Program Specialist 2

Evergreen State College; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 43,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Evergreen State College is seeking a Program Specialist 2 on the Olympia campus to manage certificate intake, enrollment planning, and credential evaluation support. This full-time role emphasizes equity, cross-unit collaboration, and reporting to PaCE leadership.

Responsibilities include coordinating certificate registration plans, monitoring holds, and ensuring timely enrollment while providing content review and records context as needed.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of certificate operations and enrollment processes.
• Ability to communicate clearly in plain language.
• Experience with higher-education records and governance processes.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage intake workflows for certificate programs.
• Develop communications to certificate students and coordinate with PaCE staff.
• Maintain enrollment progress tracking and provide status updates.

Skills

Certificate operations

Enrollment management

Plainlanguage communication

Problem-solving

Systems thinking

Cross-unit collaboration

FERPA compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Four years of experience in academic operations, continuing/professional education, or records

Experience with certificate endorsement, catalog systems, seat restriction rules, and crossunit governance participation

Experience leading or contributing to cross-functional problem-solving and process improvement initiatives in a higher education setting

Job description

Program Specialist 2

Program Specialist 2 - Professional and Continuing Education

Location: Olympia

Full-time, overtime eligible position on the Olympia campus of The Evergreen State College.

Salary: $3,863.00 - $5,161.00 per month

Union Represented: Yes

Overtime Eligible: Yes

Eligibility and Benefits

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or status as a protected veteran. For more information regarding Evergreen's non-discrimination policies or to report discrimination, please visit the Affinity Action and Equal Opportunity webpage at www.evergreen.edu/equalopportunity or contact the Affinity Action and Equal Opportunity Officer at [phone], Room 3102 Library Building, 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, Olympia, WA 98505.

Benefits: A full state benefits package which includes: paid sick and vacation leave; paid campus holidays; a generous medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; optional deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts. For more information about Evergreen's excellent employee benefits, please view https://www.evergreen.edu/payroll/benefits-package.

Essential Functions

Certificate Intake and Communications (20%)

• Design and manage intake workflows; receive, create, and enter certificate enrollment/registration forms; maintain accurate intake records.
• Develop and manage communications directed to certificate students, including enrollment, registration, progress, and completion messaging; note that communications to certificate faculty are generally managed by PaCE staff, with this position providing content review, records context, or consultation as needed.
• Maintain a certificate pipeline tracker and provide weekly status updates to leadership on enrollment progress and risks.

Registration Plans (15%)

• Develop or coordinate certificate registration plans (sequencing, corequisites, modality) that remove avoidable registration barriers and support timely enrollment.
• Coordinate holds resolution with frontline units; set followup checkpoints to confirm successful enrollment.

Reserved Seat Rules with Curriculum (less than 10%)

• Define reservedseat rules and timelines for certificate sections to ensure access for target student cohorts; set changefreeze windows before registration opens.
• Coordinate with Curriculum (which builds CRNs) and Forms and Records staff (to validate downstream visibility and eligibility rules).
• Monitor reservedseat utilization during the add/drop period and recommend adjustments consistent with policy and equity goals.

Outreach on Drops/Holds/NoCredit (less than 10%)

• Monitor enrollment reports; trigger outreach when certificate students drop, have holds, or require repeats due to withdrawal/no credit.
• Capture outcomes (continue, defer, exit) and coordinate registration plans or referrals as needed.

Certificate Completion Verification for Awarding (12%)

• Review certificate student records to verify credential requirements for completion prior to awarding.
• Prepare the awarding packet/checklist and pass to the Associate Registrar for official awarding; resolve minor discrepancies prior to handoff.
• Retain evidence and notes to support audit and student inquiries.

Evaluation Changes Initiation (less than 10%)

• Initiate and document certificate evaluation changes with policy/curriculum basis and evidence; route to Credentials Evaluator for approval and posting.

