Empowering Teacher Learning (ETL) Navigator (Time-Limited)
Department: Office of Rural Promise - 240105
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in education or a related field.
- 2+ years of experience working directly with and supporting teachers.
- 3-5 years of experience working in public schools as a teacher or professional development specialist.
License/Certification Required
Preferred Qualifications
-Master's Degree in Education or related field
-Experience in facilitating teacher professional learning.
-Experience supporting teachers through teacher-directed professional learning practices and/or micro-credentials.
-Experience operating within a federally-funded grant program.
-Ability to thoughtfully and efficiently design micro-credentials.
-Experience supporting teachers as an external school partner (beyond a teacher/leader within a school).
-Experience in literacy education and/or professional development.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting to and under the direction of the ETL Program Director, the Empowering Teacher Learning (ETL) Navigator will serve as the direct point of contact for public school teachers participating in the ETL SPARK (Strengthening Professional Learning to Advance Reading Knowledge) grant program, awarded to Appalachian State University in August 2026 through the U.S. Department of Education.
The 5-year grant program, ETL SPARK, aims to study the effectiveness of an innovative professional learning system that offers a self-directed, competency-based micro-credentialing program to public school teachers in North Carolina. A team of 4 ETL Navigators are responsible for the coordination, communication, and implementation of the ETL micro-credential framework with 500+ teachers across North Carolina. ETL Navigators are responsible for supporting participants in the completion of a classroom needs assessment, the creation of a learning contract, and ensuring teacher stipend obligations are met.
The range of responsibilities includes, but is not limited to:
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
- Collaborate within a team of ETL Navigators, providing a positive, inclusive, and supportive environment where all team members can thrive.
- Provide excellent support to participating teachers to ensure their participation in the ETL SPARK program produces minimal administrative burden for them.
- Engage in day-to-day management, communication, and administration for EIR, ensuring the grant project is making adequate progress.
- Serve as a direct point of contact to teacher participants (a caseload of approximately 125 teachers each year) to help them "navigate" seamlessly through the ETL framework.
- Ensure each teacher is making progress toward completing their self-directed learning contract and provide status updates to the program leadership team.
- Implement and regularly advocate for departmental mission, vision, and core values.
- Serve as assessor for internally developed micro-credentials and award badges to teacher participants.
- Serve as micro-credential coordinator/Navigator in the writing and development of additional micro-credentials for publication.
- Monitor and provide quality control for internally developed micro-credentials and share feedback, including any necessary updates, for externally developed micro-credentials with the host organization.
- Support teacher development of best practices in literacy, including but not limited to literacy assessment, literacy instruction, literacy intervention, etc.
RECRUITMENT
- Assist in the recruitment of a minimum of 500+ teachers to serve as participants in the ETL SPARK Program.
PARTNER RELATIONS
- Establish, nurture, and sustain positive relationships and collaboration between and among Appalachian State University and partner districts.
- Develop and maintain a culture of support and engagement with partnering school districts.
- Maintain regular contact with and provide regular progress updates to educators and principals regarding grant objectives.
- Travel to participating schools frequently to provide technical and coaching support to teachers and administrators.
- Provide positive, engaging, dynamic support that teachers need to complete the core components of the program (needs assessment, learning contract, micro-credentials, receive stipends).
- Engage closely with the micro-credential host site to ensure a quality experience for participants.
GRANTS MANAGEMENT & COMPLIANCE
- Understand and consistently apply federal and state regulations, institutional policies, and program specifications.
- Work closely with the ETL Stipend Coordinator to ensure teacher stipends are issued accurately, efficiently, timely, and with as little burden as possible on the teachers.
- Work collegially with associated EIR departments (Evaluation, Finance, Compliance) to ensure grant compliance and audit readiness.
- Maintain excellent records of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the project and submit to the university on time and with accuracy.
- Ensure consistent implementation of program policies and procedures developed by the Program Director.
RESEARCH & EVALUATION
- Serve as a champion of the research component of the program (randomized controlled trial) to ensure fidelity of implementation among teacher participants.
- Ensure all personally identifiable data is shared and housed securely and managed in accordance with FERPA.
- Adapt program to changing environments/needs/data and course correct as needed, as appropriate, and within the confines of the research design.
Work Schedule/Hours:8:00am - 5:00pm Monday - Friday, with occasional weekend hours as needed (minimal).
Suggested Salary Range: $62,000 - $64,000
Closing Date:
Open Until Filled: No
Evaluation of Applications Begins: 10/13/2026
Proposed Date of Hire: 11/23/2026
To apply, visit https://appstate.peopleadmin.com/postings/56543
Appalachian State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The University does not discriminate in access to its educational programs and activities, or with respect to hiring or the terms and conditions of employment, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, political affiliation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information or sexual orientation.
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