Post-Baccalaureate Specialist for Innovative Language Learning at Five Colleges, Inc.
General Statement of Duties and Project Goals:
The Post-Bac will work as part of an administrative team that reviews and assists with the implementation of faculty-initiated projects for innovative language teaching. The post-bac will assist the leadership team with administrative, logistical, and technological support. The post-bac will gain experience in many aspects of grant management and administration through participation in review of proposals; tracking project timelines, reports, budgets and expenditures; project evaluation; and event planning and publicity. The position may include exploration and testing of technological options for innovative language teaching in conjunction with instructional technology staff members from Five Colleges and the campuses. This position is part of the Five College initiative to support recent graduates from the five campuses who are interested in gaining professional work experience in an academic environment. The post-bac may participate in professional development opportunities on the campuses and is eligible to apply for limited funding for off-campus professional development.
Importance of Diversity to our Educational Mission:
Five Colleges, Incorporated and its five associated institutions (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst) are committed to supporting and sustaining a diversity of people, backgrounds, experiences, ideas and points of view for the essential contribution this diversity makes to educational missions of our organizations. In support of this commitment Five Colleges requires all of its employees to work cooperatively and effectively with the diversity of people at the colleges (students, faculty members, other employees) and within the organization itself.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Specific Duties:
*Work closely with the project’s Language Innovation Coordinator, the Director of Five College Center for the Study of World Languages (FCCSWL), the Five College Director of Information Technology, and the Executive Director of Five Colleges, Incorporated in assisting the project overall and in support of individual projects.
*Track communications related to all aspects of the grant and associated projects, including timelines, action items, budget commitments, expenditures, reporting deadlines, and technological and other support needs.
*Participate in meetings with the grant team members, faculty participants, instructional technology staff members and librarians, as needed. Take minutes and track action items and communication needs.
*Provide organizational support for grant-sponsored events including program planning, outreach, publicity, and venue set-up.
*Track project budgets and expenditures.
*Explore and test technological tools for use in faculty initiated projects.
*Create, edit and publish multimedia resources for the grant and FCCSWL.
*Assist with everyday operations and special projects in the FCCSWL.
*Travel to different campuses to meet with project teams and provide technical support for classroom and online communication tools.
*Other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications:
*Recent classroom experience in higher education, preferably in settings utilizing various instructional technologies for language learning, enabling the candidate to serve as a bridge between faculty members and their students; hence a recent Bachelor’s degree from one of the consortium’s five associated institutions, awarded between May 2016 and May 2017.
*Demonstrated competence in team projects involving project management.
*Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
*Excellent organizational skills including the ability to track and prioritize among multiple projects, and to track budget and expenditure information.
*Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
*Experience studying a second language at the college/university level.
*A record of accomplishment in courses across the liberal arts, including in the humanities or humanistic social sciences.
Ability to learn to use a variety of audio and video equipment, computer software programs, and online communication tools as evidenced by experience with at least two of the following: video filming and editing; audio recording and editing; digital imaging and editing; uploading and tagging multimedia for online sites (YouTube or others); website design or maintenance; blog creation; writing for social media or the web; use of online communication and meeting tools such as Skype, Zoom, Go-to-Meeting; quiz or exercise creation using software or apps (Quizlet, Memrise, or others); typing in a non-Roman or complex script language; database creation; use of a specialized research software program; a computer programming or scripting language.
Capacity to meet the physical expectations of the position, which include:
*Visual ability to read computer screens and printed materials;
*Hearing and speaking abilities to effectively communicate via the telephone and in person, and to record and edit video and audio files;
*Ability to pack, unpack, lift and carry, move (20 lbs.), and relocate standard desktop computer equipment including monitors, desktop computers, and printers;
*Ability to travel to and among the five campuses by either Five College bus or personal auto.
*Ability to pass a post-offer background check.
Preferred Qualifications:
*Recent and substantial language learning experience at the college-level as evidenced by study of a language through multiple levels or study of more than one language.
*Recent experience living, studying or working in an environment where English is not the dominant language.
*Experience providing technical or research support for faculty members or experience tutoring, mentoring, or providing technical support to students.
Additional Information:
This is a full-time, non-exempt, limited-term position, June or July 2017 to May or June 2018. Pay rate: $16.50 per hour with excellent benefits. Review of applications will begin March 20, 2017, and will continue until the position is filled.
Five Colleges particularly encourages applications from members of groups under-represented in our higher education workforce.