Representation and Advocacy in PaCE Governance (12%)

• Represent Registration and Records in PaCE discussions and operational work, ensuring requirements and perspectives are clearly understood and incorporated.
• Inform the Associate Registrar and/or Registrar when PaCE policies, practices, or procedures raise concerns from a Registration and Records or equity perspective; document issues and recommended remedies.
• Clarify roles and handoffs for communications, ensuring that studentfacing messages align with Registration and Records policy while facultyfacing communications remain the responsibility of PaCE staff.
• Advocate for PaCE certificate programs by identifying systemic and program-specific barriers and partnering with colleagues to develop and implement solutions.
• Serve as a cross-functional liaison with offices such as Student Accounts, Financial Aid, Curriculum, and others to address complex operational challenges (e.g., fees, transcript processing, enrollment logistics), using influence and relationship-building to develop and implement workable solutions.
• Contribute to and, as appropriate, lead problem-solving efforts by diagnosing root causes, developing alternative approaches, and advancing implementation of solutions that balance student experience, policy, and operational feasibility.
• Function as an active thought partner on the Certificates Team by contributing to the creation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of certificate programs, including developing strategies for unique or emerging program and student issues.
• Assess implications of proposed changes (operational, policy, equity, and student impact), and work with stakeholders to align approaches and support implementation.
• Work with colleagues to identify emerging issues and develop collaborative strategies to address them before they elevate.

Verification of Credentials to External Agencies (less than 10%)

• Serve as Evergreen's updater/administrator for external agency certificate/course listings (e.g., Workforce/training directories) tied to PaCE managed credentials and coursework.
• Submit, track, and confirm updates (titles, requirements, delivery, effective dates, contacts); maintain an archive of submissions and approvals.
• Monitor portal access/credentials; coordinate with agencies to resolve issues and ensure Evergreen listings remain current and accurate.
• Coordinate institutional assurances with the Registrar for signature/approval when required.

Agency Endorsement Coordination (less than 10%)

• Prepare documentation of institutional policies and practices for certificate endorsement/recognition; coordinate agency communications.
• Obtain Registrar approval/signature for official assurances; maintain archive and renewal ticklers.

Certificate Catalog Content (less than 10%)

• Review, author, and contribute certificate catalog content (requirements, sequencing, completion language) with Curriculum and units; route approvals to Registrar.
• Manage effective dates and crossreferences; ensure alignment with website and knowledge base.

Certificates Website Content (less than 10%)

• Coown certificate website content with PaCE site support; review, contribute, and sometimes author pages/updates; prompt PaCE to publish; and verify alignment with catalog and knowledge base.

Operational Delegation and Office Coverage (less than 10%)

• Serve as a delegate/backup to the Registrar or Associate Registrar for routine office management during vacancies or peak periods (e.g., lead brief huddles, triage escalations per decision trees, approve routine items within delegated authority, coordinate coverage).
• Maintain clear documentation of interim decisions and hand back authority cleanly at the end of coverage windows.

Equity, Access, and Continuous Improvement (less than 10%)

• Apply an equity lens in each functional area to identify and address barriers; monitor for disparate impact on students, alumni, or prospects and recommend corrective action.
• Contribute equity and accessibility notes to reports, proposals, and communications; elevate systemic concerns to the Associate Registrar and Registrar.
• Ensure that problem-solving and process improvements explicitly consider access, affordability, and equitable student outcomes.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Skill in certificate operations, enrollment management, and plainlanguage communication.
• Strong problem-solving and systems thinking skills with the ability to navigate and resolve complex, non-routine issues across functional areas.
• Representation and advocacy skills in crossunit settings; ability to elevate concerns appropriately.
• Skill in department coordination and documentation, catalog authorship/contribution for certificates, and web content coownership.
• Skill in equityminded analysis and continuous improvement.
• Ability to prioritize competing deadlines in a highvolume environment and proactively notify leadership when timesensitive, highrisk, or externallydriven items are pending or at risk.
• Ability to follow documented decision trees and escalation paths and seek early consultation for policy or precedent questions.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with FERPA and institutional data governance policies.
• Skill and ability to prioritize and sequence work effectively in a highvolume environment with multiple competing deadlines and communicate tradeoffs early.
• Skill in engaging colleagues across units in a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach to addressing operational and student experience challenges.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• Four years of experience in academic operations, continuing/professional education, or records.
• Experience with certificate endorsement, catalog systems, seatrestriction rules, and crossunit governance participation.
• Experience leading or contributing to cross-functional problem-solving and process improvement initiatives in a higher education setting.

Conditions of Employment

• Must provide proof of identity and employment eligibility within three days of beginning work.
• This position is part of a bargaining unit and covered by the Classified collective bargaining agreement.
• Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.
• Prior to an official offer of employment, a Declaration Regarding Sexual Misconduct form must be submitted to the college per RCW 28B.112.080. The college will contact current and past employers to verify this information. Applicants who provide inaccurate information in their declaration will be disqualified and, if the inaccuracies are discovered after the applicant has been hired, it shall be grounds for termination.

Posting Detail Information

• Posting Number: S2026-023
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Open Date: 08/05/2026
• Close Date: 08/25/2026