Instructional Improvement Specialist

Job Title: Instructional Improvement Specialist

Location: New York City; hybrid with regular in-person school visits

Employment status: Full-time, fixed-term employee

Initial Term: Through July 2027, contingent on continued funding and satisfactory performance.

About Eskolta

Eskolta partners with educators, students, and communities to co-create learning environments where difference thrives and drives innovation. We envision learning communities where educators and students value each other, build what works, and transform education, together.

About the Role

Eskolta is seeking an Instructional Improvement Specialist to support district and school partners in strengthening instructional systems, professional learning, and educator practice.

The Specialist's initial portfolio will include:

• Supporting the implementation of the FutureReady Initiative
• Facilitating Financial Literacy Community of Practice
• Supporting the design and implementation of Financial Literacy Fellowship

The Specialist will work with district leaders, educators, fellows, community partners, and Eskolta colleagues to translate project goals into meaningful learning experiences, practical resources, and sustainable changes in practice.

This opportunity is well suited for an experienced educator, instructional leader, professional-learning facilitator, or coach with strong skills in facilitation, instructional improvement, project implementation, relationship management, and continuous improvement.

Primary Responsibilities

Professional Learning and Facilitation

• Design and facilitate equity-centered professional learning for district leaders, educators, fellows, and partner organizations.
• Apply adult-learning principles to create relevant, participatory, and practice-based learning experiences that are responsive to different roles, contexts and levels of experience.
• Facilitate virtual and in-person workshops, communities of practice, fellowship sessions, and working meetings.
• Develop agendas, presentations materials, facilitator guides, participant resources, and follow-up activities.
• Create inclusive learning environments that promote equitable participation, inquiry, reflection, and collaboration.
• Use participant feedback and implementation evidence to improve learning experiences.

Instructional and Continuous Improvement

• Help partners identify implementation challenges, examine underlying causes, and develop, test, and refine strategies for improvement.
• Support teams in collecting and using qualitative and quantitative evidence, participant feedback, implementation data to guide decisions.
• Develop accessible tools, protocols, templates, and routines that support continuous improvement.
• Document lessons, promising practices, implementation changes and areas requiring additional support.
• Collaborate with project leaderships and partners to make informed adjustments while maintaining the approved project scope.

Curriculum and Resource Development

• Develop and adapt curricula, facilitator guides, instructional tools, protocols, and professional-learning resources, and other project materials.
• Translate research and project learning into accessible resources for educators and partners.
• Contribute to FutureReady, financial-literacy, and Eskolta Learning Center materials.
• Develop case studies, examples, and knowledge products based on project implementation.
• Ensure resources are clear, relevant, accessible, and reflective of Eskolta’s commitments to equity, youth voice, community knowledge, and inclusive practice.

Partnership and Project Implementation

• Manage assigned responsibilities across the FutureReady initiative, Financial Literacy Community of Practice, and Financial Literacy Fellowship and other Eskolta projects as needed.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with district staff, educators, fellows, school partners, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain consistent communication with assigned schools and coordinator with other specialists to support consistent implementation across projects.
• Collaborate with the Director and other Eskolta colleagues on project implementation, partner needs, service quality, schedules, deliverables and documentation.
• Track activities, participation, feedback, milestones, and progress; communicate risks, delays, and capacity concerns in a timely manner.
• Participate in NYCPS meetings, project-planning sessions, portfolio reviews, professional learning, and organizational-learning activities.
• Contribute to professional learning, continuous improvement activities, partner meetings, resources, and deliverables across

Qualifications

There are ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We take a broad view of applicants’ experiences and encourage candidates who demonstrate the majority of the qualifications below to apply.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• At least five years of experience in education, instructional improvement, professional learning, facilitation, coaching, district support, fellowship programming, or a related field.
• Experience designing and facilitating adult professional learning and building collaborative learning communities.
• Experience working with district leaders, school leaders, educators, or cross-school teams.
• Ability to translate broad priorities into practical implementation strategies, learning experiences, tools, and resources.
• Experience using feedback and implementation evidence to support continuous improvement and decision-making
• Strong facilitation, presentation, relationship-building, and written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, partners, priorities, and deadlines while maintaining strong follow-through.
• Ability to build trust and work effectively across diverse communities, roles, perspectives, and organizational contexts.
• Commitment to educational equity and improving experiences and outcomes for young people historically underserved by education systems.
• Proficiency with virtual collaboration, presentation, and project-management platforms.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly to schools and district offices throughout New York City.

What You’ll Bring to the Role

Successful candidates will demonstrate strengths in facilitation and adult learning, instructional and continuous, implementation, relationship management, project execution, collaboration, adaptability, and equity-centered practice.

Work Environment and Travel

This is a hybrid position that includes virtual and in-person meetings and regular travel to schools and district offices throughout New York City. Some regional or other travel and occasional schedule adjustments may be required based on project commitments.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $80,000–$88,000, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications. Eskolta offers healthcare, retirement, paid leave, professional development, a hybrid-work schedule, and other benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Eskolta School Research and Design is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services.

How to Apply:

Please submit a résumé and cover letter by September 11, 2026.

In your cover letter, please describe:

1. Your experience facilitating professional learning or a community of practice;
2. Your experience supporting a districtwide initiative, fellowship, or other multi-site project; and
3. How you approach instructional improvement through an equity-centered lens.

Eskolta offers healthcare, retirement, paid leave, professional development, a hybrid-work schedule, and other benefits.