Program Specialist 2 - BEdA

Tacoma Community College; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 46,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Tacoma Community College (TCC) is seeking a Front Desk/Office Support role within the Basic Education for Adults (BEdA) team. This position assists with student services, coordinates appointments, and supports navigators and the Associate Dean to ensure smooth operations for Adult Basic Education and English Language Acquisition programs.

Responsibilities include welcoming visitors, handling inquiries, scheduling, coordinating with various departments, and assisting with events.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree required or equivalent experience.
• Two years of front-facing customer assistance experience.
• Experience with Microsoft Office products including Outlook, SharePoint, PowerPoint, and Bookings.

Responsibilities

• Welcome and support visitors from diverse populations, with translation tools as needed.
• Respond to inquiries for program information and initiate paperwork; verify eligibility.
• Ensure inquiries are answered within two business days; provide outstanding service.
• Collaborate with front desk staff to complete daily office tasks and reminders.
• Schedule advising appointments and assist navigators with day-to-day tasks.
• Coordinate with navigators and the Associate Dean to resolve student concerns.
• Work with partner departments to ensure timely, high-quality services for students.
• Coordinate laptop checkout with evening proctor and front desk staff.
• Disseminate schedules and attendance for events, tests, orientations, and visits.
• Book spaces for orientations, workshops, and meetings; assist during events.
• Maintain stock of flyers, handouts, and common materials; manage office supplies.

Skills

Customer service experience

Communication skills

Education

Associate’s degree from an accredited college

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with nearby mountain ranges and Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is surrounded by outdoor recreational opportunities such as hiking, boating and camping. Tacoma, Washington has been ranked as one of the most livable cities in the country, due to the increasing career opportunities, cultural diversity and community engagement, just to name a few. Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at a great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-bewing of our community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses. In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution.

We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African-American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

• Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
• Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
• Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
• Care deeply about student success
• Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Honor TCC’s mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Reflect the diversity of our community

Position Overview

Tacoma Community College is part of and serves a diverse urban community that includes growing racial, ethnic, and immigrant populations. Our college embraces and celebrates the richness of our diverse community and is committed to building and supporting a faculty, staff, and student body that is representative of the community in which we serve. The college strongly encourages applications from candidates who recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community.

As a member of the Basic Education for Adults (BEdA) team, this position helps to support and coordinate academic services for students eligible for the Adult Basic Education and English Language Acquisition programs. It works closely with front desk work-study staff, the Data Specialist, Navigators, and Associate Dean to provide quality support around processes and procedures for all BEdA students. This position reports to the Associate Dean of Basic Education for Adults.

• Proactively welcome and support visitors from diverse populations by providing accurate and timely information using translation tools when needed.
• Respond to electronic, phone, and in-person requests for specific program information and initiate paperwork when necessary, including verifying eligibility for program participants with an emphasis on providing outstanding customer service and problem solving.
• Ensure outgoing program phone and email messages are current and accurate and that all telephone and email inquiries are responded to within two business days.
• Collaborate with work-study front desk staff to complete daily office tasks like sending appointment reminders to students, preparing orientation and workshop booklets, etc.
• Schedule advising appointments.
• Support navigators with day-to-day tasks and communications with students including sending out workshop, orientation, and appointment reminders.
• Coordinate with navigators and the Associate Dean to resolve student concerns by identifying the issues, determining the procedural steps necessary to bring resolution, working with program staff to implement the resolution, and communicating the results to the appropriate stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with partner departments such as Advising, Access Services, Enrollment Services, and Outreach and Recruitment to ensure students receive high quality, appropriate services in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with the evening proctor and front desk staff to facilitate the laptop checkout program.
• Work with BEdA staff, partner departments, and external stakeholders to coordinate and disseminate the schedules and staff attendance for special events, testing, orientations, workshops, and class visits.
• Book spaces on campus for orientations, workshops, weekly team meetings, and enrollment classroom visits.
• Provide support during orientations and workshops by checking students in and assisting with student log-in support.
• Proctor student CASAS testing and writing samples.
• Keep front desk stocked with flyers, handouts, and other common materials (all available in SharePoint).
• Check office supplies and keep track of general numbers of important items (pens, stickies, batteries, etc.) Place office supply orders as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned

Education to Experience Equivalences

Associate’s Degree = 2 years | Bachelor’s Degree = 4 years | Master’s Degree = 6 years

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate’s degree from an accredited college
• Two years of experience providing front-facing customer assistance regarding inquiries, complaints, problem solving, and coordinating office processes.
• OR equivalent education and/or experience.
• Experience with Microsoft Office products, including Outlook, SharePoint, PowerPoint, and Bookings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education, specifically Adult Basic Education, English Language Acquisition, and Developmental Education programs
• Experience working with and providing services to underrepresented populations.

The successful candidate must demonstrate

• A commitment to cultural diversity and awareness in the workplace
• Ethics, integrity, and sound professional judgement
• The ability to maintain confidentiality around student information and abide by FERPA regulations
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Robust problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Tact and diplomacy in responding to difficult, stressful, or sensitive interpersonal situations in ways that reduce or minimize potential conflict and maintain good working relationships among internal and external customers.
• The ability to actively prioritize and multi-task

Conditions of Employment

• The finalist for this position will be subject to a criminal background check prior to the start of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily prevent employment, but will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by HR staff.
• Tacoma Community College has no responsibility or obligation to sponsor an H-1B visa. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, proof of authorization to work in the United States will be required at the time of hire.

Terms of Employment

This is a full-time classified position scheduled to work Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. The salary range for this position is $45,924 - $61,332, with most candidates starting at $45,924 depending on qualifications. During the summer months, Tacoma Community College operates on a Monday through Thursday schedule. Flexibility in scheduling is required to meet the department’s needs. Tacoma Community College offers a comprehensive health care benefits package for you and your dependents includes medical, dental and vision insurance. Life and long-term disability insurance plans; vacation, sick and personal leave; reduced tuition for the employee; and retirement benefits are also provided. A collective bargaining agreement exists and membership in the Washington Federation of State Employees or payment of a membership fee is available anytime upon employment. The layoff unit for this position is "All Other WFSE Classified". Degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and verified by National Student Clearinghouse. International degrees will be verified for U.S. equivalency.

Tacoma Community College values diversity and is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator. Tacoma Community College provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, creed, religion, or status as a veteran of war. Prohibited sex discrimination includes sexual harassment (unwelcome sexual conduct of various types). Provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students, employees, and applicants with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Rehabilitation Act. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Stephen Smith, Title VII and Title IX, Building 14, 253-566-5055; Kathryn Held, Section 504 Officer, Student Affairs Administration Office at 253-566-5115. This recruitment announcement does not reflect the entire job description and can be changed and or modified without notice.

Tacoma Community College Human Resources 6501 S 19th St Bldg. 14, Tacoma WA 98466 www.tacomacc.edu/about/employment