Simon Everett, Ltd., is seeking expressions of interest in part-time, contract opportunities to teach area studies courses on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s National Foreign Affairs Training Center (NFATC) / Foreign Service Institute (FSI).
About the opportunity
We have been working with regional experts to deliver these courses at NFATC / FSI for over a decade, and we are assembling our team for a proposal to continue our support for the next five years.
We invite you to review the information below, which should answer most questions you may have at this time.
If you would like to be considered for Area Studies Course Instructor opportunities at NFATC / FSI, please indicate your qualifications and interest by completing a brief questionnaire and submitting your CV by clicking below. We will then follow up with next steps.
We encourage you to share this opportunity with other qualified members of your professional network.
Please note that we are not seeking any contractual commitments at this time, nor are we requiring that you pursue this opportunity exclusively with our company.
If you have any questions that are not satisfactorily answered by the information below and which prevent you from indicating your interest at this time, please email us at contact@simoneverett.com and reference “AS Course Instructor” in the subject line.
Overview
The Department of State's National Foreign Affairs Training Center (NFATC) provides training and professional development to U.S. diplomats and other U.S. Government personnel. The mission of the Area Studies Division of NFATC’s School of Professional and Area Studies (SPAS/AS) is to provide members of the foreign affairs community with the essential knowledge of the country and region in which they work so that they may advance U.S. foreign policy objectives.
SPAS/AS courses cover history, politics, governance, society, security, economics, trade, religion, and culture, with an emphasis on relevant global issues and U.S. interests and challenges. These courses are designed to teach experienced, adult learners how to work effectively in the countries to which they are assigned. A central feature of the courses is the seminar format, which involves active student participation facilitated by the Course Instructor. The seminar format can include the following types of activities: presentations, discussions, scenario-driven exercises, readings, audiovisual materials, quizzes, and independent study. Through these and other instructional activities, students explore the key historical, political, economic, and socio-cultural themes for the region as well as U.S. interests and policy issues.
Course structure
Each regional bureau (e.g., Western Hemisphere; Sub-Saharan Africa) typically offers five-day regional overview courses in addition to five- or ten-day sub-regional courses (e.g., Brazil and Southern Cone, Central America; Central Africa, East Africa). Courses for each region are administratively overseen by the applicable in-house Regional Chair.
Most courses run 3-6 times per year in either or both of two formats: (a) every day (M-F) for an entire week, or (b) one day a week for five or more weeks (sometimes consecutive, sometimes non-consecutive). Courses typically run from 8:30am to 4:30pm on days of instruction, including periodic 10- to 15-minute breaks and a 1-hour lunch break. Courses may have differing structures, durations, and/or frequencies.
While some courses may be delivered virtually, we expect many (and perhaps most) courses will be delivered in-person at NFATC’s campus in Arlington, VA. Accordingly, we are particularly interested in identifying candidates who reside in the Washington, DC, metro area. (However, if you are not located in or near DC but are otherwise interested and qualified, please do express your interest.)
In addition to content prepared and delivered directly by Course Instructors, each course day is expected to include sessions delivered by guest speakers (identified and engaged by the Course Instructor) who are experts on relevant regions/countries and topics. Honoraria budgets will be provided to secure guest speaker participation, separate from the Course Instructor’s direct compensation. Additionally, instructional time may include independent study sessions and/or group discussion/exercise sessions.
As students of these courses are adult professionals, Course Instructors are expected to facilitate dynamic, discussion-based sessions that encourage student participation and exploration of topics, as opposed to relying primarily upon lecture-style presentations.
Responsibilities
Organize and conduct (typically) five- and/or ten-day area studies courses during the contracted periods of performance.
Confer with Regional Chairs to understand and account for student dynamics and current events that may impact course design and content prioritization.
Create draft materials and presentations required for courses (including a course schedule and syllabus, based on templates we provide) and revise based upon feedback provided by NFATC and Simon Everett personnel.
Identify and coordinate participation from a diverse cadre of guest speakers (regional, country, and/or topical experts) to deliver individual sessions on their areas of expertise. In-person courses will accommodate both remote/virtual and in-person guest speakers.
Provide reading materials for the students, to serve as a basis for in-class discussions.
Attend (remotely or in Arlington, VA, depending upon the course) and lead/facilitate all class sessions, introduce guest speakers, lead class discussions, and evaluate student participation.
Coordinate with USG and Simon Everett personnel to address associated logistical, administrative, and production requirements.
Qualifications
Master’s degree required; PhD preferred.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience and substantive expertise and recognition as an expert in the applicable area of expertise, as evidenced by published works, experience working in an international or non-governmental organization, employment with the U.S. or a foreign government, media appearances, and/or past teaching or professional training experience or similar.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience with instructional design, professional training, or academic teaching and delivery of engaging training for experienced, adult learners, including demonstrated evidence of dynamic and interactive instruction approaches and capabilities within the applicable area of expertise.
