How to hire an instructional services specialist

How to hire an instructional services specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step instructional services specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an instructional services specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new instructional services specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the instructional services specialist you need to hire. Certain instructional services specialist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An instructional services specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, instructional services specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of instructional services specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Instructional Services Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Instructional Services Specialist	Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop instructional material, coordinate its implementation with teachers and principals, and assess its effectiveness.	$18-32
   Curriculum Writer	Curriculum writers are professionals who are responsible for developing new academic instructional materials, lessons, and activities to be used by teachers or instructional staff from school districts, media companies, and other businesses. These writers are required to conduct professional development sessions for all staff about the design and changes in the new curriculum... Show more	$16-45
   Curriculum Developer	A curriculum developer is responsible for managing instructional materials, providing recommendations to the teachers, and making adjustments to the current student's curriculum to adhere to the highest educational standards and policies. Curriculum developers also facilitate and offer assistance for any implemented procedures... Show more	$17-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Curriculum Development

   Responsibilities:

   • Implement goals and objectives for math course curricula using innovative, non-traditional, technology-base learning environment engaging learners both academically and socially
   • Develop evaluation criteria and evaluates technical proposals and work statements submit by commercial contractors or in-house resources.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your instructional services specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An instructional services specialist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, instructional services specialists' average salary in mississippi is 55% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level instructional services specialists 43% less than senior-level instructional services specialists.
   • Certifications. An instructional services specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an instructional services specialist's salary.

   Average instructional services specialist salary

   $50,841yearly

   $24.44 hourly rate

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   Entry-level instructional services specialist salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing an instructional services specialist job description

   A good instructional services specialist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an instructional services specialist job description:

   Instructional services specialist job description example

   RTI International's Center for Education Services (CES) has an immediate opening for an Instructional Specialist. CES focuses on building the skills and professional capacity of K-12 educators to overcome challenges, improve practice, and sustain performance. From the classroom to the board room, we focus on four areas that we believe are levers for change in education: strengthening instruction, developing leaders, improving organizational operations, and facilitating collaborative networks.
   
   The Instructional Specialist will join a team that believes in servant leadership, research, innovation and empowering K-12 educators to reach their highest potential, so that all students reach theirs. Our partners tend to be innovative and growth-minded schools, districts, and organizations who embrace the opportunities of an ever-changing education landscape.
   
   This position will have the specific responsibility of empowering educators through the facilitation of professional learning and instructional coaching to support the implementation of best practices for instruction designed to meet the diverse needs of students. This position includes collaborating with educators in virtual and in-person learning environments to meet their learning needs. Instructional specialists at CES support social and emotional learning, inquiry-based learning, family and community engagement and school transformation. They work to ensure that all educators have the capacity and agency to ensure that all students graduate prepared for college and/or work.
   Please include cover letter when applying for the position.
   
   Responsibilitites include, but are not limited to:
   
   * Partner with school and district teams and instructional staff to identify needs and assets, clarify goals, and develop a strategic approach to meeting organizational priorities.
   * Design and deliver customized professional learning experiences to build capacity of teachers, coaches, and administrators in best practices that support effective high quality teaching and learning in virtual, blended, and in-person learning environments.
   * Communicate and collaborate to support the implementation of student-centered adaptable instructional models that promote equity and positive outcomes for all students.
   * Apply effective coaching skills to build capacity and empower instructional staff and administrators in a variety of school and district settings.
   * Collaborate to effectively support project team leadership and members.
   * Support CES coaching, consulting, leadership, and network operations by:
   * Preparing high quality client-facing project deliverables such as presentations and reports
   * Traveling, when appropriate, to assigned locations to support direct service delivery with clients
   * Observing, collecting, and analyzing relevant educational data to inform continuous improvement
   * Ensuring project deliverables are of high quality and delivered within scope and budget
   
   * Contribute to the advancement of internal initiatives and ongoing continuous improvement efforts.
   * Participate in internal meetings as required.
   * Other duties as assigned.
   
   Minimum Qualifications:
   
   * Bachelor's Degree in Education or other related field and at least 8 years of experience, or a Master's degree and at least 6 years of experience, or a PhD and at least 1 year of experience.
   * Experience with the facilitation of high-quality professional learning experiences.
   * Experience coaching educators.
   * Mastery level knowledge of effective instructional strategies and practices that support student growth and achievement.
   * Familiarity with strategies that support adult learning, student learning, and educational equity.
   * Strong self-management skills that support one's ability to critically assess challenges, identify innovative, effective solutions and communicate proposed solutions to clients.
   * Ability to manage competing, complex tasks.
   * Ability to accept and provide constructive feedback and incorporate feedback to adjust professional practice.
   * Ability to actively demonstrate servant leadership as evidenced by flexibility, humility, and commitment to public service.
   * Ability to work independently, cooperatively, and collaboratively in a fast-paced work environment.
   * Comfort with facilitating and presenting in front of groups of varying sizes and audiences.
   * Advanced written communication and organization skills.
   * Advanced skills with Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel, Word) and Google's Suite of Tools.
   * Advanced skills with virtual platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
   * Willingness to travel, when appropriate, domestically up to 50%, annually.
   * To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status.
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   
   * Experience leading professional learning communities or group-based discussions.
   * Experience with supporting change in schools.
   
   The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States.
   
   RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.
   
   At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.
   
   Additional Information
   
   * Maximum Salary: $89,000
   * Minimum Salary: $73,000

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find instructional services specialists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your instructional services specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit instructional services specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with instructional services specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new instructional services specialist

   Once you've found the instructional services specialist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new instructional services specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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