Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival

Position ID: 2710-VPC [#17765]
Position Title: Vice President of Content and Product Management (remote)
Position Type: Other
Position Location: Calabasas, California 91302, United States [map] sort by distance
Subject Area: Curriculum Development
Application Deadline: 2021/07/31 11:59PMhelp popup finished (2021/06/03, finished 2022/02/05, listed until 2021/07/31)
Position Description:   URMs  

*** this position has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***

About Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival (JRMF):

 

Most students learn that math is nothing more than memorizing formulas and carrying out procedures. The JRMF mission is to show every student that problem solving is not only accessible but also fun. Unlike competition or other math organizations, we measure success at JRMF by how many students leave our events saying “I can do this” and “This was fun!”  JRMF brings this mission to life by hosting and helping others host in-person and online celebrations of problem solving, which we call math festivals. At math festivals, students experience puzzles, games, crafts, and other activities that provide them with the opportunity to problem solve with agency, collaboration, play, and joy. See this joy for yourself at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WIILfJhh8c.

 

Over the past year, JRMF has hosted events for over 9,000 students, parents, and educators from 19 states and all continents except Antarctica.

 

About the Vice President of Content and Product Management (VPC) Position:

 

Reporting to the CEO, the VP of Content and Product Management (VPC) will strategically assist the JRMF leadership team by leading the development of new, innovative mathematical and educational resources that celebrate our pedagogical approach of play-based, discovery-based, and student-centered learning. The VPC will oversee the production of resources for students as well as facilitators who are adult educators trained to guide students through JRMF activities. To accommodate different learning styles and preferences, the VPC will design and manage the creation of resources using a variety of different mediums, such as Google slides, digital apps, and hands-on manipulatives. The VPC will coordinate with in-house app developers and graphic designers as well as volunteers and partner organizations to produce high-quality content and resources that are accessible and attractive to a wide array of audiences. The primary role is to draw upon their creativity, vision, and experience in the worlds of education and mathematics to strategically recommend a robust curriculum calendar and deliver compelling content that will be used around the world to provide students with unique experiences of meaningful and joyful problem solving.

 

Location: 100% remote (being on Pacific Time is a plus)

 

 

Key Responsibilities:

1.     Create a robust curriculum calendar for new resources including puzzles, games, and activities and execute against it with the wider team to deliver innovative, new offerings, and student guides to expand the JRMF catalog.

Through exploration and play, JRMF activities show students that math and problem solving can be both fun and accessible. A key JRMF core pedagogical value is creating a “low-floor” and “high-ceiling” for all of our activities. By having a “low-floor,” our activities are made accessible to any student, no matter their age or educational background. Although the JRMF target audience is 3rd-8th grade students, students as young as 1st graders have been able to enjoy our activities because of their low floor. By having a “high-ceiling,” our activities allow even the most advanced students to push themselves, grow, and learn something new. Many of our activities are enjoyed by high school students, college students, and math professors because of their high ceiling. For each activity, the VPC is responsible for writing clear instructions, writing a sequence of guiding questions with a low floor and high ceiling, and presenting these resources in a visually attractive and engaging way. The VPC will generally create a minimum of one new low-floor, high-ceiling activity each month. The VPC will also collect feedback from our community and routinely revise student guides to maintain a high level of quality.

2.     Design and build interactive components for JRMF activities. Along with written materials, all JRMF activities are accompanied by interactive components that support student play and exploration. Prior to COVID, interactive components for our activities included game pieces, building materials, crafting supplies, cards, dice, and other mediums that supported tactile and visual learning experiences. Since COVID, interactive components for our activities have included Jamboards, digital apps produced in Unity, Gather.Town spaces, Mathigon tools, Desmos activities, and other technological components that have allowed us to replicate the manipulative-based learning experience of in-person activities. Although the VPC will be supported by an in-house app developer and graphic designer, the VPC needs to be well-versed in using these different educational technologies and mediums so that they can effectively design and manage the production of activity materials. The VPC will also actively research and implement new technology and mediums that have the potential for improving the interactive experience of JRMF activities.