Ability to work independently, under deadline pressure, and with diverse teams; and to effectively liaise with multiple USG and contract personnel for course production and administration.
Ability to provide print-ready course materials that are free of grammatical errors and contain consistent formatting using provided templates.
Proficient in Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Word, Excel).
Experience with online/remote learning platforms.
Understanding of the U.S. Government, the U.S. Department of State, and U.S. foreign affairs, as needed to inform course approach and content.
Fluency in English required.
DC metro-area residence is preferred (as some courses will be delivered in-person at NFATC’s campus in Arlington, VA) but not required.
Frequently asked questions
What is the employment relationship between the USG, Simon Everett, and Course Instructors?
Simon Everett holds a contract with the USG to deliver area studies courses. We, in turn, issue “project-based” subcontracts to Course Instructors to deliver individual courses. Course Instructors are typically independent contractors and not employees of Simon Everett. Course Instructors are responsible for ensuring their work as independent consultants does not conflict with their primary employer or any other professional arrangements they may have. Course Instructors take direction and incorporate feedback from both Simon Everett and USG personnel.
Is this a full-time job?
No. Course Instructors typically have other employment and deliver their AS courses simultaneously as a “side project.” However, course delivery requires their full time and attention for the given days and/or weeks of the course.
Therefore, you would be working part-time (on your own schedule) when developing the course over a period of 4-6 weeks, then delivering the course full-time for the given week of the course (or for 1 day per week across a stretch of 5 or more weeks). So, your periodic ability to dedicate entire working days (or an entire week) for course delivery is a must. As an independent contractor, you will always have the option to decline to deliver a specific course on certain dates if it conflicts with your schedule.
What is the typical course preparation and production process?
We typically know far in advance when a given course might run, but often do not know for certain that the course will run (which is contingent on sufficient enrollment) until 4-6 weeks prior to the course start date.
Once a course is ordered and a Course Instructor agrees to deliver, we would mutually agree upon a series of deadlines leading for course preparation.
During the given days/week of instruction, there is no expectation for additional “out of class” work aside from what the Course Instructor needs to be adequately prepared. Specifically, there is generally no expectation for homework assignments or associated review/grading of student work outside of class.
What would my commitment be?
Each iteration of a course is “ordered” and contracted individually; you would not be asked to commit to teaching a certain number of courses, nor to commit to teaching a specific iteration of a course.
For now, we are seeking to identify qualified and interested candidates to be included in our upcoming proposal to the USG to continue our support for the next five years. Your inclusion in that proposal will require no firm commitment on your part; it will simply signal your qualifications and willingness to serve as a Course Instructor, should we be awarded another contract.
Note that, by sending in your CV and completing the questionnaire, you are merely enabling us to follow up with you for further discussions; you are not yet giving us permission to include you in our proposal. We will not include you in our proposal without your express permission.
Importantly, we are not asking that your participation be exclusive to Simon Everett. We acknowledge that qualified Course Instructors may have supported, currently be supporting, and/or intend to support other companies’ proposal efforts and/or delivery on similar contracts at NFATC. This has no bearing on our interest in including qualified individuals in our proposal, and we will not ask you to refrain from participating in those potentially competitive endeavors.
What is the compensation for Course Instructors?
Course Instructors are paid a firm-fixed price (lump sum) for the planning and delivery of each course. We will discuss compensation further when we reach out in response to your expression of interest.
Am I expected to be an expert on every country within, and aspect of, my region or sub-region?
No. In fact, it is expected that courses will include the participation of guest speakers who bring deep expertise on niche topics, knowledge on subjects outside of your own areas of focus, and/or alternative viewpoints or perspectives. Eligible speakers (e.g., professionals who do not work in the public sector) can receive an honorarium payment, the budget for which is separate from your compensation.
Who are typical AS students and what is their existing level of regional knowledge?
Students typically include Foreign Service Officers and Foreign Service Specialists who are about to begin a tour at an embassy or consulate in the region and who will serve in political, economic, consular, management, communications, administrative, technical, or other specialist roles; Civil Service Officers and Department of Defense employees with regional portfolios who may be U.S.-based and serving in analytic or policy roles; and various employees from other federal agencies.
Students’ regional experience varies greatly—in one class you may have students who have zero prior exposure to the region, alongside others who have served multiple tours in the region and are seeking new perspectives.
Do I have to be local to the Washington, DC, metro area to serve as a Course Instructor?
Not necessarily. Because many courses will be taught in person at NFATC’s campus in Arlington, VA, we are specifically seeking qualified experts who reside in the Washington, DC, metro area. However, because we expect that some courses will be taught virtually or in other locations, we welcome interest from candidates irrespective of their location.
About Simon Everett
Simon Everett is an analytic design firm. We provide customized research, analysis, and strategic planning services to help government, private sector, and non-profit clients answer key questions, inform critical decisions, and develop actionable plans. Our work often addresses challenges in the fields of international trade and development, digital infrastructure, economic development, foreign affairs, and organizational strategy. Simon Everett is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment or consulting opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, national origin, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.