Application Guide
How to Apply for Director of Training Content & Curriculum
at Upwardly Global Inc.
🏢 About Upwardly Global Inc.
Upwardly Global is a national nonprofit that eliminates barriers to professional employment for immigrants and refugees, addressing the underemployment of over 2 million highly skilled individuals. Working here means directly impacting economic equity and leveraging your skills to build culturally responsive programs that transform lives. The remote-first culture fosters collaboration across diverse teams committed to social justice.
About This Role
As Director of Training Content & Curriculum, you will lead the strategic design and continuous improvement of all training materials for jobseeker programs, ensuring they are culturally responsive, accessible, and aligned with labor market trends. This role is impactful because you'll shape how thousands of immigrants gain the skills and confidence to secure professional jobs, directly contributing to Upwardly Global's mission of economic inclusion. You'll also integrate AI to enhance content development and manage a team to scale impact.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with a stand-up with your Instructional Designer to review content sprint progress, then a cross-functional meeting with program and evaluation teams to align on labor market trends. Afternoon could involve reviewing a new module draft for cultural responsiveness, testing an AI tool for personalized learning pathways, and ending with strategy planning for the next quarter's content roadmap.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Upwardly Global Inc. Is Looking For
- Experienced in learning and development with 7+ years including management, ideally in workforce development or adult education serving diverse, multilingual, or immigrant populations.
- A strategic thinker who can set a content roadmap, prioritize initiatives, and drive continuous improvement while ensuring materials are culturally responsive and accessible.
- Hands-on with instructional design, adult learning principles, and AI tools to enhance content creation and jobseeker readiness across multiple modalities.
- Collaborative leader who can manage an Instructional Designer and partner cross-functionally with program, evaluation, and tech teams to drive measurable outcomes.
📝 Tips for Applying to Upwardly Global Inc.
Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience with immigrant/refugee populations and culturally responsive curriculum design—use keywords like 'workforce development,' 'adult learning,' and 'multilingual learners.'
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your past work to Upwardly Global's mission of economic equity, citing examples of how you've reduced barriers for underrepresented groups.
Showcase any experience with AI in learning, such as using AI tools for content personalization or assessment, as this is a key differentiator in the job description.
Quantify your impact: include metrics like improved learner outcomes, content reach, or team efficiency in previous roles to demonstrate results.
Research Upwardly Global's current programs (e.g., Job Search Success, Career Coaching) and mention how you would enhance their content strategy in your application.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your commitment to equity and inclusion, with specific examples of designing content for diverse, multilingual, or immigrant populations.', "Your strategic vision for content roadmaps and how you've led teams to create high-quality, learner-aligned materials that drive measurable outcomes.", 'Your experience with instructional design and adult learning principles, especially across modalities (e.g., virtual, in-person, hybrid) and with AI integration.', "Your ability to collaborate cross-functionally and manage a team, emphasizing how you've partnered with program, evaluation, or technology teams to amplify impact."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review Upwardly Global's website to understand their program models (e.g., Job Search Success, Career Coaching, and Employer Partnerships) and how content supports each.
- → Read recent reports or blog posts on their impact, such as their annual report or success stories, to grasp the populations they serve and outcomes achieved.
- → Explore their social media or news mentions to understand current initiatives, especially any AI or technology-related projects in workforce development.
- → Look into the broader landscape of immigrant workforce development to identify trends Upwardly Global might be addressing, such as digital skills gaps or credential recognition.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't focus solely on corporate L&D experience without connecting it to nonprofit or mission-driven work—emphasize your passion for equity and serving marginalized communities.
- Avoid generic statements about 'curriculum design' without showing understanding of cultural responsiveness, adult learning principles, and accessibility for multilingual learners.
- Don't overlook the AI aspect—failing to mention any experience or ideas for leveraging AI in content development could make you seem less forward-thinking.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Upwardly Global Inc.!