leadership development programs, technical exchanges, peer learning communities and events
- Ensure integration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), gender equality, and social inclusion lenses in all PD interventions
- Lead collaborative processes for staff and stakeholder engagement
- Contribute to the development of a multi-level competency framework and corresponding learning paths for attainment of the competencies needed to operationalize USAID’s Education Policy
- Conduct needs assessments to determine the most effective learning activities and curriculum designs that align with organizational goals, strategies, and competencies
- Coordinate with Center of Education and DEVELOP subject-matter experts to identify appropriate training approaches and to develop/update training content to match current Center mandate and structure
- Collaborate with, and provide technical support to, activity teams across the project
- Design, develop and facilitate dynamic, experiential blended learning courses using evidence-based approaches for in-person and synchronous and asynchronous virtual courses and events
- Facilitate learning event and group process, strategy or work process sessions
- Effectively communicate about project deliverables to client, team members, and other stakeholders
- Foster continuous improvement, innovation, and quality assurance standards for PD interventions and processes
- Develop best practices to improve organizational performance and effectiveness and systems to integrate the lessons across the project workstreams and teams
Management:
- Manage activities, including engagement with clients, and members of the DEVELOP core and extended teams
Other:
- Engage fully as a member of the EnCompass staff team, including participating in staff meetings and other EnCompass events, and providing support to other team members as needed
- Other duties as assigned
Position Requirements
Qualifications
- Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and eight years of experience or a Master’s degree and 6 years of experience in organizational development, education, curriculum design, international development or related field
Experience and Skills
- Expertise in professional and leadership development
- Expertise in the critical approaches in learning, including adult learning, learning styles, experiential learning, participatory methods, instructional design, whole systems design, e-learning and related topics
- Knowledge of Appreciative Inquiry and ability to apply it in designs, client engagement, and all professional processes preferred
- Ability to bring a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion lens to all professional development designs and deliveries
- Ability to bring a gender equality and social inclusion lens to all professional development designs and deliveries
- Excellent planning, organization, critical and strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- Proven experience in analyzing various forms of data, from survey results to training program assessments, to identify the most appropriate solutions
- Ability to confidently engage with staff at all levels to define needs, collaborate on activities, and communicate results
- Exceptional presentation, communication (verbal and written), facilitation and consensus-building skills
- Commitment to providing the highest level of service in a fast-paced environment
- Adept at identifying and framing problems, setting priorities, and making critical assessments
- Proven ability to bring about change and manage processes
- Proven ability to understand the needs of an organization and identify creative solutions
- Ability to work in a language other than English preferred
- Potential for travel, post-pandemic
How to Apply
Please submit CV and cover letter.
EnCompass LLC is a progressive Equal Opportunity Employer. We promote, celebrate, and support a diverse and inclusive organizational culture and workforce. We are committed to providing all of our employees with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where all are treated with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate, and explicitly prohibit, discrimination or harassment of any kind, at any time, in all aspects of employment. This includes recruitment, hiring, promotions, disciplinary measures, terminations, compensation, benefits, social and recreational programs, and training. EnCompass also does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who report discrimination or harassment. Our continuing commitment to the principle of Equal Opportunity Employment for all means all employment decisions are based only on the job requirements, the candidate’s qualifications, and the needs of EnCompass as a business—not on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, genetic information, HIV status, family/marital/parental status, or any other status protected by the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we work.
For US based positions: The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.