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curriculum professional

title: Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Curriculum Professional
salary: $ - $
categories: [Education, Curriculum Development, Instructional Design, K-12, Higher Education]
description: A comprehensive overview of the key responsibilities, required technical skills and professional background for the role of a Curriculum Professional.
Clear, SEO-optimized summary: Experienced Curriculum Professional needed to design, implement, and evaluate rigorous, standards-aligned curriculum and assessment systems. This role focuses on instructional design, curriculum mapping, teacher professional development, data-driven decision making, and digital learning integration to improve student outcomes and ensure equity across diverse learning environments.

🎯 Role Definition

A Curriculum Professional leads the design, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of curriculum and assessment systems across grade levels and subject areas. This role partners with classroom teachers, school and district leaders, assessment teams, instructional coaches, and vendors to create standards-aligned scope and sequence documents, high-quality unit and lesson plans, formative and summative assessments, and professional learning experiences. The Curriculum Professional ensures materials are culturally responsive, accessible to diverse learners (including ELs and students with disabilities), integrated with technology and LMS platforms, and informed by student learning data and best practices in pedagogy and learning sciences.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Classroom Teacher with demonstrated instructional leadership and curriculum implementation experience
  • Instructional Coach or Teacher Leader responsible for lesson design and teacher mentoring
  • Instructional Designer / Learning Designer with experience in educational content creation

Advancement To:

  • Curriculum Director / Director of Curriculum & Instruction
  • Senior Instructional Designer or Academic Program Director
  • Chief Academic Officer or VP of Learning & Instruction

Lateral Moves:

  • Assessment Specialist / Assessment Coordinator
  • Professional Development Manager / PD Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead the end-to-end design and revision of curriculum frameworks, vertically and horizontally aligning scope and sequence across grade levels and subject areas to state and national standards (e.g., Common Core, NGSS), ensuring clear learning progressions and measurable learning outcomes.
  • Develop rigorous, evidence-based unit and lesson plans that incorporate backward design principles, clear learning objectives, success criteria, scaffolded instruction, and differentiated strategies for diverse learners, including English learners and students with special needs.
  • Create and maintain formative and summative assessments (including rubrics and item banks) that measure intended learning outcomes, align to standards, and provide actionable data for instructional adjustments and personalized learning paths.
  • Lead curriculum pilot programs: plan pilots, recruit pilot classrooms, collect implementation fidelity data, analyze pilot results, and iterate curriculum materials based on teacher feedback and student performance metrics.
  • Design and deliver high-impact professional development and coaching programs for teachers and instructional leaders focused on curriculum implementation, effective instructional strategies, assessment literacy, data use, and differentiation.
  • Produce curriculum maps, pacing guides, unit overviews, teacher-facing guides, and student-facing resources that clearly articulate scope, sequence, assessment windows, and core instructional routines.
  • Integrate technology and digital resources into curriculum design by selecting and curating high-quality digital content, aligning learning activities to LMS platforms (Canvas, Google Classroom, Schoology), and ensuring OER and vendor materials meet pedagogical standards.
  • Manage curriculum development projects end-to-end: create project plans, set timelines, coordinate cross-functional teams (assessment, data, ed tech, vendor partners), and ensure timely delivery of high-quality instructional materials.
  • Use student achievement data, classroom observation evidence, and academic research to continuously refine curriculum and assessment design and to recommend targeted interventions at classroom, school, and district levels.
  • Ensure curricular materials and instructional strategies promote equity, culturally responsive pedagogy, and inclusive practices; review materials for bias and accessibility and recommend adaptations to meet diverse student needs.
  • Oversee adoption and implementation of new instructional materials, including procurement support, vendor evaluation, cost-benefit analysis, and stakeholder communications to secure buy-in and ensure alignment with instructional goals.
  • Collaborate with special education and English language development specialists to create adaptations, accommodations, and scaffolds so curriculum is accessible and rigorous for students with disabilities and multilingual learners.
  • Draft clear teacher-facing implementation manuals and student-facing guides, including exemplar lessons, differentiation notes, assessment scoring guides, and family engagement resources to support consistent high-quality instruction.
  • Coordinate with assessment teams to ensure alignment between curriculum goals and district/state assessments, support item writing and review, and participate in standard-setting and moderation sessions to ensure reliable scoring practices.
  • Monitor implementation fidelity through classroom observations, walkthroughs, and surveys; synthesize qualitative and quantitative evidence to inform coaching cycles and curricular adjustments.
  • Curate, vet, and maintain a repository of instructional resources (print, multimedia, and OER), ensuring version control, metadata tagging, and ease of access for teachers and instructional leaders.
  • Support accreditation, compliance, and reporting activities by documenting curriculum decisions, alignment artifacts, assessment blueprints, and professional learning records as required by local and state authorities.
  • Facilitate cross-functional stakeholder engagement sessions with principals, teachers, families, and community partners to gather input on curriculum relevance, cultural responsiveness, and district priorities.
  • Produce clear, research-based recommendations and executive summaries for senior leadership that outline curriculum design choices, anticipated outcomes, budget implications, and implementation timelines.
  • Provide sustained coaching and mentoring to teachers and school leaders, modeling instructional practices, co-planning lessons, observing instruction, and delivering targeted feedback to improve student learning outcomes.
  • Lead continuous improvement cycles by establishing measurable KPIs (e.g., proficiency rates, growth metrics, fidelity indicators), monitoring progress, and facilitating data-driven revision cycles to maximize impact on student achievement.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory analysis of student performance data to identify curricular gaps, equity issues, and priority intervention areas.
  • Contribute to the organization’s academic strategy and roadmap by providing curriculum expertise that shapes long-term instructional priorities and technology investments.
  • Collaborate with data teams and IT to translate curriculum needs into technical requirements for LMS integrations, data dashboards, and interoperability with SIS platforms.
  • Participate in project planning and regular Agile or SCRUM ceremonies with cross-functional teams to coordinate releases, content updates, and professional learning schedules.
  • Serve as a subject-matter expert during vendor evaluations and RFP processes, developing rubrics and conducting pilot evaluations to inform procurement decisions.
  • Assist in grant writing and external funding proposals by detailing curriculum initiatives, outcomes, and evidence-based approaches to secure supplemental resources.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of educational research, standards revisions, and state/federal policy changes and communicate implications for curriculum and instruction.
  • Act as a liaison between classroom educators and district leadership to escalate implementation issues and identify system-level solutions.
  • Develop family and community-facing materials that explain curriculum shifts, assessment expectations, and ways to support student learning at home.
  • Support summer curriculum review cycles, including content refreshes, media updates, and accessibility audits to ensure materials are ready for the next academic year.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Curriculum design and development: deep experience designing standards-aligned K-12 or postsecondary curricula, unit plans, lesson sequences, and pacing guides.
  • Instructional design models: proficiency with Backward Design, ADDIE, Understanding by Design (UbD), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
  • Assessment design and analysis: ability to write formative and summative assessments, develop rubrics, conduct item analysis, and interpret assessment data to drive instruction.
  • Data literacy: skilled with using student data tools and dashboards (e.g., Illuminate, MiSiS, Power BI, Tableau), performing basic statistical analysis, and translating data into instructional recommendations.
  • Learning Management Systems (LMS): experience implementing curriculum materials in systems like Canvas, Google Classroom, Schoology, or Blackboard.
  • Educational technology tools: familiarity with content-authoring tools (Articulate 360, Adobe Captivate), multimedia creation, and interactive resource curation.
  • Standards alignment and curriculum mapping: experience aligning content to Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), state standards, or relevant accreditation criteria.
  • Accessibility and compliance: knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG), IDEA compliance, accommodation practices, and how to create inclusive materials for diverse learners.
  • Project management: ability to manage complex multi-stakeholder projects using tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello; experience creating timelines, budgets, and milestone tracking.
  • Vendor and materials evaluation: skill in evaluating instructional materials, vetting OER, and completing cost/benefit analyses during adoption cycles.
  • Content authoring and documentation: strong technical writing skills for creating teacher guides, curriculum manuals, assessment blueprints, and professional learning materials.
  • Grant writing and budgeting (preferred): ability to prepare funding proposals and manage budgets for curriculum initiatives.

