Director of Professional Development Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Director of Professional Development roles at U.S. universities, healthcare systems, and large corporations regularly sponsor H-1B visas, and many qualify for EB-2 green card pathways given the advanced degree requirements. Sponsorship timelines and employer willingness vary significantly by sector, so targeting the right organizations early matters.
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INTRODUCTION
Originally founded in 1991 as Harlem RBI, DREAM has grown to annually serve more than 2,500 youth across East Harlem and the South Bronx through a network of seven PreK-12, extended-day, extended-year DREAM Charter Schools and community sports-based youth development programs. Through our commitment to rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, deep family and community engagement, and health and wellness, we create lifelong learners who are equipped to fulfill their vision of success in and out of the classroom. We dream big, as well, with an aggressive five-year plan to expand to serve 3,500 students across seven schools—growing our organization’s impact and leveling the playing field for all children.
DREAM will develop and scale AI-enabled teaching and learning models designed to expand opportunity for students across the Bronx. Over the next three years, we will partner with 15 schools in the Bronx to help them implement an AI fluency curriculum, use AI tools to accelerate learning, and pursue new school models that prioritize real-world learning and future-ready skills. We will recruit partner schools, provide training and embedded coaching to leaders and teachers, and help educators implement and adapt these practices, curriculum, and tools in their own classrooms. Through rigorous evaluation and continuous improvement, this new initiative aims to improve academic outcomes while creating more time for collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and other future-ready skills.
ABOUT THIS ROLE
Reporting to the Head of Program Implementation, the Senior Director of Professional Development will oversee the design and facilitation of all professional learning experiences for DREAM’s Innovation partner schools. Working closely with the Head of Program Implementation, this leader will enable engaging learning experiences that support school leaders, teachers, and staff to successfully implement DREAM’s AI model.
The Senior Director will personally design and facilitate much of the programming, including monthly online cohort learning, webinars, and trainings for the broader education sector. Content will focus on AI literacy, change management, education technology implementation, and AI-native programming.
Responsibilities
Professional Development Design
- Develop all components of professional learning for DREAM’s Innovation work to be delivered to our Partner schools, including on the topics of AI fluency, change management, education technology implementation, and AI-native programming;
- Design and write all professional learning collateral including scopes and sequences, PD slides, participant materials, one-pagers, reference guides, etc.;
- Gather data from each Partner school and adapt content to the needs and context of each audience;
- Translate new and evolving content into clear, practical learning experiences grounded in clear adult learning principles;
- Design monthly online cohort learning experiences, webinars, and trainings for the broader education sector;
- Review professionally produced video content and select exemplar clips to support learning;
- Continually evaluate and refine professional development materials to ensure outcomes are being met.
Professional Development Facilitation
- Facilitate professional development across all cohort sessions, webinars, and trainings, including to audiences of 100+ both virtually and in-person, ensuring our partner schools can easily and confidently implement all aspects of DREAM’s Innovation program;
- Differentiate facilitation practices based on the needs of each audience to ensure strong outcomes;
- Demonstrate AI and education technology tools live, connecting their capabilities to practical applications for educators and school teams;
- Support participants in applying new tools and approaches to teaching, school leadership, and technology implementation;
- At scale, coach and lead other Professional Development facilitators.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s Degree in Education or School Administration preferred;
- 3+ years of full-time school teaching experience with a record of strong student achievement and exemplary classroom culture, required;
- 4+ years of experience in school leadership, school network leadership, education consulting, or education curriculum with extensive responsibilities in designing and leading professional development sessions for large groups, required;
- Extensive experience writing and facilitating professional development sessions grounded in adult learning theory and across varied content areas or contexts, with experience engaging live audiences of 50 or more participants;
- Knowledge of AI and the technical fluency to demonstrate tools confidently in live learning environments;
- Curiosity, including demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar content and translate it into effective learning modules for adults;
- Ability to connect emerging ideas and technologies to the practical needs of school leaders, teachers, staff;
- Strong understanding of teaching, learning, and instructional leadership, with the ability to connect program goals to discrete educator practices;
- Ability to adapt professional development sessions across different systems and contexts while maintaining clear expectations and excellent service delivery;
- Strong relationship-building, communication, and influence skills, with the ability to build trust and support changes in practice across organizations;
- Excellent attention to detail and the ability to produce polished, high-quality written products;
- Ability to use a variety of data sources to drive decision-making;
- A strong belief in the mission and values of DREAM, including the desire to make a difference in the lives of our students, families, and community.
BENEFITS AND PAID TIME OFF
We offer comprehensive benefits including:
- Flexible Medical Health Plans, subsidizing the majority of costs for the employee, their spouse/domestic partner and children;
- The ability to select between a variety of medical plans according to what best suits the employee’s needs;
- Dental and vision plans;
- Disability benefits;
- Life insurance;
- Up to 12 weeks fully paid of Parental Leave;
- Flexible spending account options;
- Pre-tax commuter benefits (parking and transit);
- Fitness and entertainment discounts;
- A variety of support through our employee assistance program (EAP);
- A 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching up to 4% after one year of employment;
- Access to a professional development fund;
- Referral bonuses;
- All full-time Network Support employees are eligible for approximately 48 days off throughout the year including holidays, sick days, personal days and summer Fridays;
- Benefits are subject to change.
