Program Specialist 2

The Evergreen State College Portal•Olympia, WA

23h•Onsite

About The Position

This position plays a crucial role in managing and supporting certificate programs within the institution. The Program Specialist 2 is responsible for designing and overseeing intake workflows, managing student communications, developing registration plans, and ensuring the accuracy of student records related to certificate programs. The role involves close collaboration with various departments, including Curriculum, Forms and Records, Student Accounts, and Financial Aid, to address operational challenges and advocate for certificate programs. A key aspect of the role is applying an equity lens to all functions, identifying and addressing barriers to ensure fair access and equitable outcomes for students. The position also involves representing Registration and Records in PaCE governance discussions and contributing to the continuous improvement of certificate programs.

Requirements

Experience with certificate intake and communication management.
Ability to design and manage workflows.
Proficiency in data entry and record maintenance.
Experience in developing and managing student communications.
Skills in tracking progress and identifying risks.
Experience in developing registration plans and resolving holds.
Understanding of reserved-seat rules and enrollment management.
Ability to monitor enrollment reports and trigger outreach.
Experience in verifying credential requirements for completion.
Ability to initiate and document evaluation changes.
Experience representing a department in governance discussions.
Ability to inform leadership of concerns and recommend remedies.
Skills in clarifying roles and handoffs.
Ability to advocate for programs and identify barriers.
Experience serving as a cross-functional liaison.
Skills in problem-solving, diagnosing root causes, and developing solutions.
Experience as a thought partner in program development and improvement.
Ability to assess implications of proposed changes.
Experience identifying emerging issues and developing collaborative strategies.
Experience as an administrator for external agency listings.
Ability to prepare documentation for certificate endorsement/recognition.
Experience coordinating agency communications.
Skills in reviewing, authoring, and contributing catalog content.
Experience managing effective dates and cross-references.
Experience co-owning website content and contributing updates.
Experience serving as a delegate/back-up for office management.
Ability to maintain documentation of interim decisions.
Proficiency in applying an equity lens to identify and address barriers.
Ability to monitor for disparate impact and recommend corrective action.
Skills in contributing equity and accessibility notes to reports and communications.
Ability to escalate systemic concerns to leadership.

Nice To Haves

Content review for faculty-facing communications.
Providing records context for faculty communications.
Consultation on faculty communications.
Coordination with Curriculum for CRN building.
Coordination with Forms and Records for validation.
Coordination with Student Accounts, Financial Aid, and other offices.
Using influence and relationship-building to develop solutions.
Advancing implementation of solutions that balance student experience, policy, and operational feasibility.
Developing strategies for unique or emerging program and student issues.
Working with stakeholders to align approaches and support implementation.
Working with colleagues to identify emerging issues and develop collaborative strategies before they escalate.
Maintaining an archive of submissions and approvals for external listings.
Coordinating with agencies to resolve issues and ensure Evergreen listings remain current and accurate.
Obtaining Registrar approval/signature for official assurances.
Maintaining an archive and renewal ticklers for agency endorsements.
Routing approvals to the Registrar for catalog content.
Ensuring alignment of website content with catalog and knowledge base.
Prompting PaCE to publish website updates.
Verifying alignment of website content with catalog and knowledge base.
Leading brief huddles.
Triaging escalations per decision trees.
Approving routine items within delegated authority.
Coordinating coverage.
Escalating systemic concerns to the Associate Registrar and Registrar.

Responsibilities

Design and manage intake workflows for certificate enrollment and registration.
Receive, create, and enter certificate enrollment/registration forms, maintaining accurate records.
Develop and manage communications to certificate students regarding enrollment, registration, progress, and completion.
Review content and provide records context for certificate faculty communications managed by PaCE staff.
Maintain a certificate pipeline tracker and provide weekly status updates on enrollment progress and risks.
Develop or coordinate certificate registration plans to remove barriers and support timely enrollment.
Coordinate holds resolution with frontline units and set follow-up checkpoints for successful enrollment.
Define reserved-seat rules and timelines for certificate sections to ensure access for target student cohorts.
Monitor reserved-seat utilization and recommend adjustments.
Monitor enrollment reports and trigger outreach for students who drop, have holds, or require repeats.
Capture outcomes of outreach and coordinate registration plans or referrals.
Review certificate student records to verify credential requirements for completion.
Prepare awarding packets/checklists for the Associate Registrar.
Retain evidence and notes to support audits and student inquiries.
Initiate and document certificate evaluation changes with policy/curriculum basis and evidence.
Represent Registration and Records in PaCE discussions and operational work.
Inform the Associate Registrar and/or Registrar of concerns regarding PaCE policies, practices, or procedures from a Registration and Records or equity perspective.
Clarify roles and handoffs for communications, ensuring alignment with Registration and Records policy.
Advocate for PaCE certificate programs by identifying systemic and program-specific barriers and partnering to develop solutions.
Serve as a cross-functional liaison with offices such as Student Accounts, Financial Aid, and Curriculum to address operational challenges.
Contribute to and lead problem-solving efforts by diagnosing root causes, developing alternative approaches, and advancing implementation of solutions.
Function as an active thought partner on the Certificates Team, contributing to the creation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of certificate programs.
Assess implications of proposed changes and work with stakeholders to align approaches.
Work with colleagues to identify emerging issues and develop collaborative strategies.
Serve as Evergreen’s updater/administrator for external agency certificate/course listings.
Submit, track, and confirm updates for external agency listings.
Maintain an archive of submissions and approvals for external listings.
Monitor portal access/credentials and coordinate with agencies to resolve issues.
Coordinate institutional assurances with the Registrar for signature/approval when required.
Prepare documentation of institutional policies and practices for certificate endorsement/recognition.
Coordinate agency communications and obtain Registrar approval/signature for official assurances.
Maintain an archive and renewal ticklers for agency endorsements.
Review, author, and contribute certificate catalog content.
Manage effective dates and cross-references for catalog content.
Co-own certificate website content with PaCE site support, reviewing, contributing, and authoring pages/updates.
Prompt PaCE to publish website updates and verify alignment with catalog and knowledge base.
Serve as a delegate/back-up to the Registrar or Associate Registrar for routine office management during vacancies or peak periods.
Maintain clear documentation of interim decisions and hand back authority cleanly.
Apply an equity lens in each functional area to identify and address barriers.
Monitor for disparate impact on students, alumni, or prospects and recommend corrective action.
Contribute equity and accessibility notes to reports, proposals, and communications.
Escalate systemic concerns to the Associate Registrar and Registrar.
Ensure that problem-solving and process improvements explicitly consider access, affordability, and equitable student outcomes.