RFP/US Education Program Associate

Statement of Purpose
The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) is looking for a U.S. Education Program Associate to facilitate the growth and improvement of a classroom-based education program in the United States.

Background Information
Beginning in fall 2010 with the pilot project “Public Policy Initiative,” the Wikimedia Foundation has been working with educators across the United States to incorporate Wikipedia-editing into the class as an innovative teaching tool. The Foundation provides these professors with a variety of support resources, including instructional videos, sample lesson plans, and “Wikipedia Ambassadors” who mentor students both in-person and online.

Due to the success of the Public Policy Initiative, the Wikimedia Foundation is now expanding the program to all academic disciplines and more countries, to significantly increase the number of Wikipedia contributors in the coming year. We have launched the program in India and will expand to Brazil and other countries in 2012; at the same time, we will need to continue facilitating the growth and improvement of activities within the United States, to make sure that the U.S. wing of the program remains robust and high-quality.

For further information:
 * Information about the [//outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Public_Policy_Initiative Public Policy Initiative] (including links to progress reports and case studies)
 * Information about the [//outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ambassador_Program Wikipedia Ambassador Program], including information about Campus Ambassadors, Online Ambassadors, and Regional Ambassadors
 * [//outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Global_Education_Program_A%E2%80%93Z Global Education Program A–Z] on the Wikimedia Outreach wiki
 * Wikimedia Blog, Frank Schulenburg: [//blog.wikimedia.org/2011/07/29/for-wikipedia-in-education-the-future-is-now/ For Wikipedia in education, the future is now]

Scope of Work

 * Manage, mentor, support, and evaluate volunteer Wikipedia Regional Ambassadors (volunteer leaders) in the U.S., working through them to make sure that recruitment and in-class activities run smoothly and effectively
 * Work with Regional Ambassadors in the U.S. to redefine the boundaries of the regions, to further reduce the size of each region and the workload of each Regional Ambassador
 * Recruit and select new Regional Ambassadors in the U.S., and revise the Regional Ambassador role as the need arises
 * Work with Regional Ambassadors to ensure that all U.S. Campus and Online Ambassadors receive high-quality training
 * Work with Global Education Program team to train Regional Ambassadors in the U.S.
 * Collect and document best practices for working with volunteers and professors
 * Work with Global Education Program Manager to improve the self-sustainability, effectiveness, reach and diversity of the education program

Deliverables

 * Monthly report due on the 15th of each month, describing progress, changes, successes, and problems/challenges/concerns in the U.S. program
 * Reorganization of the current U.S. “regions” such that each region is geographically smaller and the workload of each Wikipedia Regional Ambassador is approximately 3-5 hours a week
 * At least 25 Regional Ambassadors in the U.S. by spring 2012
 * At least 50 Regional Ambassadors in the U.S. by fall 2012
 * By the end of August 2012 – a Wikipedia Regional Ambassador system and group that needs very minimal Wikimedia Foundation support to recruit and coordinate a large number of professors & Ambassadors in the U.S.
 * At least 80 classes on board the U.S. education program in the spring 2012 semester
 * At least 100 classes on board the U.S. education program in the fall 2012 semester
 * Enough high-quality and trained Campus and Online Ambassadors to adequately support each participating class where the instructor meets our course-design requirements

Term of Contract
The contract will be for a duration of 12 months, and will commence as soon as possible.

Payments, Incentives, and Penalties
Rate will be determined by level of experience and expertise.

Required Qualifications

 * Experience coordinating and mentoring people;
 * Strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, both in-person and virtually;
 * Ability to work independently and meet deadlines with limited supervision; strong time management skills and self-discipline;
 * Ability to analyze problems and implement solutions;
 * Ability to work in an open, transparent and collaborative environment;
 * Ability to adapt quickly and easily to changing requirements;
 * Experience coordinating volunteers is a major plus;
 * Ability to develop solid working relationships with Wikimedia staff, Wikimedia community volunteers, and university staff, students, and faculty;
 * Working knowledge of the wiki environment is a plus;
 * Familiarity with the Global Education Program is a plus;
 * Must have strong affinity to the Wikimedia mission.

Process Schedule
Please submit the following documents:
 * CV that demonstrates you're fit for this role;
 * A paper (not exceeding 3 single-spaced pages total in length) that explains
 * How exactly you plan to recruit and select Wikipedia Regional Ambassadors such that the process is efficient and effective;
 * How you envision to achieve and balance all of the following: expanding the Wikipedia education program multifold, making the program almost entirely volunteer-driven (minimal Wikimedia Foundation staff involvement) by August 2012, AND maintaining high quality standards and role consistency across the board.

Evaluation
The submitted documents will be evaluated based on the following criteria (in no particular order):
 * Demonstrated history of accomplishing complex goals by working through others rather than doing the work yourself;
 * Understanding of the mission, values, and strategy of the Global Education Program;
 * Understanding of the Wikipedia Regional Ambassador, Campus Ambassador, and Online Ambassador programs;
 * Ability to work with volunteers;
 * Demonstrated history of effectively coordinating and mentoring people;
 * Overall willingness and eagerness to undertake a highly complex challenge.

Points of contact for future correspondence
Please submit your documents electronically (as PDF) as soon as possible and put "U.S. Education Program Associate" in the subject line to: Annie Lin, Global Education Program Manager, rfp@undefinedwikimedia.org