Education Specialist

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW:  

The Learning and Development team is responsible for empowering growth and developing knowledge and skills to drive better performance and positively impact on-field outcomes. Its programming is designed to respond to the true needs of the organization, as established through rigorous learning needs assessment that identifies skills gaps and the learning interventions that fill those gaps. 

POSITION OVERVIEW: 

The Boston Red Sox provides international baseball players who are English Learners (EL) with resources in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to increase proficiency in English. The goal of this program is to accelerate their development as professional athletes through tailored learning experiences. 

The Education Specialist will ensure that all educational programming promotes personal growth and addresses players’ cultural and linguistic needs while advancing their ability to communicate effectively on and off the field. 

• Program Design and Oversight:
• Create and adapt instructional frameworks, curriculum, and resources for ESL and life skills programming, ensuring consistency across all affiliates. 
• Incorporate baseball-specific terminology, clubhouse communication strategies, and everyday life skills relevant to young professional athletes. 
• Evaluate program effectiveness regularly and adjust based on player needs, staff feedback, and organizational goals. 
• Team Leadership and Supervision:
• Supervise, and mentor ESL teachers across multiple minor league affiliates. 
• Provide professional development, teaching resources, and ongoing feedback to teachers and ensure instructors deliver engaging, practical, and culturally relevant lessons. 
• Coordinate schedules, assign responsibilities, and facilitate collaboration across the instructional team. 
• Instruction and Direct Engagement:
• Deliver hands-on instruction to players and staff in classrooms, clubhouses, dugouts, practice fields, and other non-traditional settings when appropriate. 
• Model best practices for teachers by demonstrating flexible, practical, player-centered teaching strategies. 
• Provide one-on-one or small-group interventions for players with specialized needs. 
• Collaboration with Baseball Staff:
• Partner with coaches, trainers, nutritionists, and player development staff to align educational programming with overall player development strategies and address challenges. 
• Assessment and Evaluation:
• Oversee development and administration of assessments to track player progress in language and life skills. 
• Use data, player feedback, and staff evaluations to refine curriculum and instructional approaches. 
• Support Player Well-Being Through Empowerment:
• Develop resources, tools, and workshops that teach players how to independently manage tasks such as visiting the DMV, navigating healthcare, opening a bank account, or applying for a Social Security number. 
• Equip players with step-by-step guides, role-play practice, vocabulary sheets, and peer-support strategies so they can succeed without constant staff intervention. 

• Expertise in developing, adapting, and delivering curriculum and instructional materials.  
• Able to design, implement, and analyze assessments that track player progress in language and life skills. 
• Uses data and feedback to refine curriculum and ensure program effectiveness.  
• Engages effectively with players and staff from diverse cultural backgrounds and demonstrates flexibility and resilience in a dynamic baseball environment. 
• Leads and mentors ESL instructors to provide professional development, foster collaboration, and model adaptable teaching strategies.  

• Bachelor’s degree in education, TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), applied linguistics, cultural studies, or a related field. 
• Must be proficient in Spanish. 
• Strong background in curriculum development, instructional design, and teacher training. 
• Ability to coach instructors on tailoring lessons to real-world and baseball-specific contexts. 
• Skilled in balancing strategic oversight with hands-on instruction when needed. 
• Comfortable working in non-traditional learning environments (clubhouses, dugouts, buses, training facilities) and modeling adaptability for teaching staff. 
• Resilient and confident when faced with unfamiliar situations or challenging personalities. 
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and cross-cultural communication skills. 
• Collaborative and able to work effectively with baseball staff, instructors, and community partners in a high-performance environment.
• Practical, results-driven mindset — values effectiveness over theory and ensures staff focus on what will truly help players succeed. 
• Proven ability to think creatively and implement learning solutions that adapt to players’ environments, schedules, and personalities 
• TESOL, TEFL, or CELTA certification strongly preferred. 
• Military training background welcomed — individuals with Master Training Specialist (MTS) certification or equivalent leadership/training experience are strongly encouraged to apply. 
• Familiarity with baseball terminology, routines, and culture, particularly within the minor league system preferred but not required.