Job in Mexican Sesame Street / Trabajo en Plaza Sésamo en México

Scope of Work
Senior Education Specialist ­ Part-time Consultancy
Plaza Sésamo

GENERAL INFORMATION
Sesame Workshop is a non-profit organization that utilizes the educational
power of media to help children achieve their highest potential.
The International Education, Research and Outreach (ERO) Department is
responsible for
• Developing curricula for international co-productions and ensuring
the educational integrity of all components of international projects;
• Overseeing and/or conducting research that serves the development of
educational materials (broadcast or otherwise) and that evaluates the impact
of those materials;
• Managing and directing international outreach efforts.

Since 1973, Plaza Sésamo, the Latin American version of Sesame Street, has
been promoting pre-school readiness, cognitive and social skills, and
healthy habits such as nutrition and physical activity to Spanish-speaking
audiences in both Latin America and the United States. Today the show airs
on terrestrial and cable channels throughout Latin America as well as in the
U.S. and Canada. The acclaimed Spanish-language television series for
preschool children depicts a colorful neighborhood, the Plaza, which is home
to a mix of families, children, and Muppets. Like its counterpart, Sesame
Street, the show intertwines animation, live action films, studio segments
and original music videos that support a whole-child educational curriculum
with key educational areas including: cognitive development, social
development, emotional development, and physical development. In 2008,
Plaza Sésamo celebrates its 35th anniversary.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The senior education specialist will report to the Sesame Workshop’s
Assistant Director of International Education, Research, and Outreach in New
York. The senior education specialist will work closely with our Mexican and
international partners, including co-managing and collaborating with the
Plaza Sésamo content specialist and will be responsible for executing the
following duties:

• Developing/advising on the series’ educational objectives;
• Locating and communicating with educational advisors for the
project;
• Organizing and managing content seminars to refine the project’s
educational objectives;
• Working with ERO and production teams to create curricular plan for
season including providing curricular assignments by episode to writers;
• Reviewing scripts and materials to ensure educational integrity and
age-appropriateness;
• Reviewing proposals and storyboard ideas for segments in
development;
• Reviewing materials from a pre-developed library of live action
films, animations and other pieces, to determine their educational and
cultural appropriateness;
• Working with script writers to create rundowns (segment by segment
chart of each episode) that balance educational objectives and creative
themes across episodes and the entire series;
• Attending writers’ workshops, and other production meetings;
• Developing and maintaining relationships with project partners;
• Assisting in the management of community outreach initiatives;
• Assisting in the design and management of research conducted for the
project including formative research and impact evaluation;
• Assisting with the public interface of the project; attending
conferences, public relations and other events; contributing to approved
publications; serving, as needed, as educational spokesperson for the
project;
• Co-managing Plaza Sésamo content specialist together with Assistant
Director of International Research;
• Providing other educational support to the education and research
and production teams, as needed.


TO APPLY

Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter to Ilana
Umansky, Assistant Director of International Education, Research and
Outreach, at ilana.umansky@sesameworkshop.org.
QUALIFICATIONS
The candidate should be able to read, write, and speak Spanish and English
fluently and should have an advanced degree (master’s degree of doctorate)
in developmental psychology, education policy, curriculum development, early
childhood education, or a related field.
The ideal candidate will have prior work experience with young children, in
early childhood education, child media or communications, or child
development research.
The ability to meet deadlines under tight timelines, work independently and
as a team member are essential. Attention to detail and organization is a
must.
Advanced knowledge of PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Excel, Internet is
required as are strong research and writing skills.
Candidate must have a flexible schedule and be available to work 15-25 hours
per week.
Residence in the Mexico City area is required.
COMPENSATION

Commensurate with experience.