Office Specialist 2

Portland State University; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Portland State University is seeking an Office Specialist 2 to manage operations for the Student Success Division, coordinating multiple offices and a large student staff. The role emphasizes change management, confidentiality, and process improvements to support student services.

The successful candidate will lead onboarding and professional development for student staff and collaborate with HR to support staff onboarding and development across 75+ staff and 20+ student employees.

Qualifications

• Two years of general clerical experience.
• One year of which included typing, word processing, or other experience generating documents.
• OR An Associate's degree in Office Occupations or Office Technology; OR Graduation from a private school of business with a Certificate in Office Occupations or Office Technology AND one year of general clerical experience.
• Coursework substituting for experience on a year-for-year basis may apply.

Responsibilities

• Provide office management to the Student Success Division.
• Oversee 75+ staff and 20+ student employees.
• Strategize process improvements to ensure efficient office operations for student services.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, training, and professional development of student staff.
• Support onboarding of full-time staff and assist in professional development and training.

Skills

Project coordination

Attention to detail

Initiative

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Written communication

Verbal communication

HR principles

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Client service orientation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Associate's degree in Office Occupations/Office Technology

Tools

Asana

Google Suite

Job description

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Portland State University

Position Details

Proposed Start Date

10/01/2026

Classification Title

Office Specialist 2

Working Title

Office Specialist 2

Department

200272 - ACS Academic & Career Services

Position Number

D96306

Representation

OP - SEIU/OPEU Local 503

Position FTE

1.0 FTE

Position Summary

Brief Description of PSU/School/Dept: Advising & Career Services (ACS) is a unit within the division of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs at Portland State University. ACS provides 1) advising to undergraduates who have not selected a major, 2) career services to all graduate & undergraduate students and alumni and 3) campus leadership related to advising and careers.

The Office Specialist 2 will provide office management to the Student Success Division, which includes units critical to the student experience (Undergraduate Academic Advising, Student Academic Support Services/Academic Coaching, Transfer Center, Office of Student Success, and the University Career Center). This position provides oversight, change management, student staff leadership and development, communication coordination, and project coordination across the units, which includes 75+ staff and 20+ student employees. The position will have access to and need to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information. A key component of this role is to strategize process improvements to ensure that all office operations run effectively so that students are served across the unit.

Successful Candidate Characteristics & Mindsets

• Ability to deftly handle project logistics, operations, and change management across 5 offices with student success being at the forefront.
• Lead the hiring, onboarding, training, and professional development of student staff with the goal of developing a pipeline of future PSU employees.
• Support the onboarding of full-time staff and provide assistance in professional development and training.
• Ability to anticipate problems, provide solutions, and create process improvement plans to better serve students with quality control.
• Must have sound judgment, anticipatory skills, confidentiality, negotiation, problem-solving, and customer service skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and oral/written communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple competing needs across 75+ staff and 20+ student employees. Demonstrated proficiency with project management/scheduling and task management software.
• A deep, demonstrated commitment to understanding and improving the student experience and an evident dedication to student success.
• A positive, forward-looking attitude with a creative and solutions-focused orientation to higher education.
• A demonstrated capacity to support students, faculty, and staff through change, and a strong interest in innovation.

Minimum Qualifications from Classification

Two years of general clerical experience. One year of which included typing, word processing, or other experience generating documents; OR An Associate's degree in Office Occupations or Office Technology; OR Graduation from a private school of business with a Certificate in Office Occupations or Office Technology AND one year of general clerical experience.

Note: College courses in Office Occupations or Office Technology will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Additional Minimum Qualifications for this Position

• 2-3 year of project coordination experience
• High degree of attention to detail and follow through
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, work independently
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively toward goal achievement
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate issues and provide appropriate solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Solid understanding of HR principles/policies/employee relations
• Proficiency project management tools such as Asana, Google Suite, and more
• Demonstrated time and project management skills
• Experience guiding the work of others
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Service orientation and ability to facilitate, anticipate and coordinate requests/needs

Preferred Qualifications

• Higher education experience
• Working knowledge of Higher Education Academic Services and practices
• Bachelor's degree

Key Cultural Competencies

• Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages and celebrates differences.
• Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities and cultural backgrounds.
• Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.
• Adheres to all PSU policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Environmental Stewardship

Contributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Work Days/Hours

Monday to Friday, 8am to 5:00pm

Total Compensation Range & Benefits Statement

The starting salary for this position will be between $19.36 and $21.91 per hour, dependent upon qualifications and experience with an excellent benefits package including 95% premium paid healthcare; a generous retirement and vacation package; and reduced tuition benefits for employee, spouse or dependent at any of the Oregon University System schools.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * Do you have experience working in higher education? (Preferred but not required.)
   • Yes
   • No
2. * How did you first find out about this position?
   • PSU Website
   • Indeed.com
   • HERCJobs
   • Urban League of Portland
   • Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber
   • Oregon Employment Department
   • Social Media
   • Person Referral
   • Career Builder
   • Glass Door
   • Other - Please describe in the next Question
3. If you selected Other, please describe.

   (Open Ended Question)

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
3. Professional References

PI286787153