POSITION PURPOSE AND SUMMARY:

The Pedagogy Director within The Hidden Genius Project is the fundamental driver of the onboarding, training, and evaluation of Innovation Educators' skill sets. As the Pedagogy Director at The Hidden Genius Project, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and leading the educational framework and methodologies that will empower and uplift Black male youth in technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership. You will be responsible for designing and implementing innovative and culturally responsive pedagogical approaches that align with the organization's vision and mission. Your leadership will be instrumental in ensuring that the program's educational experiences are engaging, effective, and transformative, creating a consistent and reliable impact on the lives of our participants and their communities.

The Pedagogy Director will work reciprocally with The Curriculum Director to shape teaching and learning across the org.  Together, they aim to enhance the expertise of Innovation and Youth Educators, adapting and expanding their skills to keep pace with emerging technologies and evolving educational opportunities. This dynamic partnership is committed to staying ahead of the technological curve, ensuring that the learning journey remains relevant and impactful for all participants. 

The Pedagogy Director concentrates on the teaching methods and learning experiences, rather than the actual curriculum content while the Curriculum Director focuses on the structure, content, and materials that make up the educational framework.  Both work in tandem with the Chief Innovation Officer and their respective teams to maintain consistency across departments and regions.

 

MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

  • Educational Strategy: Develop and implement the educational strategy aligning with the organization’s vision and goals.

  • Structures learning to lean on the ‘three-legged stool’ that undergirds the Hidden Genius Project’s learning ethos.

  • Instructional Design: Collaborate with the Curriculum Director to develop educational content, instructional methods, and assessment tools.

  • Ensure that the program’s pedagogy meets the set quality standards and that the impact is both measured and achieved.

  • Staff Training & Development: Oversee the training and professional development of Innovation Educators, mentors, and Youth Educators.

  • Stakeholder Engagement: Liaise with parents, alumni, and community partners to ensure a holistic educational experience for the youth.

  • Resource Allocation: Manage budgetary responsibilities related to educational materials, technologies, and other related expenses.

  • Research & Development: Keep abreast of educational trends and integrate new teaching methodologies that enhance the program’s quality.

  • Compliance & Reporting: Ensure that educational operations are compliant with relevant regulations and report to the Chief Innovation Officer on program metrics and objectives.

  • Community & Diversity: Advocate for an inclusive and supportive learning environment that celebrates the diversity and individual learning styles of each Genius.

  • Other duties as assigned, including but not limited to working on other short-term and long-term projects as the need arises.

 

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Manage Innovation Educators and Lead Pedagogy Managers

  • Manage the Ubuntu Center its staff

  • Serve as an exceptional role model and mentor to The Hidden Genius Project participants. 

  • Participatory observation in Immersions and other programming to monitor engagement and participate when necessary.

  • Communicate effectively (via email, phone, and/or postal mail) and in a timely manner with all relevant constituencies, including participants and their parents/guardians.

  • Act as a dynamic ambassador to The Hidden Genius Project within the community.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

 

  •  Strong background in educational theory and instructional design.

  •  Proven leadership skills with experience in managing teams.

  •  Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

  •  Financial acumen to manage budgets and allocate resources effectively.

  •  Highly collaborative with the ability to work well in a team environment.

  • Passionate commitment to the organization’s vision and goals.

 

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

  • Reports to:  The Hidden Genius Project Chief Innovation Officer (based in Oakland, CA) 

  • Manages: Pedagogy managers/Leads, and oversees Senior Innovation Educators, Innovation Educators

  • Work in tandem with Area Directors: Curriculum, Alumni, and Standards and Training

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Required

  • Advanced degree in Education or Computer Science

  • 5 + years of experience in classroom teaching

  • Experience teaching problem-solving and/or math skills

  • Experience teaching or studying computer science, and/or programming languages, i.e.  Python, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Swift, Flutter, etc.

  • Excellent leadership abilities 

  • Excellent pedagogy skills

  • Mastery in instructional design and classroom management 

  • High comfort level with technology 

  • Experience working and communicating effectively with Black youth, underrepresented youth, and/or low-income youth 

  • Intense commitment to the life success of Black males and boys and men of color

  • Experience mentoring and working closely with Black male youth

  • “Can do” attitude and ability to work as part of a team 

  • Willingness to deploy differentiated learning experiences

  • Ability to prioritize, organize, and delegate effectively

  • Ability to receive feedback and engage in continuous self-improvement 

  • Ability to adapt to a dynamic, rapidly-changing work environment 

  • Ability to build positive relationships with all important constituencies

  • Ability to work collaboratively and across teams and sectors

  • Strong knowledge of the youth development field and models 

  • Firm belief in personal accountability, producing measurable outcomes, and sustaining high expectations

 

Desired

  • Experience working in the technology industry 

  • Commitment to achieving The Hidden Genius Project’s mission and vision

  • Excellent writing, communication, presentation, and group facilitation skills 

  • Ability to work in multiple modes of content delivery

 

ROLE OVERVIEW: 

  • Role Location: Oakland, CA 

  • Reports to: Chief Innovation Officer 

  • Status: Exempt

  • Schedule: 40 Hours per week; starting by January 1, 2024 ; working evenings and weekends, as needed. All hours must be able to be worked in the office for the first year of employment. 

 

BENEFITS OF THE ROLE:

  • Dynamic, fun work environment.

  • Excellent opportunity to make a significant impact in the lives of numerous young people

  • Entrepreneurial organization; implement your own ideas and immediately see the effects.

  • Opportunity to meet and interact with multifarious individuals in the technology industry.

  • Opportunity to play a fundamental role in building a national organization.

  • Opportunity to innovate in building effective models for holistic technology instruction

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

  • The employee may occasionally climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; the employee may frequently stand, walk, or sit; the employee may regularly grasp objects, talk, and/ or hear.

  • The employee will occasionally lift up to 50 pounds; the employee will regularly lift up to 10 pounds

  • This job requires vision abilities that ensure the safety of operating and programming spaces for all stakeholders

  • Travel and supervise the transportation of students as needed

  • National (and possibly international) travel

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