Soft Skills

  • Instructional leadership and coaching: ability to mentor teachers, model lessons, and provide constructive feedback that leads to measurable instructional improvement.
  • Communication: exceptional oral and written communication skills tailored for teachers, principals, district leaders, families, and external partners.
  • Collaboration and stakeholder management: proven ability to build consensus across diverse groups, manage competing priorities, and influence without direct authority.
  • Problem-solving and analytical thinking: strong analytical mind to diagnose learning gaps, iterate solutions, and use evidence to justify curricular decisions.
  • Cultural competency and equity mindset: committed to culturally responsive pedagogy, anti-bias review of materials, and closing opportunity gaps for historically underserved students.
  • Adaptability and resilience: able to manage changing priorities, tight timelines, and complex implementations in dynamic educational environments.
  • Time management and organization: track record of delivering multiple concurrent projects on time and maintaining rigorous documentation and version control.
  • Facilitation and adult learning: skilled at designing and facilitating professional learning experiences grounded in adult learning theory and practice.
  • Attention to detail: meticulous approach to alignment, assessment scoring guides, and curriculum publication to ensure accuracy and fidelity.
  • Leadership presence: confident representing curriculum initiatives to executive leadership, boards, and community stakeholders.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Instructional Design, Education Leadership, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction, Instructional Design, Education Leadership, Learning Sciences, or Educational Technology.
  • Additional certifications (e.g., Reading Specialist, ESL/Bilingual endorsement, NBPTS, or project management certification) are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Curriculum & Instruction
  • Instructional Design / Learning Design
  • Educational Leadership
  • Learning Sciences / Educational Psychology
  • Educational Technology
  • Special Education or English Language Development

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–8 years of experience in curriculum development, instructional coaching, teaching, or instructional design roles.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of progressive experience developing and implementing standards-aligned curricula, leading professional development, and using data to drive instructional decisions. Demonstrated success managing cross-functional projects and working with digital learning platforms and assessment systems.
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