Program Operations Specialist (E S 9)

Job Description

Position Purpose:

Data & Applications (D&A) is the division in UWIT that runs the universitys academic and business systems productivity platforms enterprise integrations learning analytics and data for decision-making and is also responsible for the accessibility of UWs digital resources. Student and Educational Technology Services (SETS) evaluates develops integrates and supports technologies that enable others to teach learn and innovate. These solutions and applications are used by students faculty staff researchers clinicians and external partners.

SETS is seeking a Service Manager (SM) to oversee the enterprise academic learning management system (Canvas LMS) and other core teaching and learning tools. This SM will work with instructional technologists help desk consultants engineers researchers and other UW-IT colleagues to sustainably support and administer the learning management system alongside other core teaching and learning tools for the three UW campuses. The SM will work with the Manager and colleagues to implement consistent service management practices including request incident and change management and maintain required security privacy and accessibility standards. They will collaborate with colleagues to create and implement communication plans connect with campus partners and end users to assess user needs and service health and manage key vendor relationships.

Position Complexities:

The primary responsibility of this position is the end-to-end support and success of the enterprise academic learning management system and the suite of integrated teaching and learning tools. The learning management system and related tools support online and digital learning for the three UW campuses and UW Continuum College. The SM must understand the academic workflow and calendar and ensure that the LMS and related tools meet both the core needs and also accommodate the varying requirements of the three campuses and the many schools and colleges.

The SM must engage with and build trust with both business partners and customers across the university. The SM is expected to collaborate easily and effectively with colleagues in a variety of positions ranging from faculty and university leadership to technical staff within UWIT. This position must exercise leadership and influence within a highly matrixed cross-functional organization define service scope and ensure alignment to customer needs and university priorities. The SM must serve as the decision-maker to set and execute use and access policies and provide resolution of customer issues and in this role exercises broad authority that impacts the experience of university constituents. The SM must understand the technical dimensions of the teaching and learning tools and collaborate with colleagues to identify solutions that meet business and customer needs.

SETS services are critical to academic continuity at the UW and the SM works directly with the Director and UW-IT colleagues to ensures the availability and accessibility of teaching and learning systems and that effective service teams are in place to support these services. These teams frequently include staff from other UW-IT divisions and instructional technologists from the Learning Technologies team in Academic and Student addition the SM participates in communities of practice and tri-campus councils in support of digital learning.

The SM must build relationships with vendor representatives to advocate for UW needs effectively escalate and resolve issues and leverage services and benefits under vendor agreements. The SM also participates in nation-wide communities of practice with peers from a wide variety of higher ed institutions and represents UW on advisory boards and to the broader higher ed community.

All of this is carried out under strict deadlines often with priorities set by campus-wide committees UW-IT executive leadership and UW information and technology governance bodies. A strong ability to facilitate and support projects or service teams comprised of engineers business analysts instructional technologists and business partners as both a leader and participant is addition the SM must effectively communicate service strategy and project status to leadership stakeholders and colleagues within and without UW-IT. The SM must manage and prioritize product and service backlogs based on stakeholder and customer feedback often seeking advice and consult of faculty councils. The SM also participates in research activities including conducting surveys focus groups and interviews with users and stakeholders and then translates findings into functional requirements for the services.

Position Dimensions and Impact to the University:

SETS implements and integrates UW tools that enable the whole student life cycle. The Educational Technology service management team focuses on the online tools that enable education collaboration and innovation; these tools comprise locally developed open source vendor solutions and cloud services.

The SM will oversee the academic learning management system which is used in all courses on the three campuses and UW Continuum College. Given the reach and visibility of the learning management system and related services the SM has an impact on the work and experience of all faculty students and staff on all three UW campuses and in UW Continuum College.

Position Responsibilities:

Service Management (70%)

• Provide service management for the enterprise academic learning management system (Canvas LMS) and core educational technologies that integrate with the LMS such as plagiarism detection assessment platforms and student engagement tools.

• Lead service teams comprising instructional technologists application and integration engineers and help desk consultants; collaborate with team members to provide customer support and incident response implement service lifecycle management practices and conduct communication and outreach activities.

• Serve as 3rd tier support for escalation and resolution of issues working with vendor representatives as needed.

• Engage directly with customers to understand needs and recommend solutions.

• Manage vendor relationships meeting with account representatives and representing UW needs to vendor product teams and advisory boards.

• Work with customers and integration engineers to vet and configure third-party tool integrations with the learning management system.

• Provide regular and timely communications to users and administrators of educational technology services.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation (15%)

• Lead initiatives to explore and implement innovative uses of technology for teaching and learning.

• Evaluate new features and tools for privacy accessibility and suitability to the University of Washingtons educational technology ecosystem.

• Convene stakeholder groups as needed to gather feedback align priorities and build trust.

• Collaborate with campus partners clients and colleagues to design develop and launch new educational technology services and tools including planning for sustainable operations and support.

• Work with colleagues to define service success criteria and metrics assess satisfaction with services identify and implement service improvements.

• Stay current on emerging trends in educational technology and higher education.

Operational Excellence (15%)

• Provide project management for service work and projects as needed.

• Implement effective and consistent service management practices across SETS including request incident and change management and maintain required security privacy and accessibility standards.

Position Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree in Communications Management and Organization Information Systems or relevant field or equivalent experience.

• Minimum of 4 years of experience

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in IT customer support especially administering or supporting learning management systems in a university context.

• Familiarity with UW systems policies and academic programs.

• Familiarity with ITIL and agile development methodologies.

• Demonstrated experience with a variety of research and analysis techniques ideally quantitative and/or qualitative methods for understanding and documenting end-user and business owner requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to manage technical projects within a team environment; experience working with an agile software development team or other iterative software development processes.

• Familiarity with user research user-centered design and interviewing methods.

Working Environmental Conditions:

• Hybrid open office environment.

• While the general working hours are within Monday through Friday 8 am - 5 pm the position has a great deal of scheduling and location flexibility to help the SM manage non-work commitments. The SM must at times be willing to adjust hours to accommodate the needs of staff colleagues clients and stakeholders. Events that will occur outside the normal work schedule include but are not limited to meetings with staff clients or stakeholders. This position has regular stringent deadlines revolving around the academic calendar that may require extended work hours.

Other Comments:

This is an essential position and is required to report to work remotely when UW suspends operations.

A satisfactory outcome from a criminal history verification may be required prior to hire.

Compensation Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

Pay Range Maximum:

Other Compensation:

Benefits:

Temporary or Regular

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

Union/Bargaining Unit:

About the UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier return they enjoy outstanding benefits opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity intellectual excitement artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race color creed religion national origin citizenship sex pregnancy age marital status sexual orientation gender identity or expression genetic information disability or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process contact the Disability Services Office at or .

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.