Program Assistant

State of South Carolina; West Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan options

Paid leave (vacation and sick)

Job summary

Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School in West Columbia, SC, is seeking a dependable Program Assistant to support daily operations, coordinate school and student programs, and provide administrative help to staff and students.

The role requires strong communication, organization, and confidentiality, with the ability to work closely with students, families, and community partners. This position emphasizes a structured, positive environment for youth and may involve events and program initiatives.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; additional education or training in education, human services, business administration, or related field preferred.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work with adolescents and young adults from diverse backgrounds.
• Proficiency with standard office technology and Microsoft Office or comparable software.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Assist with planning, coordination, and implementation of school and student programs.
• Provide administrative support: scheduling, correspondence, recordkeeping, data entry, and reports.
• Maintain accurate and confidential student and program records.
• Assist staff with student activities, events, workshops, orientations, and program initiatives.
• Communicate professionally with students, families, staff, and community partners.
• Monitor program activities to ensure schedules and procedures are followed.
• Provide day-to-day support to students and staff as needed.
• Track student participation and progress.
• Support special projects and other duties assigned by leadership.
• Promote a safe, respectful, inclusive, and supportive environment for students.

Skills

Organizational skills

Time-management

Written and verbal communication

Confidentiality

Team collaboration

Independent work

Adaptability

Proficiency in MS Office

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Education/training in education or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Responsibilities

Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School is seeking a dependable, organized, and student-focused Program Assistant to support the daily operations of our programs and help create a structured, positive environment for students. The Program Assistant will work closely with school staff, students, families, and community partners to provide administrative and programmatic support. This position requires strong communication skills, attention to detail, flexibility, and a genuine interest in helping young people achieve their educational, personal, and career goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with the planning, coordination, and implementation of school and student programs.
• Provide administrative support, including scheduling, correspondence, recordkeeping, data entry, and preparation of reports and documents.
• Maintain accurate and confidential student and program records.
• Assist staff with student activities, events, workshops, orientations, and other program initiatives.
• Communicate professionally with students, families, staff, and community partners.
• Help monitor program activities and ensure that schedules, procedures, and requirements are followed.
• Provide day-to-day support to students and staff as needed.
• Assist with tracking student participation, progress, and other program information.
• Support special projects and other duties assigned by program or school leadership.
• Promote a safe, respectful, inclusive, and supportive environment for students.

Required: Minimum and Additional Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent; additional education or training in education, human services, business administration, or a related field is preferred.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with adolescents and young adults from diverse backgrounds.
• Proficiency with standard office technology and Microsoft Office or comparable software.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to work independently while also functioning effectively as part of a team.

Preferred: Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a school, youth-development, nonprofit, workforce-development, or human-services setting.
• Experience providing administrative or program support.
• Familiarity with student support services, career readiness, or educational programs.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is dependable, approachable, organized, and committed to helping students succeed. The successful applicant will be comfortable balancing administrative responsibilities with direct interaction with students and will demonstrate professionalism, patience, initiative, and a strong service orientation.

Work Environment

This position operates in a school and student-services environment and may require participation in school activities, events, and programs outside of routine administrative duties.

Benefits For State Employees

• health and dental insurance
• retirement and savings plan options
• and paid vacation and sick leave
• Plus, work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.

Insurance Benefits

• Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits.
• Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.

Retirement Benefits

• State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
• Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.

Workplace Benefits

• tuition assistance
• holiday, annual and sick leave
• discounts on purchases, travel and more

Note: The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.