Professional Learning Leader Fellow (PLL Fellow)

Professional Learning Leaders Academy (PLLA) – NEA

Position Overview

The Professional Learning Leader Fellow participates in a year-long leadership development experience focused on strengthening union-led professional learning. Fellows grow their ability to design, facilitate, and improve professional learning that reflects union values, centers educator voice, and advances equity. Once graduated from the program, PLL Fellows will run Professional Learning for NEARI and will be paid a stipend for all sessions that they lead. 

This is an opportunity for educators who are already informally leading peers and want to deepen their impact as skilled facilitators and leaders within their union.

The position requires one in-person convening in October (travel paid by by NEA), blended learning with monthly meetings, coaching, and applied practice (approximately 8 hours/month). During year two and beyond, you will be designing and facilitating professional learning for NEARI members and paid the hourly PD rate for sessions.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage fully in a year-long fellowship program, including training, collaboration, and applied learning
• Design and facilitate high-quality professional learning experiences for peers
• Contribute to and strengthen union-led professional learning initiatives
• Reflect on practice and actively engage in coaching and feedback cycles
• Collaborate with other fellows and union leaders to advance collective learning goals
• Apply an equity lens to professional learning design and delivery
• Align work to a defined learning pathway within the program

Qualifications & Experience

Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

• Connection to union-led professional learning
  • Some involvement or exposure to professional learning within a union context 
• Emerging leadership
  • Informal leadership among peers and initiative beyond their own classroom or role 
• Growth mindset
  • Willingness to receive feedback, be coached, and continue learning 
• Capacity and commitment
  • Ability to commit to a full year-long program, with support from their local or affiliate 
• Equity awareness
  • Ability to think critically about access to professional learning and whose voices are centered 

What We’re Looking For

Strong candidates will:

• Already engage in professional learning leadership formally and informally and want to improve their practice
• Are motivated to facilitate learning, not just present content
• Care about strengthening union-led professional learning systems
• Can articulate their current involvement and future goals in this space
• Demonstrate commitment to equity and educator voice

Who Should Apply

• All union members and emerging leaders who: 
  • Are already supporting peer learning in formal or informal ways
  • Want to deepen facilitation and leadership skills
  • Are committed to advancing equitable, union-driven professional learning
  • Want to become a pivotal part of NEARI’s professional learning community

Members should provide a cover letter and a resume to Amanda Scott, NEARI Asst. Executive Director, at [email protected] by July 7, 2026. 

NEARI is an equal opportunity employer who is committed to diversity. We strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.