Program Specialist 3 Teaching, Learning, And School Improvement

• We support a healthy work/life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules and mobile and telework options. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We have an Infant at Work Program that is based on long-term values of newborns and infant-parent bonding. Eligible employees who are new parents or legal guardians can bring their infant (six weeks to six months) when returning to work. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We value and are actively involved in promoting diversity equity and inclusion within OSPI by way of cross-divisional collaborative committee. The focus of the committee includes employee engagement and education; reinforcing OSPI values; and maximizing the value of diversity and identifying strategies for inclusion.

• Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine the ways current policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color students living in poverty students receiving special education and English Learner services students who identify as LGBTQ and highly mobile student populations.
• Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts; engage students families and community representatives as partners in decision-making; and actively dismantle systemic barriers replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools.

Program Leadership Staff Supervision and Workforce Development

Tasks include:

• Provide direct supervision coaching mentoring performance management and support to Program Specialist 2 staff including regular one-on-one and team meetings and annual performance evaluations. Establish clear performance expectations and provide timely feedback coaching recognition and accountability to support employee and team success.
• Develop implement and maintain a comprehensive training and ongoing professional development approach for all Program Specialist staff including onboarding WAC and policy training certification requirements technical training cross-training skill development knowledge sharing and continued professional growth.
• Regularly assess individual and team training needs and ensure Program Specialist staff maintain current knowledge of applicable WAC laws certification policies procedures and requirements necessary to provide accurate and consistent technical assistance.
• Regularly assess individual and team training needs and ensure staff maintain the knowledge and skills necessary to provide accurate consistent and responsive certification services.
• Assign prioritize schedule and monitor staff work; approve leave and recommend corrective or disciplinary action as appropriate and in accordance with agency requirements and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
• Assess staffing capacity coverage workload training needs and resource needs and make adjustments within delegated authority or recommendations to the Director when additional resources or broader decisions are needed.
• Foster a collaborative accountable equitable and customer-focused team culture that values communication knowledge sharing and partnership across benches ensuring Program Specialist staff understand how their work connects to and supports the broader work of the Professional Certification Office.
• Maintain effective communication with the Director regarding significant staffing performance operational or organizational matters requiring leadership awareness or action.

Program Operations and Service Delivery

Tasks include:

• Direct and oversee daily Program Specialist operations including workload distribution shared inboxes phone queues customer inquiries staffing coverage and service performance.
• Exercise delegated decision-making authority for day-to-day Program Specialist operations making independent decisions within established laws rules policies procedures service standards office priorities and delegated parameters.
• Determine operational priorities and adjust staff coverage workload distribution schedules assignments and available resources to maintain service levels and respond to changing demands.
• Monitor email volumes phone queues call-backs correspondence workload service metrics and customer feedback to identify trends emerging needs and service gaps and ensure timely accurate equitable and consistent responses.
• Actively support customer service queues including email and phone services during peak periods staffing shortages or significant increases in customer demand to maintain or restore service levels.
• When email phone call-back or other service volumes exceed Program Specialist capacity or established service levels develop and coordinate a response plan in collaboration with the Director including mobilizing appropriate cross-team support prioritizing work adjusting resources and monitoring progress until service levels stabilize.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex customer concerns and provide technical assistance on certification requirements policies procedures and service expectations; independently resolve matters within delegated authority and elevate significant-risk broader-policy or office-wide issues as appropriate.
• Plan for peak seasons vacancies absences legislative or policy changes and other anticipated workload surges; develop proactive strategies for coverage backlog prevention and reduction and continuity of service.
• Coordinate with other Professional Certification teams when operational decisions workload needs or service issues affect shared processes customers or cross-team responsibilities.
• Coordinate with staff responsible for website newsletter and customer communications to ensure certification updates changes deadlines service information outreach campaigns and emerging customer needs are communicated accurately and timely across appropriate channels.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex customer concerns and technical questions requiring interpretation and application of WAC laws certification policies requirements and procedures; provide guidance to Program Specialist staff and customers and elevate matters requiring broader policy interpretation or leadership determination.
• Perform Program Specialist duties when needed to maintain continuity and service levels.

