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Transcend Education

Project-Based Learning Instructional Designer & Coach

Transcend Education
🇺🇸Remote - Remote with travel to New York$65K–$85K/yriJust now
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Summary

Contract-based Instructional Designer & Coach specializing in project-based learning (PBL) for elementary and middle grades, responsible for designing curricula, coaching teachers, and scaling PBL practices across a network of partner schools.

Key Responsibilities: Design rigorous PBL units and classroom systems while coaching teachers on implementation; facilitate professional development, site visits, and recruitment of partner schools adopting the LEAD/RevX model; codify instructional practices into guides and frameworks.
Skills & Tools: Expertise in project-based learning design, curriculum development, instructional coaching, adult facilitation, systems thinking, and ability to translate complex educational theory into practical classroom implementation; strong communication and detail-oriented project management.
Qualifications: Significant K-12 classroom or instructional design experience with demonstrated success in PBL implementation; background in teacher coaching, curriculum design, or educational leadership preferred; ability to travel to New York and work with diverse school partners.
Location: Remote with required travel to New York
Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation for this role is $60,000 – $85,000/year based on contract instructional design/coaching position, education nonprofit sector, and New York region.

Job Description

(Contract Opportunity) Project-Based Learning Instructional & Systems Design Coach
Elementary & Middle Grades
Contract (Possibility for Full- time)

About the Role

We are seeking an Instructional & Systems Design Coach with deep experience in project-based learning across K-12 school settings. This person translates vision into clear, operational classroom practice, designing learning that builds student agency while maintaining strong routines, systems, and structures. This role has three foci: 1) curriculum design, 2) instructional and systems coaching, and 3) facilitation of adult learning ( a community of schools that you may be working with). The ideal candidate is methodical, detail-oriented, and a consistent communicator who can support teachers in delivering high-quality, scaffolded PBL experiences that work in real classrooms.

Key Responsibilities – At the Demonstration Site

Design & Curriculum

  • Design rigorous, agency-building PBL units, modules, and lessons aligned to standards and organizational frameworks.
  • Create scaffolds, routines, protocols, and templates that support gradual release and predictable, orderly classrooms.
  • Integrate research-based practices (productive struggle, discourse, formative feedback) into daily instruction.
  • Produce exemplars, rubrics, and playbooks that make instructional intent and operational steps clear.

Codification & Systems

  • Codify teacher moves, classroom systems, and workflows that reliably promote student agency and independence.
  • Document instructional models in user-friendly guides and frameworks.
  • Synthesize classroom observations and data into actionable next steps for teachers.

Teacher Support

  • Coach teachers in building structures that enable student ownership and responsible release of responsibility.
  • Facilitate planning cycles, workshops, and modeling sessions that blend design, routines practice, and problem-solving.
  • Partner with school leaders on pacing, implementation plans, and coherent schoolwide systems.

Key Responsibilities - For Adopting Sites (Coordinating Schools Who Are Implementing the Model)

Recruitment & Outreach

  • Recruit partner schools and educators interested in adopting LEAD/RevX practices.
  • Manage social media posts, outreach materials, and communications that generate interest and inquiries.
  • Coordinate initial conversations, needs assessments, and onboarding processes.

Visits, PD & Implementation Support

  • Plan, schedule, and lead site visits, walkthroughs, and observation days at LEAD.
  • Design and facilitate PD sessions, virtual workshops, and follow-up coaching for adopting sites.
  • Ensure partners receive resources, materials, playbooks, and aligned curriculum in a timely manner.

Ongoing Partner Management

  • Maintain consistent communication with each site about progress, needs, and next steps.
  • Monitor implementation through walkthroughs, check-ins, and review of artifacts.
  • Provide clear feedback loops and coordinate additional support when sites need deeper coaching or resources.
  • Track progress, document successes and challenges, and communicate updates internally.

Stakeholder Engagement

  • Build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse set of external partners including school leaders, superintendents, policymakers, community organizations, and education networks.
  • Represent the project in meetings, site visits, and public-facing conversations with stakeholders across the New York City education ecosystem.
  • Communicate progress, insights, and key updates to partners in ways that build alignment, trust, and continued investment.

Cohort & Fellowship Facilitation

  • Design and facilitate recurring cohort sessions for partner schools participating in the fellowship or implementation experience.
  • Lead interactive learning experiences that include walkthroughs, collaborative problem-solving, reflection protocols, and peer learning.
  • Ensure cohort participants remain engaged, informed, and connected throughout the experience.

Ecosystem Relationship Management

  • Identify opportunities to deepen partnerships with districts, networks, and community stakeholders.
  • Coordinate closely with internal team members to ensure partners receive consistent messaging, resources, and support.
  • Capture insights from stakeholders to inform improvements to the model and strengthen implementation across sites.

Cross-Functional Coordination

  • Work closely with internal teams (design, coaching, leadership) to ensure adopting sites receive coherent, high-quality support.
  • Gather feedback from adopting sites to inform refinements to curriculum, systems, and playbooks.
  • Support organizational scaling efforts through storytelling, data collection, and partner-facing communication.

Qualifications

  • 3–7+ years PBL design or implementation experience in elementary/middle grades.
  • Preference for strong science and math expertise and leadership experience.
  • Proven ability to design for others: materials, routines, scaffolds, and systems.
  • Strong skill in codifying classroom practice into clear, replicable models.
  • Experience recruiting, coordinating, or supporting partner schools or programs.
  • Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
  • Highly organized, methodical, and consistent follow-through.
  • Experience leading PD, coaching teachers, and facilitating groups.
  • Commitment to equitable, real-world learning that builds student agency and independence.

What Makes You a Strong Fit

  • You believe routines and systems create the foundation for student freedom.
  • You are detail-driven and methodical, and you also value creativity and inquiry.
  • You naturally help teachers shift from control to facilitation.
  • You communicate clearly, reliably, and proactively.
  • You thrive in turning big ideas into concrete classroom practice.
  • You can navigate complexity, ambiguity, and diverse partner needs with calm and clarity.

Application Process

  • Step 1: Submit your resume plus two work samples: one professional development artifact and one curriculum or project design.
  • Step 2: Participate in an interview that includes analysis and critique of instructional materials.
  • Step 3: Visit the school site and engage in a live walkthrough, including opportunities to provide feedback and model for teachers.

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