Youth Education Specialist (YESOL)

The Youth Education Specialist (YESOL) will work closely with the Youth Programs Supervisor to support high-quality programming for refugee and immigrant youth in New York City.

The specialist will be working on a team that works on youth programs including, but not limited to, Youth Tutoring, online Youth English for Speakers of Other Languages (YESOL) classes, Leaders in Training (LIT), a college access and career readiness program for high school juniors and seniors, World Explorers, a cultural awareness program, and sports programming.

During the annual Newcomer Youth Summer Academy (NYSA), the Youth Education Specialist will provide logistical support to teaching staff, coordinate instructional coaching, coordinate classroom assessment materials, and collect, enter, and analyze assessment data, ensuring the overall day-to-day classroom needs of the Academy are met.

The specialist will also support with instruction and field trips during Mini-NYSA programs, which occur during school breaks in the middle of the school year.

Major Responsibilities:

• Lead Youth English for Speakers of Other Languages (YESOL) classes:
• Create and improve YESOL curriculum to meet the needs of current student population, including academic English and test preparation
• Prepare slideshows for each class
• Update syllabi for each group as semester progresses
• Intake and Assessment:
• Manage new referral and contact information, outreach to potential families and students
• Administer baseline, midline and endline English assessments, coordinate intake process
• Collaborate with parents and teachers to identify specific student needs
• Teach YESOL Classes:
• 2-3 groups of Middle School: Beginner and Intermediate
• 2 groups of High School: Beginner and Intermediate
• Additional groups based on student need and program capacity
• YESOL Program Monitoring & Evaluation:
• Track class attendance and document daily individual and class case notes
• Gather qualitative data of program impact through student surveys and staff observations
• Synthesize and present data for annual reports
• Intern Management:
• Recruit and hire Youth ESOL interns
• Delegate weekly tasks and review submitted projects and tasks
• Provide opportunities for leadership and professional development
• Saturday Parent ESOL Classes:
• Take lead on managing ESOL classes for parents of youth programs students
• Mini Newcomer Youth Spring Academy (Mini NYSA) and Newcomer Youth Summer Academy (NYSA) Support , direct responsibility for the academic program:
• Support NYSA program planning, including staff and volunteer recruitment, hiring, and training
• Plan and instruct lessons on ESOL and other topics to groups of up to 25 students
• Participate in all Meet & Greets, staff trainings, program meetings, and staff development activities thereafter
• Assist the Dean of Instruction in the implementation and analysis of various student assessment initiatives, including but not limited to content area assessments, progress reports, and report cards
• Monitor submission of, enter, and analyze student assessment data
• Assist in the timely production and dissemination of necessary assessments and resources for all teaching staff
• Assist in the coordination and set up of caregiver-teacher conferences
• Assist in the coordination and implementation of school-wide Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
• Lead the coordination and implementation of all staff-appreciation events and initiatives
• Lead groups of students for off-site field trips
• Perform other duties as assigned

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in education or relevant field; Master's degree candidate in education preferred
• Must be available for Saturdays to run programming
• Strong command of Microsoft Suite, G Suite, Canva, and other digital platforms required
• Classroom teaching experience preferred (both in-person and online, especially TESOL experience)
• Experience with data collection and analysis
• Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Cultural competence and cross-cultural or overseas experience required
• Experience working with immigrant populations, highly desirable
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, adapting programming to shifting client needs and relevant government policy changes
• Fluency in written and spoken English required. Second language proficiency in relevant language highly desirable (including Spanish, French, Dari, Farsi, Pashto, Arabic, Tibetan, Russian, Haitian Creole, Ukrainian, Mandarin, etc.)
• Flexibility to work on Saturdays and evenings based on program requirements

Working Environment:

• All applicants must be based in or willing to work from our New York City office
• The IRC NYC RAI office currently operates on a hybrid schedule (3 days in office, 2 remote)
• During Mini-NYSA and NYSA, the specialist is expected to work in-person Monday–Friday at a centrally located public school in New York City
• During school-year programming, the specialist will be expected to work Tuesday–Saturday
• Online ESOL classes during the school year take place after school hours; specialists should expect school-year hours of 11am–7pm, Tuesday–Friday
• Saturdays are in-person at the IRC office from 9am–5pm

Compensation:

• $27.50/hr

Benefits:

• Comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including 10 paid sick leave, 10 U.S. holidays, 20-25 generous paid time off based on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $163/month, dental starting at $6.50/month, and vision starting at $5/month, flexible spending accounts (healthcare, dependent care, and commuter), a 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer match (immediate vesting) along with a non-elective employer contribution based on age and years of service (3-year vesting), disability and life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering confidential counseling and support services for employees and their families