COMPENSATION
DREAM offers a competitive salary commensurate with relevant experience with the potential for an annual performance-based increase. The incoming salary range for this position is $150,000 to $160,000 per year. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary closer to the start of the range depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. All staff are eligible for annual performance-based increases. Because we value staff tenure in each role, we do not currently cap salary ranges.
WORKING EXPECTATIONS
- Ideal Start Date: Immediate
- The Senior Director of Professional Development is part of the Implementation Team, which works a minimum of 3 days a week on-site and up to 2 days a week remote, with some weeks requiring more days on-site at a variety of locations including DREAM’s offices in East Harlem and the South Bronx, and our partner schools in the South Bronx.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
At DREAM, diversity, equity, and inclusion are a matter of mission.
From our schools to our playing fields, DREAM is committed to building a team where each individual can bring their full identity and experience to work because representation matters—it enriches our team culture, enhances our ability to innovate, and strengthens our impact in and out of the classroom. DREAM engages staff that represent and appreciate the diversity of our majority Black and Hispanic student body, while working to ensure that our practices are equitable, welcoming, and productive. We are dedicated to creating a world where youth, especially youth of color, have permission to dream—along with the tools and opportunities to make their dreams reality. Come dream with us.
DREAM MAXIMS
All Kids Can. This Kid Can.
DREAM is Family.
Fun is a Serious Value.
Teamwork Makes the DREAM Work.
Fail. Persist. Exceed.
DREAM Big.
APPLYING TO DREAM
We know applying for a new job can be a daunting process. In addition, studies have shown that historically underrepresented individuals often only apply to roles if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We encourage all applications! You may be just the person we need. If you have any questions about your application or interview process, do not hesitate to ask your recruiter; we are here to help!
DREAM provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws. If accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact your recruiter.
If you are a current DREAM employee, please click here to review our Internal Selection Process before applying.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Director of Professional Development Jobs
Frame your credentials around specialty occupation
Directors of Professional Development must show their role requires a directly related bachelor's degree or higher, not just any degree. Document how your graduate work in education, organizational development, or instructional design maps to your specific job duties before interviews start.
Target sectors with established H-1B filing history
Higher education institutions, large hospital networks, and Fortune 500 L&D departments file H-1B petitions for this title far more consistently than small nonprofits or startups. Narrowing your search to these sectors dramatically improves your odds of finding a willing sponsor.
Search verified sponsors on Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to browse employers with confirmed LCA filing history for professional development and training leadership roles. Filtering by verified sponsors saves weeks of cold outreach to HR teams who have never navigated work visa sponsorship for a director-level hire.
Verify prevailing wage tier before accepting an offer
The LCA your employer files must certify wages at or above the prevailing wage for your location and experience level. Run your title and metro area through the OFLC Wage Search before negotiating compensation so you can confirm the offer will clear DOL's certification threshold.
Ask about PERM readiness during the offer stage
If your long-term goal is a green card, ask whether the employer has completed PERM labor certifications before. Organizations with dedicated immigration counsel and prior EB-2 experience move faster and make fewer procedural errors that delay your priority date.
Use O*NET to anchor your specialty occupation argument
USCIS evaluates whether the Director of Professional Development role genuinely requires a specific degree. Pull the O*NET occupation profile for your closest matching title to identify the standard education and knowledge requirements that support a specialty occupation determination in your petition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Director of Professional Development role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS looks for roles that normally require at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Directors of Professional Development tied to instructional design, adult learning theory, or organizational development typically satisfy this standard. Roles framed purely as general management with no discipline-specific degree requirement are more vulnerable to a Request for Evidence.
Which visa types are realistic for a Director of Professional Development seeking sponsorship?
H-1B is the most common path for employer-sponsored work authorization in this role. Canadians and Mexicans may qualify for TN visa status under the USMCA if the position maps to a listed profession such as scientific technician or management consultant, though that fit is narrow. Australians can apply for the E-3 visa, which has no lottery. All three require the role to meet specialty occupation standards.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor visas for this role?
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified LCA sponsorship history for professional development and L&D leadership positions, searchable by location and role type. This is the fastest way to identify organizations that have already navigated the process for a comparable title rather than approaching HR teams with no prior sponsorship experience.
Does a master's degree in education or organizational development strengthen my H-1B petition?
It does, particularly for the EB-2 green card route, which requires an advanced degree or exceptional ability. For the H-1B, any directly related bachelor's degree meets the statutory minimum, but a master's reduces the risk of an RFE challenging the specialty occupation determination and strengthens wage tier eligibility under the LCA.
What happens to my H-1B status if my employer eliminates the Director of Professional Development role?
You enter a 60-day grace period during which you can find a new H-1B sponsor without leaving the country. The new employer must file a fresh I-129 petition before the grace period expires. If the new employer already has an approved LCA for a comparable role, the transfer can move quickly, but the 60-day window is firm and does not reset.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Director of Professional Development jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.