Caribbean Course Instructor

Caribbean Course Instructor

McColm & Company (McColm) is a mission-driven and customer-focused consulting firm that equips change makers with the knowledge, skills, and insights they need to succeed in an increasingly complex world. McColm specializes in supporting U.S. federal customers with internationally and thematically focused portfolios by managing bespoke professional training programs, delivering effective capacity building solutions, and providing highly specialized technical advisory and analysis expertise to decision makers.

McColm supports the Area Studies Division at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center of the U.S. Department of State by providing essential Area Studies training to State Department and USG personnel and contractors. McColm seeks a subject matter expert instructor to serve as the Caribbean Course Instructor.

The objective of the course is to provide area knowledge to prepare foreign affairs professionals to carry out their responsibilities working in or on the Caribbean.

The purpose of the course is to provide participants with an understanding of the forces that have shaped modern Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Belize, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, and The Bahamas and continue to influence the course of each country's development domestically and internationally, especially those issues that most affect relations with the United States. It reviews historical and cultural factors that have given rise to each country's recent political and economic structure and explores the major social, economic, and political issues facing the nations today. It also provides an overview of each country's government and economy as well as the present policies of the United States on the key issues in U.S.-bilateral relations. The seminar combines short lectures, class discussions, field trips, documentaries, and other participatory activities such as debates and oral presentation in class and is supported by readings.

The course runs as a 5-day consecutive in-person class. McColm has an immediate need for an instructor to conduct the in person 8 – 12 June 2026 iteration of the course.

The responsibilities of the Course Instructor include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following duties:

• Manage, organize, and conduct the course remotely or in person as required by the customer.
• Ensure course delivery adheres to Area Studies instructional design and delivery pillars and is responsive to technical guidance from the Area Studies Chair and Leadership.
• Ensure course materials use NFATC provided templates and branding formats for a consistent classroom experience across the Division.
• Make substantive lecture presentations remotely/online as part of the course in the areas of their own expertise and be prepared to substitute for any scheduled speaker or other activity in the event unforeseen circumstances prevent that speaker/activity from being presented as scheduled.
• Introduce guest lecturers, lead class discussion, and present study materials.
• Deliver the course using a variety of dynamic facilitation and instruction techniques that will ensure effective learning in an online classroom environment, such as presentations, facilitated class discussions, group exercises, and self-study and reading materials and other teaching methodologies, as appropriate.
• Identify qualified guest speakers from the government, academic, diplomatic and business fields, as appropriate, for approval by the Chair. Manage and invite guest speakers to whom an honorarium may be paid.
• Ensure that course materials, including power point presentations, are well maintained with up-to-date information prior to each course delivery.
• Meet with the Area Studies Chair as required – typically twice per delivery – once for planning and once to undertake an after-action review of the most recent courses and discuss course planning and revisions. This meeting may take place in person at NFATC or remotely, according to the needs of the Chair.
• Coordinate with the Area Studies support staff to ensure that the online classroom has been set up and adequately programmed/resourced.
• Ensure that the course evaluations are electronically distributed by the NFATC Program Coordinator and encourage students to complete the evaluations.
• Ensure that student learning is assessed through testing.