Manager, Professional Learning (Remote, US)

About the Role: 

We are looking for a Manager of Professional Learning to join our Professional Learning Services team. Reporting to the Sr. Director of Customer Experience, you will lead and coach a high-performing team of Professional Learning Managers to deliver best-in-class professional learning. You will spearhead the design of innovative professional learning content, ensure all sessions align with current pedagogical best practices, and maintain a deep, evolving mastery of Newsela’s product suite. You will deliver high-quality professional learning at schools and districts across the country, in addition to overseeing our Partner Program so that every Newsela customer receives a world-class experience.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Team Management & Development 

  • You’ll manage a team of PLMs, helping them sharpen their facilitation skills and ensuring they have the resources needed to drive teacher success at scale.
  • Conduct regular 1:1s and observations (virtual or in-person) to provide actionable feedback on facilitation and presentation style
  • Design and execute internal onboarding for new PLMs 
  • Manage team capacity and projects to ensure equitable distribution of work and delivery 

  Content Design

  • You’ll oversee the design, build, and iteration of new and existing Professional Learning content based on educator feedback, NPS scores, and internal data to ensure high-impact learning and PL session retention.
  • Collaborate with the Customer Success and sales teams to ensure materials reflect customer feedback and expectations 
  • Partner with the Marketing and Product teams to ensure all PL materials accurately reflect the latest UI/UX updates 
  • Ensure Newsela’s Professional Learning offerings are grounded in proven educational research and highly effective adult-learning best practices

  Instructional Innovation

  • You’ll move beyond the standard webinar, exploring new ways to deliver PL—from asynchronous modules to hybrid workshops—that fit the busy lives of modern educators and school/district leaders.
  • Ensure our training reflects the latest in education research and adapts instantly to every new feature launch
  • Evaluate effectiveness of professional development resources to drive teacher engagement and adoption adapting content as needed to meet the needs of our educators, administrators, and students 

  Partner Program Strategy 

  • You’ll manage our external Professional Learning partners by forecasting, budgeting, and building relationships to ensure every Newsela customer receives a world-class experience.
    • Source, vet, and onboard high-quality educational partners and independent consultants to deliver Newsela PL sessions at scale
    • Oversee the PL partner budget, ensuring vendor spend aligns with quarterly targets and maximizes ROI 
    • Collaborate with the Fulfillment team to strategically assign partners to sessions based on their subject matter expertise and availability
    • Review post-session data and NPS for partner-led sessions, providing regular coaching to vendors to maintain a consistent Newsela experience

 

About You:

• You have 5+ years of experience in professional learning, instructional design, or educational leadership.
• You have experience in managing direct reports and coaching them toward measurable performance goals.
• You are available to travel up to 30% of the time year round, and up to 50% of the time during high-volume delivery seasons. 
• You have a strong understanding of adult learning theory, literacy instruction, and the current K-12 landscape.
• While not required, a Masters degree related to the field of education is a plus 
• Proficiency with Salesforce, G-Suite, and modern LMS education platforms 
• Preferences: A data-driven decision-maker and leader, you draw on your pedagogical knowledge to inform professional le