Academy Coaches Positions

Position: Academy Coach
Term Dates: August 1, 2026 - December 31, 2027

The Academy for International Education is a year-long professional development program designed to provide newcomers with an introduction to the field of international education and those more experienced with an opportunity to broaden their perspectives. Experienced international educators serve as coaches and guide the learning of a cohort of four to six Academy trainees. Selected Coaches receive training from Academy Chairs and NAFSA staff in the five months prior to receiving their cohort of trainees in January.

NAFSA is not currently accepting applications for this volunteer role. Visit NAFSA Volunteer Leadership to learn about available opportunities.

Major Functions and Responsibilities

In collaboration with NAFSA Staff and Academy Chairs:

Facilitate the recruitment and selection of trainees
Guide trainees in developing a personal learning plan
Work with other coaches to deliver an Academy Workshop
Encourage trainees to refine and achieve their learning goals for the program
Foster connections among trainees within the trainee cohort and Academy class
Facilitate regular individual and cohort conference calls and other meetings
Respond to questions trainees have or direct them to resources or colleagues
Advise trainees on building their schedule at the NAFSA Annual Conference
Provide feedback on trainees’ Academy assignments
Teach trainees how to navigate the virtual and actual world of NAFSA
Serve as Academy liaison to their regional team

All NAFSA leaders are expected to foster an inclusive environment and seek to learn and understand the multicultural perspectives of the committee/team, our constituents, and stakeholders to align with the NAFSA Diversity and Inclusion Statement. An expression of leadership in this area includes:

Engaging the committee/team to identify and implement strategies for increased personal outreach, recruitment, and onboarding for all, especially diversity-focused and underrepresented groups
Increasing accessibility and participation from underrepresented groups, individuals, and institutions
Expanding educational content within the committees’ purview through intentional outreach and recruitment of diverse presenters and institutional types in partnership with various NAFSA groups

Time Commitment

On average, 10-15 hours per month will be needed to complete ongoing work, which includes the following:

August 2026: Virtual Academy coach orientation
September - November 2026: ongoing virtual onboarding and training for coaches, coordination of trainee marketing and recruitment through various outlets, including attendance at the 2026 regional conference
November - December 2026: Trainee application review
January - February 2027: welcome and onboarding of trainees, holding initial one on one calls with cohort members, establishing schedule of cohort calls for the year, providing feedback on learning plan drafts
March - May 2027: preparing for and delivering an Academy workshop with co-presenters, advising trainees on conference schedule, learning plan revisions, participating in the Academy events at the Annual Conference
June - August 2027: Guiding trainees through their summer focus projects, providing feedback on trainee progress presentations
September - December 2027: Preparing for and participating in Academy sessions at the regional conference, preparing for and facilitating the conclusion of the Academy experience with and for their cohort.
Ongoing: participating in virtual coach training sessions throughout the course of the Coach term (approximately 12 trainings).
Ongoing: Individual and cohort coaching of trainees through one on one calls, emails, cohort calls, in-person meetings.

Term

The position is an 18-month term, renewable for multiple years at the discretion of the Regional Leadership.

Benefits and Support

Benefits

As coach, you will have the opportunity to enhance your leadership skills, build marketing and networking expertise, hone training delivery skills, share knowledge and expertise, support the professional growth of your trainee cohort, connect with coaches and trainees from your own as well as other NAFSA regions, contribute to the development of skilled international educators, and give back to the international education field.

Additionally, Academy Coaches will receive complimentary NAFSA Annual Conference registration to attend the conference alongside their cohort of Academy trainees.

Support

Academy Coaches receive the following support:

Specialized training focusing on six coaching proficiencies
Ongoing coaching guidance and support through virtual training sessions
Support of a community of Academy coaches across regions through the Academy Coach cohort
Development and coordination of the overall Academy program by Academy leadership team
Support and recommendations by the Academy leadership team as needed and/or requested by coaches

Please note: Travel to/from the NAFSA Annual Conference, along with meals and lodging for meetings before/during the conference, is not covered. Other operating expenses members incur in offices/at home, such as copies, phone calls, etc. are not reimbursed.

How to Get Involved

Required Qualifications

NAFSA member
5+ years of experience in the field of international education
Demonstrated interest in supporting the development of colleagues
Strong network in international education
Desire to coach 4-6 trainees over the 12-month trainee program
Strong interpersonal skills including active listening, advising, and ability to help trainees identify, refine, and achieve personal learning goals
Commitment to taking part in the full 18-month term
Interest in or experience with training or presenting
Demonstrated support from your institution to participate in all required Academy events
Familiarity with virtual communication platforms, e.g., Google Hangout, Zoom, etc

Desired Qualifications

Prior service in NAFSA volunteer roles or leadership positions
Previous Academy participation or involvement
Previous or current NAFSA Trainer Corps experience

Selection Process

Applications will open between April 15 - June 14, 2026. NAFSA staff will forward your application to the NAFSA chair stream for your region. Each region recruits and selects its Academy coach(es) and the regional chair stream appoints its regional Academy coach.