POSITION DESCRIPTION
TITLE:
FLSA STATUS:
Professional Development Specialist
Exempt
CATEGORY:
GRADE:
Professional
E
JOB SUMMARY: Plan and provide Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) training, develop professional
development plans; design and implement improvement plans to support the goals of the AEL Texas
initiative. Collaborate and support Texas A&M University’s Adult Education and Literacy (AEL)
“Professional Development Center”.
Program Description
Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) is a center of the College of
Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University. TCALL will develop an Adult Education
and Literacy (AEL) Professional Development Center (the “PD Center”) and lead the Texas Researchbased Adult Instruction Network Professional Development (TRAIN PD) Consortium which includes five
community colleges in five of the largest urban population centers of the state (Alamo Colleges, Austin
Community College, College of the Mainland, El Paso Community College, and Houston Community
College System) working to design and deliver statewide multi-faceted professional development, and
provide access to knowledge and resources, technology, networking opportunities, and programmatic
support to the field of adult education and literacy in Texas. The PD Center will serve AEL Grant
Recipients and their connected Service Providers (the “Local Providers”), Local Workforce Development
Boards, community and faith-based organizations providing AEL services, and other organizations that
support AEL services.
YEARLY
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
PERCENT OF
TIME
1. Develop and implement statewide professional development plans to support adult
30%
education and literacy in Texas. Assist in identifying training needs of local
providers by collecting information to assess needs and accountability measures.
Coordinate, develop and conduct AEL training; provide certificates of completion
and/or transcripts to attendees, provide and collect on-site training evaluations and
conduct follow-up evaluation surveys. Assist in evaluating Texas contract trainers
and coordinate webinars or online facilitated courses when needed.
2.
Design performance improvement plans; develop benchmarks and goals to ensure
continuous professional development plan enhancements. Establish a working
relationship with local AEL providers. Participate in regular statewide planning
and strategy meetings with the other PD Consortium Specialists and leadership;
schedule site visits as needed. Collaborate locally with El Paso Independent
School District (EPISD), Socorro Independent School District (SISD) and Ysleta
Independent School District (YISD) for AEL training.
20%
3.
Maintain accurate training records and adhere to federal and state adult education
rules, assessment policy, National Reporting System (NRS), Texas Educating
Adults Management System (TEAMS) rules, and principles of accountability
reporting.
15%
Effective: 03/24/15
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4.
Act as a point of contact for professional development expertise; provide support
and information to AEL local providers as needed.
10%
5.
Support the objectives of TCALL’s PD Center and PD Consortium to include
research activities as approved by the Texas Workforce Commission.
10%
6.
Participate in ongoing PD initiatives to keep abreast of development and trends in
the AEL field.
10%
7.
Perform other duties as assigned.
5%
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: Director, Workplace Literacy Programs
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Provide work direction to assigned staff.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION:
Bachelor’s degree in related field.
EXPERIENCE: Six (6) years experience in Adult Education/Literacy to include a minimum of
three (3) years in the design & delivery of professional development.


Desired: Experience in the design and evaluation of Professional Development plans for
AEL programs.
CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSURES:
ABE/ESL Certification as a trainer in two professional development areas (ex. Content standards,
BEST Plus, Integrating Career Awareness, Beginning ESL Literacy, Integrated Reading/Writing,
GED Math, or GED Literacy.
SPECIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
1.
Skills/Abilities:
 Excellent presentation and public speaking skills;
 Excellent communication and collaborative skills;
 Experience teaching adult education or literacy;
 Knowledge of general office practices;
 Strong organizational skills;
 Knowledge of tutoring methods and practices;
 Ability to design and implement workshops/training for AEL instructors;
 Strong computer literacy skills, including Microsoft Package;
 Ability to function well under time constraints and meet deadlines;
 Strong interactive/interpersonal skills;
 Commitment to community college philosophies;
 Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedures;
 Ability to read and analyze professional journal articles and other related literature and
present such information to diverse audiences in the AE field;
 Ability to solve practical problems;
 Ability to work in a diverse environment and be sensitive to issues of diversity and
inclusion;
 Must be able to travel.
Effective: 03/24/15
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2.
Equipment Used: Personal Computer and other equipment associated with an office
environment.
3.
Software Used: A variety of spreadsheet, word-processing, database, e-mail, and presentation
software.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee
to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The
employee is frequently required to stand; walk and sit. The employee is occasionally required to
use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently
lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close
vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:
Alternative or combined skills in understanding and/or influencing people are important in
achieving job objectives, causing action, understanding others, or changing behavior; and, skills of
persuasiveness or assertiveness, as well as sensitivity to the point of view of others.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
The work environment characteristics described here a representative of those an employee
encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work
environment is usually moderate.
Effective: 03/24/15
Page 3 of 5
POSITION TITLE:
Professional Development Specialist
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS: The physical demands and work
environment factors described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to
successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES:
None
Stand
Walk
Sit
Use hands to finger, handle or feel
Reach with hands and arms
Climb or balance
Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
Talk
Hear
Taste
Smell
WEIGHT and FORCE
DEMANDS:
Up to 10 pounds
Up to 25 pounds
Up to 50 pounds
Up to 100 pounds
More than 100 pounds
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Wet or humid conditions(non-weather)
Work near moving mechanical parts
Work in high, precarious places
Fumes or airborne particles
Toxic or caustic chemicals
Outdoor weather conditions
Extreme cold(non-weather)
Extreme hot (non-weather)
Risk of electrical shock
Work with explosives
Risk of radiation
Vibration
Over 2/3
X
X
X
X
X
X
None
Amount of Time
Under 1/3
1/3 to 2/3
X
Over 2/3
X
X
X
X
None
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
VISION DEMANDS:
No special vision requirements
Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less)
Distance vision (Clear vision at 20 feet or more)
Color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors)
Peripheral vision
Depth perception
Ability to adjust focus
Effective: 03/24/15
Amount of Time
Under 1/3
1/3 to 2/3
X
X
X
X
X
Amount of Time
Under 1/3
1/3 to 2/3
Over 2/3
Required
X
X
X
X
X
X
Page 4 of 5
NOISE LEVEL:
Very quiet
Quiet
Moderate
Loud
Very Loud
Exposure Level
X
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and
responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration
of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employee may be directed
to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically present in this description.
I certify that I have received a copy of this job description. I have read and understand the duties and
responsibilities of this position.
X
Employee Signature
Effective: 03/24/15
Date
Page 5 of 5