Position Summary

The PHI curriculum writer is responsible for preparing for dissemination a variety of teaching materials for direct-care workers and their supervisors, long-term care leaders, and long-term care consumers. This is a full-time position in the PHI Communications Department, reporting to the Curriculum Manager. The Curriculum Writer will also work closely with the PHI Training and Organizational Development team.

Examples of current PHI training materials include an entry-level curriculum as well as more advanced training in problem-solving, peer mentoring, leadership development and coaching supervision. PHI’s teaching materials incorporate a variety of active-learning techniques, relying heavily on role plays, case studies, small group work, learning games, and other participatory activities.

Introduction to PHI

PHI works to improve the lives of people who need home care and residential care—by improving the lives of the workers who provide that care. Our goal is to ensure caring, stable relationships between consumers and workers, so that both may live with dignity, respect, and independence.

Position Responsibilities

The curriculum writer must be an excellent writer, with experience in writing educational materials in a collaborative environment. The curriculum writer will work closely with Training and Organizational Development content experts to develop facilitator guides and handouts that allow others to deliver PHI’s learner-centered trainings.

Curriculum development:

• Work closely with PHI and affiliated training staff to understand the content of our training materials and the teaching methods. Attend trainings where appropriate.
• Reshape existing teaching materials into ready-to-use facilitator guides and curricula that can be used in a variety of settings.
• Participate in the development and design of new curricula, observe during testing phases, and follow through with writing and editing of final products.
• Ensure consistency of structure and language across curricula.

Product design:

• Provide input on overall design of PHI’s teaching materials and specific feedback during the design and production phase of individual products.

Marketing and dissemination:

• Contribute to development of marketing materials and an overall plan for disseminating new products.

Additional writing responsibilities

• Write and edit other materials as assigned.
  

Organizational responsibilities:

• Participate in communications and curriculum team meetings.
• Participate in PHI staff meetings, program team meetings, and organizational retreats.
• Use organizational IT systems to facilitate project management and information flow across PHI.

Qualifications

In addition to excellent writing skills, this position requires the ability to communicate easily with a diverse educational staff. The curriculum writer will need to work closely with staff who have developed and regularly use PHI teaching materials. To be compelling, candidates must share PHI’s deep commitment to creating quality jobs for direct-care workers and delivering quality care to long-term care consumers.

• Excellent writing and editing skills.
• Previous experience writing educational materials.
• Ability to work well both independently and in teams.
• Skill in communicating with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Excellent interpersonal/relational skills.
• Ability to handle multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word.

Preferences

• Experience with curriculum development and design.
• Knowledge of or experience with adult education, particularly learner-centered teaching.
• Experience working in long-term care staff development.
• Direct experience with caregiving.
• Bilingual: English and Spanish.

Additional PHI Background

PHI is a $9 million nonprofit organization headquartered in the South Bronx, New York that provides technical services across the country, and employs field staff in four regions: New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan. The organization’s nearly 50 employees work to strengthen our nation’s long-term care direct-care workforce—home health aides, certified nurse aides, and personal care attendants—by developing innovative recruitment, training, supervision programs; client-centered caregiving practices; and state and federal public policy. PHI’s premise is that creating quality jobs for direct-care workers is essential to providing high-quality; cost-effective services to long-term care consumers.

PHI’s National Clearinghouse on the Direct Care Workforce, a web-based resource at www.phinational.org/clearinghouse, is the nation’s primary source of information and analysis on the direct-care workforce. The Clearinghouse receives more than 30,000 visits per month from a mix of long-term stakeholders, including providers, workers, consumers, advocates, and researchers.

Contact

Please send cover letter and resume to:

PHI
349 East 149th Street, Tenth Floor
Bronx, New York 10451
www.phinational.org
E-mail: info@phinational.org
(Please note job title in subject line of email and cover letter.)

The application period for this position will close as of: 30 May 2008

Position is full-time, with excellent salary and benefits. Applicants must be based in the Northeast and be willing to travel as needed to PHI’s South Bronx office as well as other locations where PHI is conducting educational activities.

~ PHI encourages diversity in our workforces. ~