Process Improvement and Systems Development

Tasks include:

• Evaluate develop implement and maintain operational policies procedures workflows service models standard operating procedures training resources desk manuals and knowledge-management tools for Program Specialist operations.
• Exercise delegated authority to make and implement Program Specialist operational process and workflow decisions within established certification requirements policies and office direction including determining appropriate work methods procedures and service-delivery practices.
• Lead continuous improvement and implementation efforts that increase efficiency consistency accountability equitable service and customer service quality.
• Evaluate existing policies procedures processes and operational practices; determine when improvements can be implemented within delegated authority; and develop recommendations for the Director when proposed changes have broader policy fiscal legal compliance strategic or cross-office implications.
• Analyze workflows operational data service outcomes and staff feedback to identify problems clarify roles and responsibilities streamline processes and assess the effectiveness of implemented changes.
• Facilitate Program Specialist huddles and workgroups focused on workflow problem-solving training needs knowledge sharing process improvement and operational effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain systems that promote consistent practices and reduce reliance on individual or informal knowledge.
• Facilitate ongoing cross-team collaboration between Program Specialists Evaluators and staff across benches to strengthen communication shared understanding coordination and problem-solving; identify and address gaps in handoffs workflows and information sharing that affect service delivery.
• Monitor changes to WAC laws policies certification requirements and agency guidance; assess operational impacts and coordinate with the Director Evaluators and other impacted staff to support consistent interpretation communication training and implementation for Program Specialists.

Data Analysis Reporting and Program Evaluation

Tasks include:

• Establish and monitor performance measures service standards workload indicators and operational goals for Program Specialist services.
• Develop and maintain reports dashboards and tracking tools for workload productivity response time customer service and backlogs.
• Establish and maintain methods for gathering and reviewing customer feedback including recurring questions concerns service barriers and opportunities to improve the customer experience.
• Regularly review operational performance with staff and use data to support transparency shared understanding accountability and continuous improvement.
• Analyze operational data together with customer and staff feedback to identify trends service gaps workload concerns inequities recurring issues root causes and opportunities for process and service improvement.
• Use findings to develop and implement process improvements inform workload distribution staffing training customer communication and operational decisions and make recommendations to the Director when broader changes are needed.
• Evaluate implemented changes using data and feedback to determine whether improvements achieved the intended results and identify when additional adjustments are needed.

• Keep the Director regularly informed of Program Specialist performance customer feedback emerging trends service gaps risks and improvement efforts including progress toward operational goals and areas requiring additional attention or leadership support.
• Provide concise reports summaries and recommendations regarding Program Specialist operations and performance to the Director as requested.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Tasks include:

• Build and maintain effective relationships with school districts Educational Service Districts educator preparation programs professional organizations agency partners and other stakeholders that interact with Program Specialist services.
• Participate in assigned stakeholder meetings trainings conferences workshops and outreach activities.
• Serve as a liaison between the Program Specialist team and internal and external partners to support accurate information consistent service delivery effective coordination and alignment across certification functions.
• Provide technical assistance and consultation regarding certification processes requirements procedures and Program Specialist services within the scope of the positions expertise and authority.
• Identify recurring stakeholder questions concerns or service barriers and use that information to inform training communications procedures and process improvements.
• Contribute to guidance documents newsletters webinars presentations website updates and other communication and training materials.
• Elevate stakeholder matters to the Director when they involve significant risk policy implications strategic decisions sensitive external relationships or issues extending beyond Program Specialist operations.

Fiscal and Administrative Management

Tasks include:

• Approve and coordinate refunds within delegated authority and ensure refunds are processed in accordance with established agency and state requirements.
• Monitor fiscal and administrative activities associated with Program Specialist operations and identify discrepancies trends risks or issues requiring follow-up. Provide the Director with Program
• Specialist operational information anticipated needs workload trends and other relevant information to support budget planning and resource decisions.

• Keep the Director informed of significant fiscal or administrative issues related to Program Specialist operations and elevate matters requiring additional fiscal authority budget decisions or agency approval.
• Supporting Human Resources activities (recruitments personnel action requests hiring requests evaluation and expectations)
• Other duties as assigned

• Ability to interpret explain and consistently apply applicable WAC RCW certification policies requirements and procedures; provide clear technical guidance to staff customers and stakeholders; and identify matters requiring additional interpretation or leadership review.
• Knowledge of supervision employee development performance management workforce planning customer service conflict resolution program management and continuous improvement.

• Ability to supervise coach develop and hold employees accountable while fostering a collaborative supportive and customer-focused work environment.
• Ability to establish priorities allocate resources manage competing demands and plan effectively for high-volume periods staffing changes and emerging operational needs.
• Ability to exercise sound independent judgment and make timely decisions within delegated authority including recognizing when consultation with or escalation to the Director is appropriate.
• Ability to analyze operational data and customer feedback identify trends risks and service gaps and use findings to inform decisions recommendations and improvements.
• Ability to develop implement and evaluate procedures workflows service models training resources and operational improvements.
• Ability to facilitate collaboration and problem-solving within and across teams and benches including navigating differing perspectives clarifying roles and handoffs and supporting shared goals.
• Ability to communicate effectively with staff leadership customers and stakeholders and prepare clear reports recommendations presentations guidance and other written communications.

• A letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications listed in this announcement;
• A current résumé and;
• A list of three or more professional references.