Specialist, Program

Austin Community College • Austin, TX

4d • Onsite

About The Position

To support the assigned department and work directly with the department head on coordination of department program activities. The Department of Photography + Visual Media is hiring a Program Specialist who will serve as the department's primary point of contact for current and prospective students. This person works closely with the Department Chair on recruitment, academic advising, student persistence, and degree completion – and is often the first voice a student hears when they reach out to the program. The strongest candidates will bring: A genuine commitment to student success, from first inquiry through award completion. Exceptional interpersonal and customer-service skills – the ability to make every student feel seen, whether in person, over email, or at an event. Strong written communication. This role drafts correspondence, maintains outreach materials, and supports departmental communications. Comfort planning and hosting events, including open houses, public talks, portfolio reviews, and prospective-student outreach. The organizational instincts to track cohorts, flag at-risk students, and keep advising workflows running cleanly. Ease working across teams – with faculty, staff, and external partners. Experience in higher education, the arts, or creative industries is valued but not required. If you care about doing things well – not just the work, but the way the work gets done, and the community we serve – you'll find a home here.

Requirements

• Two years related work experience.
• Bachelor's degree.
• Working collaboratively, as well as independently.
• Maintaining an established work schedule.
• Effectively using interpersonal and communication skills, including tact and diplomacy.
• Effectively using organizational and planning skills with attention to detail and follow-through.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Maintaining confidentiality of work-related information and materials.
• Effectively working with a diverse and multicultural student body.
• Writing professional level correspondence.
• Use a variety of spreadsheet, word processing, database, and presentation software.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in higher education, the arts, or creative industries is valued but not required.

Responsibilities

• Arranges and coordinates assigned activities, as needed.
• Advises students on various aspects of the program such as majors, course selection, transferability, and prerequisite for degree plans.
• Distributes and tracks student paperwork, as required.
• Maintains communications with department chair and faculty in the department.
• May assist with creation and maintenance of departmental and/or instructional websites.
• Depending on department, may address student issues arising from field observation requirement. Forwards such issues to Department Chair as needed.
• Meets with students on a one-to-one basis when necessary, to resolve problems with field observations.
• Depending on department, may coordinate placement and scheduling of Austin Community College (ACC) students in public schools for required observations.
• Maintains telephone and email correspondences with ISD partners, ACC faculty, and students.
• Prepares and forwards all necessary documentation and background check information to participating school districts for placement.
• Depending on department, may serve as a liaison between ACC and independent school district personnel.
• Establishes and maintains new partnerships for field observation placements.
• Assists with college and department related outreach and networking.
• Depending on department, may Initiate, assist, and maintain communication with public school officials and administrative staff regarding school visitation portion of Coordinating Board requirements for ACC education courses.
• May oversee work of hourly employees.

Benefits

• Full-time faculty and staff employees who work in full-time and/or part-time positions at the college are eligible for ACC medical benefits effective the first of the month after their first 60 days of employment. Benefits include medical, dental, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, retirement plans, and AD&D.
• ACC does not participate in Social Security.
• ACC participates in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) and the Optional Retirement Program (ORP-Faculty and Administrators Only).
• Hourly employees participate in the ACC Money Purchase Plan (ACCMPP) as a retirement program required by federal law.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees