Professional Learning Specialist

Why This Role Matters

At Really Great Reading, we believe every child deserves to learn to read — and that meaningful instructional change begins with exceptional professional learning. Great curriculum alone isn't enough. Educators need engaging, research-based learning experiences that build confidence, strengthen implementation, and improve student outcomes.

The Professional Learning Specialist designs the professional learning that makes this possible. By combining expertise in the Science of Reading, adult learning theory, and instructional design, this role creates scalable courses, coaching resources, facilitator guides, and implementation tools that empower educators to successfully implement Really Great Reading programs with fidelity.

The Role

The Professional Learning Specialist designs, develops, and continuously improves high-impact professional learning experiences that support educators implementing Really Great Reading programs.

This role sits at the intersection of instructional design, adult learning theory, and structured literacy, translating complex reading science into practical, scalable learning experiences.

Success in this role means thinking beyond individual training events to design a comprehensive professional learning ecosystem that includes facilitator preparation, coaching resources, implementation supports, fidelity measures, assessments, certification pathways, and ongoing learning experiences that help educators sustain instructional change over time. 

This is not a curriculum writing position. Instead, this role designs professional learning that equips educators—and those who support them—to confidently implement curriculum with consistency and fidelity.

What You’ll Do

• Design Adult Learning Experiences: Design and develop engaging facilitator-led, virtual, and asynchronous professional learning grounded in evidence-based adult learning theory. Create learning experiences that help educators understand, apply, and sustain structured literacy practices.
• Build Professional Learning Systems: Design comprehensive learning pathways that extend beyond individual trainings by developing coaching frameworks, certification programs, micro-credentialing opportunities, implementation supports, and ongoing learning experiences that promote sustained instructional growth.
• Create Facilitator & Train-the-Trainer Resources: Develop facilitator guides, presentation scripts, participant materials, discussion protocols, practice activities, and train-the-trainer resources that enable internal teams and district facilitators to deliver learning experiences with consistency, confidence, and instructional excellence.
• Design Coaching & Fidelity Tools: Create implementation resources that support instructional coaching, including fidelity observation checklists, coaching conversation guides, implementation rubrics, self-assessments, and progress-monitoring tools that help educators translate learning into classroom practice.
• Translate Research into Practice: Transform complex literacy research and structured literacy principles into engaging, practical professional learning experiences that help educators understand not only what to do, but why it matters and how to successfully apply it.
• Anticipate Educator Needs: Design professional learning that proactively addresses common implementation challenges by embedding guidance, examples, coaching prompts, and practical solutions that support educators through instructional change.
• Continuously Improve Learning Experiences: Analyze educator feedback, implementation data, coaching insights, and emerging research to iteratively improve professional learning assets and ensure materials remain current, effective, and aligned with organizational priorities. 
• Maintain Professional Learning Assets: Manage and update existing professional learning materials to reflect curriculum enhancements, product updates, implementation learnings, and evolving research while maintaining quality and version control.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner closely with Curriculum, Product, Sales, and Success to ensure professional learning resources support product launches, implementation priorities, customer needs, and organizational goals.
• Leverage Emerging Technologies: Utilize instructional technologies—including AI-enabled tools, when appropriate—to improve the efficiency, scalability, accessibility, and quality of professional learning while maintaining instructional integrity.

What You Bring

Literacy & Adult Learning Expertise 

• Deep expertise in the Science of Reading, structured literacy, and evidence-based literacy instruction. 
• Strong expertise in adult learning theory and designing engaging learning experiences for adult educators. 
• Understanding of how educators adopt and sustain instructional change through effective professional learning and coaching. 
• Experience supporting school or district implementation of evidence-based literacy practices.

Professional Learning & Instructional Design 

• Experience designing facilitator-led, virtual, and asynchronous professional learning experiences. 
• Knowledge of instructional coaching models, implementation science, and professional learning best practices. 
• Experience designing comprehensive professional learning systems rather than isolated training events.

Instructional Design Skills 

• Exceptional writing, technical communication, and instructional design skills. 

• Ability to translate complex educational research into engaging, practical learning experiences. 

• Experience creating facilitator guides, coaching resources, implementation supports, fidelity tools, assessments, and observation protocols. 

• Experience designing assessments that measure educator understanding and implementation, not simply knowledge acquisition. 

Required Education / Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Literacy, Instructional Design, Learning Experience Design, or a related field (Master's preferred). 
• 5+ years of experience designing professional learning, instructional materials, or educator training within K–12 literacy. 
• Demonstrated expertise in the Science of Reading, structured literacy, adult learning theory, and instructional design, with the ability to translate educational research into engaging, high-impact professional learning experiences. 
• Strong technical writing, instructional design, and digital course development experience. 
• Experience creating facilitator resources, coaching tools, fidelity measures, and implementation supports. 
• Ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining exceptional attention to detail. 

Preferred Experience

• Experience developing program-agnostic literacy coursework. 
• Experience designing educator certification, credentialing, or micro-credentialing programs. 
• Background as a literacy coach, instructional coach, district professional learning leader, or instructional designer supporting district-wide curriculum implementation. 
• Experience with learning management systems (LMS) and digital learning platforms. 
• Familiarity with AI-supported instructional design tools and emerging educational technologies. 

What We Offer

We take care of the whole person — because we believe that when our team thrives, so do the students and educators we serve. Our benefits include:

• Competitive 401(k) with company matching
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Paid Time Off to support rest, renewal, and life outside of work
• Employee Discount Program and partner savings
• Ongoing professional development and learning investment
• Wellness initiatives designed to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being
• Evolving benefits shaped by team member voice and values

Physical Requirements

This is a fully remote role. Team members work primarily at a computer and regularly engage in video conferencing, document review, and digital collaboration. The ability to work at a screen for extended periods, use standard input devices, and participate in virtual meetings is required.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Really Great Reading is committed to building an inclusive, high-performing workplace that reflects the diverse students, educators, and communities we serve. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.