Program Specialist 2 at WWU College of Business & Economics

Apply

Position Title Program Specialist 2 About the University

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department Woodring College of Education and the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary and Multilingual Education supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity. About the Position

The Program Specialist 2 is a member of a dynamic team focused on student success and in increasing the number of certified educators in the State of Washington. This position plays a significant role in supporting students (undergrad, graduate, endorsement-only) once admitted into their program of study. Undergrad students are admitted on an annual basis, graduate students are admitted every other year, and endorsement-only students are admitted on an ongoing quarterly basis. This position serves as the sole on-site staff member and is responsible for coordinating all student service and faculty support aspects of Woodring College of Education's Multilingual Education Community Programs offered at Western's site location in Renton, WA.

The Program Specialist will work in collaboration with Academic Program Directors who lead the on-site programs, with the transfer student success specialist who manages the admissions for all multilingual education programming across multiple sites, and with the multilingual education outreach manager. Strong communication skills as well as the ability to work both as a member of a team and independently are critical to this position. Additionally, this position will assist with tasks specific to Multilingual Education programming across multiple sites, including the Bilingual Teaching Fellows Program located in Everett.

This is an 11-month, 40 hour/week, cyclic position. The position is based at the Puget Sound ESD in Renton. Students and faculty are on site Monday through Thursday; the Program Specialist is expected to work on site Monday through Thursday with possible opportunity for remote work on Fridays. Anticipated work hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00-6:00; Friday hours are variable. Tasks pertaining to other site locations will be conducted from the Renton location. Cyclic leave to be taken during August and December. Additional evening work may be required as well as occasional travel to other Western site locations and regional partner districts and colleges.

Job Duties

45 % - Student Support

• Serve as the sole on-site staff support for all students enrolled in the teacher education programs at the WWU Renton site
• Organize quarterly course scheduling information for students, including collecting text/material requirements, special directions from instructors, and quarterly calendars; communicate schedule and registration information with students; ensure students are properly registered
• Administer processes related to course overrides, non-matriculated student registrations, and cross-campus registrations; communicate with respective departments at main campus in submission of student forms
• Monitor student accounts for financial and other holds preventing registration; communicate with Academic Program Directors regarding registration status as needed
• Routinely monitor reports to ensure students are maintaining program, College, and University-level requirements, including GPA, clearances, outstanding DTA/GUR completion, pre-requisites and mandatory trainings; communicate findings with Academic Program Directors and advise students as appropriate
• Manage all processes related to student graduation, including communicating application processes with students and entering/monitoring details into Western’s degree evaluation system
• Manage, in collaboration with the University’s Certification Office, student clearances; advise students on State policies specific to these requirements
• In collaboration with the program directors, develop unique plans of study for students who are out-of-sequence of following a part-time schedule; coordinate quarterly schedules with students, and ensure students properly register for courses based on their plans of study
• Connect students with appropriate support services offered through main campus (financial aid, student business office, health center, etc.)
• Communicate with students regarding awarded grants/loans and related requirements as applicable
• Process and submit e-forms for students who are receiving grant tuition funding; track forms to ensure processed within established timelines
• Maintain program/student-specific Canvas pages; update as needed to ensure students have access to current program information
• Support testing administration as needed
  
  

45 % - Administrative Duties

• Secure, manage, and monitor quarterly room assignments at the Renton site, working closely with the Puget Sound ESD team
• Check classrooms daily to ensure rooms are adequately prepped for evening instructors; communicate directly with the on-site ESD team regarding any classroom/technology-related issues
• Send quarterly communications to WWU Renton faculty in preparation for start of each quarter
• Administer quarterly key check-in/out processes with faculty, following guidelines established by the Puget Sound ESD team
• Orient and onboard new faculty who are teaching at the WWU Renton site
• Provide programmatic and administrative support to the respective Academic Program Directors and Department Chairs for off-campus scheduling needs at the Renton site, as needed
• Order office supplies and print/copy orders, submit Marketplace orders, and review transactions
• Collect syllabi from faculty on a quarterly basis; place textbook orders for faculty as needed
• Initiate travel requests and mileage reimbursement expenses for faculty who are teaching across multiple site locations
• Serve as liaison to Woodring Certification Office & Woodring Admissions; communicate information with applicable Woodring staff and students pertaining to clearances, content testing, and pre-practicum trainings (i.e. blood-borne pathogens and sexual harassment prevention); ensure students have up-to-date information
• Perform data entry into various College and departmental databases
• Support Academic Program Directors with grant-related work
• Process clock hour forms and stipend payments for mentor teachers
• Support faculty in the quarterly course evaluation process; submit completed evaluations to main campus
• Assist in on-site event planning of new student orientation, graduation celebrations, and other special events
• Process honorariums for guest speakers and reimbursements as needed
• Develop library system for student & faculty book check-out; manage all aspects of check-out system
• Review and update internal and external programmatic materials
• Assist with the development or revision of policies and procedures and communicate with faculty, students, and other stakeholders
  
  

5 % - Program Marketing & Recruitment

• In coordination with the Renton recruitment team, attend regional recruitment fairs to promote the WWU Renton programs and arranged information sessions
• Create and maintain program marketing materials
• Assist in website maintenance for the WWU Renton programs
  
  

5 % - Data Collection, Analysis, Research Reporting & Dissemination

• Monitor WWU Renton student data (enrollment, class registrations, cohort lists, field experience) via Woodring Information System (WIS) and Banner
• Prepare quarterly reports for program and College using Argos, Banner, and OnBase
  
  

Create and maintain student files and databases to meet the requirements of specific State and federal reporting criteria

Required Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or higher or equivalent education/experience
• Two years of clerical experience that includes direct program coordination and management of administrative tasks
• Proficiency with data management systems, including, but not limited to Microsoft Excel
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and graciously with students, faculty, and staff of diverse backgrounds
• Demonstrated thoroughness and strong attention to detail
• Ability to interpret and navigate State- and University-level policies
• Experience in working independently as well as in a team environment
• Proven ability to manage work priorities across multiple projects and meet specific timelines
• Ability to work on-site at WWU Renton
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Experience working in higher education, especially in non-main campus locations
• Experience working as staff support for a teacher preparation program
• Bilingual
• Experience with Drupal or other web-design programs
• Experience with Canva or other marketing design programs
• Experience troubleshooting basic computer and technology issues
  
  

Conditions of Employment All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to [email protected] if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations. Salary $4,216 - $5,666/month depending on qualifications and experience Benefits Information Benefits Overview for Classified Positions Bargaining Unit This position is part of bargaining unit D and is covered by the collective bargaining agreement with Public School Employees of WWU. Application Instructions

Application materials should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications.

Please provide names and contact information of three professional references.

Closing Date Notes Application review begins January 12, 2026; position is open until filled

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); [email protected]

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at [email protected]. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.

Apply