| OVERVIEW: Are you passionate about associations and learning? Do you enjoy collaborating to design experiences for adult learners? STC has an exciting opportunity for a Director of Education to grow her/his skills and knowledge in a supportive environment to: - Facilitate the development of educational content and programming.
- Engage with and learn from members and volunteer groups who provide valuable input in the development and implementation of education programs and events.
- Collaborate with a small team of dedicated staff and association professionals.
This position leads the collaborative development process of STC’s Education program annually for a variety of learning products. The learning programs fall into three broad categories: - STC’s major event is the STC SUMMIT Annual Conference (2.5 days with approx. 80-100 educational and general session experiences, as well as 12-14 preconference workshops with a tradeshow and education event that includes an additional 12-14 vendor educational sessions).
- Specialty education programs for STC members and nonmembers that include webinars and online certificate courses. These offerings are targeted to specific sets of STC members and on important topics in the field. (STC currently produces approximately 48 webinars and 10-12 courses annually. These events may be live or asynchronous, and educational products may also include bundles, series, and recorded webinars.)
- Roundtable educational subscription service that provides subscribers with accessible and affordable learning, based on curated monthly content. (The Roundtable Committee curates 12 months of fresh, high-quality content to provide additional ongoing professional development to technical communicators for 48 weeks on relevant topics that have been curated by well-known experts. Deliverables include webinars, panel discussions, articles and white papers, live Q&As, and practical applications, as well as a forum for engagement on the topic. Each month provides at least 4 individual products.)
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position is responsible for the strategies, programs, and activities related to the education and learning opportunities provided to the membership of STC as well as to nonmember technical communicators looking to advance their professional development. The position requires a collaborative approach in working with staff and volunteers to produce a well-coordinated and executed education plan. Summary of Responsibilities: - Reviewing, modifying, and implementing STC’s annual education plan in conjunction with the Board-appointed Education Committee and CEO. The plan includes analysis and assessment of member needs and standards for all educational sessions (length, type, materials, visual aids, learning goals, etc.). This includes an understanding and application of industry trends for learning and events.
- Providing content management for each educational event and program within the education plan, and securing content leaders and panelists, managing speakers, and supporting programs and events that provide a balance of programming for the various segments of the STC membership.
- Updating the STC’s Wordpress website and association management software (iMIS) with education sessions and processing payment batches.
- Attending the annual STC Summit and monitoring education programming during the event. Answering attendee questions onsite about the program.
- Updating the annual STC Summit website, printed program, and online mobile app (CrowdCompass AttendeeHub).
- Leading and supporting collaborative planning and implementation efforts with the staff and association management team.
- Consulting with other key volunteer groups in the development and implementation of education programs and events, including the Roundtable Committee, the Education Committee, the Conference Committee, and ad hoc task forces. Attending an annual face-to-face Conference Committee meeting in October.
- Working with trainers to organize an online group of members studying for the Certified Professional Technical Communicator exam and hosting study group sessions.
- Supporting the development and implementation of a marketing communications plan for all education programs and events. This includes being a primary contact working with STC’s MarCom consultants.
- Updating, managing, and continually improving program evaluation surveys and coordinating survey distribution.
- Maintaining the STC education tracking spreadsheet in order to provide data and feedback to speakers and instructors, STC’s CEO, and the Board.
- Supporting administrative duties related to education programs and events, including scheduling and hosting planning meetings with appropriate stakeholders (staff, volunteer committees, member advisory groups), drafting content leader agreements, communicating regularly with speakers about program details and deadlines, and drafting program scripts or talking points.
- Administering speaker coordination, contracting, and payment arrangements. Submitting payments to accounting for speaker stipends.
- Moderating and hosting rehearsals and all webinars and courses using GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar through an LMS (learning management system).
- Responding to general educational inquires in a timely manner.
- Other duties as assigned.
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE: - Knowledge of adult elearning concepts and instructional design. Includes awareness of individual learning styles, delivery methods, and environments.
- Excellent planning, organization, and management skills.
- Ability to develop strong staff and volunteer partnerships.
- The ability to include diverse feedback in the planning and implementation process.
- Excellent communications skills—listening, speaking, and writing.
- Knowledge of the technical communication field and overall trends, and eagerness in learning more about technical communication.
- Ability to grasp issues and concerns of interest to the membership at large and to understand how the field of educational content development, design, and delivery is changing.
- Comfort with updating and maintaining professional websites, especially using WordPress (basic knowledge of simple HTML also helpful).
- Knowledge of meeting and event- planning education implementation.
- Demonstrated use and knowledge of related technology (association management software, virtual meetings, databases, learning management systems, survey instruments, etc.).
- Initiative and self-starter.
- Knowledge of marketing and communication (MarCom) concepts.
- Strong customer service orientation and ability to engage directly with members.
TYPICAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES: - Communicate orally with members, volunteers, co-workers, and the public in face-to-face, one-to-one settings by telephone, video conference, and in group settings.
- Sit or stand at a desk for long periods of time.
- Work in an office environment, lift and move objects up to 20 pounds such as large binders, books, and small office equipment.
- Have sufficient finger/hand coordination and dexterity to operate and adjust office equipment such as telephone, computer, and calculator.
- Occasional travel to attend annual conference and selected regional events.
REQUIREMENTS: - 5 years of experience working for a membership-based association with responsibilities in member education, meeting management, or related activities; and/or 5 years working as an educator in the technical communication field.
- Minimum BA or BS degree (preferred in related field).
- CPTC, CAE, CMP, or other related designation preferred but not required.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Interested applicants should apply to hr@stc.org and include a cover letter and resume. The position will remain open until filled. COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: Compensation is benchmarked to be above the median for the industry and will also be based on candidate experience and qualifications. Benefits are competitive. THE STC WORKING ENVIRONMENT: STC members are collaborative by nature, and this is particularly true of volunteers. They are experts in the business of technical communication and provide incredible insight and ideas to assist each team member in their job. STC members are eager to make meaningful contributions and learn from each other. This spirit of collaboration creates a “playground” where association professionals can try new things and spark fresh ideas in our efforts to continually improve. Internally, STC has four employees and also works with an association management firm. While each person has clear responsibilities, much of what we do requires us to work closely and make decisions together (or as teams). Collaboration, dedication to members, and getting the job done are hallmarks of our work ethic. STC has a flexible work environment. We believe it’s important that each employee is able to take care of themselves (and their loved ones), and we make adjustments to suit each employee’s needs while working within an office environment (flexible schedules and occasional remote work are examples). STC believes in professional growth. All STC employees are provided some professional development and learning opportunities. More About STC: STC is an international membership-based nonprofit association located in Fairfax, VA with a budget of $1.6 million. Our 4,000 members are professionals in the field of technical communication. Membership also includes Industry Relations Partners who provide valued services, products, and resources to technical communicators. STC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate because of race, color, age, gender, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation or identity, medical condition, pregnancy, or disability, and will accommodate individuals with physical and mental disabilities upon request. |
