Professional Development Specialist
University System of Maryland Office•Hyattsville, MD
11h•$85,000 - $95,000
About The Position
The Professional Development Specialist serves as a lead facilitator and champion for teacher professional learning statewide. In this role, the Specialist designs, delivers, and evaluates dynamic, evidence-based professional development experiences in computing education for P-12 educators at all career stages. The position fosters a statewide learning community, supports teacher growth through coaching and mentoring, and cultivates collaborative innovation in instructional practice. This is a one-year contractual role with the potential for renewal.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Education, Computer Science, STEM, Instructional Design, Learning Technologies, or a related field.
- Five (5) years of experience in education, computer science education, STEM education, instructional design, or related P–20 fields.
- Experience designing, facilitating, or supporting in-person and online professional development or training.
- Experience coordinating events or programs, including scheduling, registration, and communication with participants.
- Proficiency with Canvas LMS (or comparable learning management systems), including user management, course setup, and troubleshooting.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and project organization or workflow tools.
- Ability to organize and manage data, conduct basic analyses, and present information clearly in reports, charts, or graphs.
- Knowledge of instructional practices, adult learning principles, or effective facilitation methods for educators.
- Ability to develop clear written materials such as user guides, communications, or training resources.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple activities, deadlines, and stakeholder communications.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate clearly and professionally, both orally and in writing.
- Understanding of accessibility standards (e.g., ADA/WCAG) or willingness to learn.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced degree in Education, Computer Science, STEM, Instructional Design, Learning Technologies, or a related field.
- Experience designing, facilitating, or evaluating professional development, curriculum institutes, or learning communities for adult learners or educators.
- Experience teaching in K–12 or higher education, preferably in computer science, STEM, or technology-enhanced instruction.
- Experience providing instructional coaching, mentoring, or teacher support.
- Experience planning and coordinating events, workshops, or conferences in educational settings.
- Demonstrated ability to create inclusive, equity-focused learning environments for educators.
- Skill in producing user guides, tutorials, or training materials for educational technologies.
- Familiarity with WCAG/ADA accessibility considerations when designing instructional content.
Responsibilities
- Designs, facilitates, and evaluates in-person and online professional development computer science-related or P-20-related workshops, curriculum institutes, and professional learning communities for K-12 and higher education teachers.
- Delivers interactive training sessions on effective computing pedagogy, curriculum integration, equity strategies, and emerging educational technologies.
- Provides ongoing mentoring and coaching for participating teachers to sustain instructional improvement.
- Manages the implementation of MCCE workshops and other activities designed for Maryland K-12 districts, administrators, committee members, facilitators, higher education faculty, and collaborators.
- Arranges online or in-person event venues, sets up registration, arranges accommodations, communicates with facilitators and participants, and coordinates any resources needed.
- Provides any other support required by MCCE to promote the effectiveness of meetings, workshops, and conferences.
- Creates and manages user accounts, roles, permissions, enrollments, and authentication methods; oversees course access and sub-account provisioning for all MCCE and P-20 accounts.
- Sets up academic terms, creates course shells, archives/concludes courses, and supports content import/export and duplication.
- Serves as the primary technical contact for Canvas-related issues; provides timely support to staff, facilitators, and participants; communicates updates, features, maintenance, and outages for all MCCE and P-20 accounts.
- Develops and maintains user guides, FAQs, tutorials, and best practices; delivers training and onboarding for facilitators and participants.
- Assists with course setup, content organization, and Canvas tool usage; advises on instructional design and accessibility (WCAG/ADA compliance).
- Aligns Canvas interface with MCCE/P-20 branding and manages shared resources, templates, and blueprint courses.
- Generates reports on usage, engagement, and enrollment trends.
- Helps develop and enforce Canvas-related policies; manages course completion certificates and MSDE CPD credit forms.
- Collects, compiles, and organizes data pertinent to the effectiveness of facilitated workshops.
- Analyzes, summarizes, and communicates this information to appropriate USM officials.
- Assists in the preparation of annual and financial reports, recommendations, and other information resources for the improvement of MCCE and its programs.
- Assists in arranging online or in-person event venues, sets up registration, arranges accommodations, communicates with facilitators and participants, and coordinates any resources needed.
- Provides any other support required by MCCE to promote the effectiveness of meetings, workshops, and conferences.
Benefits
- Paid Leave: 22 days of annual leave, 15 days of sick & safe leave, 16-17 holidays, 3 personal leave days, 12 weeks paid parental leave.
- Health Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Retirement Plans: Supplemental options with major providers like Fidelity and TIAA.
- Life Insurance: Optional term life and AD&D benefits through MetLife.
- Tuition Benefits: Tuition remission for employees and their families.
- Training & Development: Free professional development conferences and unlimited LinkedIn Learning access.
- Credit Union Access: Membership eligibility for SECU, Maryland’s largest credit union.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Free counseling, legal, financial, and work-life support services.