3.     Create facilitator guides for JRMF activities. The JRMF method of promoting discovery-based, play-based mathematical learning experiences is new for many people. To support others’ ability to effectively share our activities with students, JRMF provides facilitator (or educator) guides for all of our activities. Facilitator guides include key JRMF pedagogical philosophies alongside tangible tips and tricks to help facilitators build student engagement, perseverance, and confidence during the problem solving process. The VPC will draw on their experiences in math and education to write new facilitator guides. The VPC will also collect feedback from our community and routinely revise facilitator guides to maintain a high level of quality.

4.     Cultivate new content partnerships and work with existing partners to produce new, inspiring JRMF activities. JRMF regularly works with other organizations, including Math Kangaroo, ThinkFun, Global Math Project, Desmos, and Math Circles, to produce new JRMF content. The VPC will collaborate with existing content partners to cultivate a richer catalogue of activities. The VPC will also identify, reach out to, and engage with potential new content partners, focusing on opportunities that grow the JRMF community and lead to the production of content with real-world connections (e.g., science, politics, environmental issues, etc.). 

 

Qualities and Characteristics

 

1.     Commitment to and experience with education and mathematics.  JRMF provides a unique opportunity to bridge the world of academic mathematics and K12 math education. Our activities make high-level mathematical topics accessible to students as young as 6 years old but our activities at the same time remain interesting and meaningful for high school students, college students, and math professors. In order to produce resources that are attractive and accessible to a community that is composed of students, educators, and math professionals, the VPC will need to have a background in and appreciation for both the worlds of education and mathematics.

2.     Strong leadership, teamwork and management skills. The VPC will be working closely with the CEO, the Vice President of Festivals and Engagement, and the Vice President of Marketing. The VPC will also be managing an in-house app developer and graphic designer and may be tasked with managing future interns, volunteers, and employees. The VPC will need to have a strong background in problem solving as well as consensus building both with colleagues as well as direct reporters.

3.     Self-starter and independent worker. The VPC will take initiative in learning about JRMF, the world of education, the world of mathematics, and any other field that is helpful for creating attractive and accessible activities. The VPC will also take initiative in learning and implementing new technologies and tools that are helpful for their ability to produce new content. Being creative, being bold, and keeping themselves and others to a high standard of excellence are invaluable assets for the VPC.

4.     Growth mindset and strong problem solving. There will be many challenges as JRMF continues to expand and reach new audiences. The VPC will need to be comfortable and excited about experimenting with new ideas and formats, as well as be comfortable actively seeking constructive feedback from our target markets on ways to further improve our product catalog of activities.

5.     Detail-oriented. The VPC will need to execute a variety of complex tasks at a high level of quality. This will require strong organizational skills as well as the ability to put in place strong processes to ensure consensus and high-quality work outcomes.

6.     Good eye for design.  Because the VPC will be responsible for designing and managing the production of activity materials, the VPC will need to be hands-on and should have a good eye for attractive layout and visual designs while being extremely comfortable with design programs such as Adobe Illustrator and others.

7.     Strong written communication skills. The VPC will need strong writing skills to be able to make complex mathematical and pedagogical ideas accessible to young students, as well as inexperienced facilitators.

 

Skills and Experience:

Required:

1.     5 years experience in education, mathematics, and/or math outreach. Math curriculum development experience is a plus.

2.     Expertise in educational pedagogy and philosophy

3.     Expertise in proof-based mathematics

4.     Expertise in Google products (e.g., Google Drive, Google Forms, Google Slides, etc.)

5.     Expertise in graphic design software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Figma, Canva, etc.)

6.     Expertise in Zoom

 

Recommended:

1.     Fluency in computer programming (especially C# or JavaScript)

2.     Fluency in other Zoom alternatives (especially Gather.Town)


Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:
jrmf.org
email address
 
3564 Calabasas Road, Suite 201

Calabasas, CA 91302