Program Specialist Lead — Teaching & School Improvement

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seeks a Program Specialist 3 in Olympia to lead the Professional Certification Office’s Program Specialist team. This full-time role blends on-site duties with telework opportunities, requiring regular in-office presence during training and peak periods.

The position emphasizes supervision, staff development, and process improvement to deliver equitable certification services, while collaborating with other offices and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, education, human resources, social sciences, or related field.
• At least two years of professional-level experience in a related program or service environment.
• Experience explaining, interpreting, and applying policies, rules or regulations for customers or stakeholders.
• At least one year in a lead or comparable leadership role coordinating or guiding others.
• Experience working collaboratively across teams to achieve shared goals.
• Must reside in the state of Washington and be able to work from OSPI’s Olympia office.
• Occasional travel may be required for meetings, trainings, or events.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct supervision, coaching, mentoring, and performance management for Program Specialist staff.
• Develop and maintain training and professional development for staff, including onboarding and policy training.
• Assess training needs and ensure staff stay current on WAC, laws, and certification requirements.
• Plan staffing, workload, and resource coverage to maintain service levels.
• Coordinate with cross-team colleagues to align workflows and improve service delivery.
• Monitor service metrics and customer feedback to identify trends and drive continuous improvement.
• Serve as escalation point for complex customer concerns and provide guidance on policies and procedures.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Training and development

Customer service

Data analysis

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, education, human resources, social sciences, or related field

Job description

State of Washington, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seeks a Program Specialist 3 in Olympia to lead the Professional Certification Office’s Program Specialist team. This full-time role blends on-site duties with telework opportunities, requiring regular in-office presence during training and peak periods.

The position emphasizes supervision, staff development, and process improvement to deliver equitable certification services, while collaborating with other offices and