Program Operations Specialist

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Washington’s Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment has an outstanding opportunity for a Program Operations Specialist to join their team. Reporting to the Associate Director for Strategy & Operations, the Program Operations Specialist plays a pivotal role in building and maintaining the operational infrastructure that enables the Institute to advance neuroinclusive employment systems across Washington State and the nation. This position is responsible for developing processes, managing Institute operations, coordinating calendars and workflows, and ensuring high-quality delivery of initiatives that bridge research and real-world systems change. This is an in-person position with an expectation of five days per week on-site at the UW Seattle campus. Adjustments to scheduled working hours can be discussed/approved by Institute leadership. Occasional days may be remote with supervisor approval. Occasional schedule flexibility is required for evening or weekend events (typically two to three times a quarter). Applicants who are invited to a phone interview will be provided with a full detailed job description and details about our full selection process.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, information management, education, or related field.
Minimum of two years of experience in program operations, administration, or equivalent education/experience.
Experience with budget management and expense tracking.
Ability to manage shifting priorities and multiple time-sensitive projects.
Excellent analytical, documentation, communication, and customer service skills.
Ability to work effectively with people across different identities and experiences.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting operations in higher education, including university budgeting/financial processes.
Strong project management skills (methods and tools) with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
Data skills: data collection/analysis plus experience with program evaluation/assessment and building dashboards/data visualizations.
Commitment to inclusive practice—knowledge of neurodiversity/disability inclusion or employment systems and ability to work effectively with diverse populations.
High proficiency with Microsoft Office (especially Excel) and collaboration tools (e.g., Google Workspace), paired with strong judgment, initiative, creativity, and problem-solving.

Responsibilities

Be the initial point of contact for the Institute; triaging internal/external requests, monitoring the main phone line, and keeping day-to-day communications moving.
Coordinate daily operations (calendars, scheduling, supplies, work orders, space/desk assignments) to ensure a smooth, well-run office.
Lead logistics for events, trainings, research activities-space reservations, vendors/speakers, travel and reimbursements, and registration/virtual participation.
Support research team operations (participant coordination, documentation, data-collection logistics, clear meeting notes and agendas, and communication workflows).
Coordinate applications for programs, fellowships, and training cohorts; manage timelines, committees, and communications for internal awards/funding calls.
Onboard new staff, faculty affiliates, and student employees; may lead hourly staff supporting operations and research.
Build and improve operational systems that work with UW tools (e.g., Workday, Canvas, UW-IT platforms, Cvent) to make processes easier, clearer, and more scalable.
Create standardized documentation, workflows, and quality checks that support consistent delivery and reflect equity, accessibility, and neuroinclusion.
Maintain shared resource libraries/knowledge-management tools and strengthen information-sharing across teams and partners.
Track assigned budgets and expenses for events/projects/programs; support purchasing, reconciliation, and documentation in alignment with UW and sponsor policies.
Contribute to grant proposal development with budget inputs, basic financial narratives, and deliverable documentation support.
Help implement evaluation tools (surveys, feedback loops, dashboards) and synthesize results into program updates, annual reports, and stakeholder/funder communications.
Coordinate debriefs and capture lessons learned to drive continuous improvement.
Develop and update program-facing communications (web content, informational materials, newsletters, social media/blog content) and help standardize the Institute's communication approach.
Coordinate outreach and messaging with the Community Engagement Facilitator and Institute leadership.
Participate in Institute/iSchool/University meetings and events; represent the Institute as needed and pursue ongoing professional development in neurodiversity, workforce development, and program operations.