Student Programs Operations Specialist

Tacoma Public Schools (WA); Rockville (RI); On-site; USD 53,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Tacoma Public Schools is seeking an Operations Support role to assist the Executive Director of Student Programs. This position gathers information, analyzes it for operational decisions, and coordinates cross‑functional work across departments and partners.

Responsibilities include maintaining processes, tracking systems, and supporting program priorities and reporting. The role emphasizes collaboration, compliance, and efficient service delivery to students and communities.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or two-year vocational certificate in business administration, public administration, education, human services, or related field.
• Progressively responsible experience in program support, administrative operations, project or process support, or related field.
• Experience in a public education, government, human services, or other highly regulated environment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Gathers, reviews, and analyzes information to support operational decisions.
• Monitors deadlines and follows up with staff to ensure timely follow‑through.
• Develops and maintains procedures, workflows, and tracking systems for assigned programs.
• Collaborates across Student Programs, District departments, schools, and community partners.

Skills

Operations knowledge

Data collection

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Associate’s degree or two-year certificate

Tools

Database

Spreadsheet

Word processing

Job description

Tacoma Public Schools

Expected Start Date: A s soon as possible

FTE: 1.0

Hours per Day: 8

Salary Range: PT6 $38.36 - $54.08 per hour DOE

Work Year: Professional Technical; 12-month; 260 days

Benefits:

This job has the full range of benefits offered by Tacoma Public Schools

Additional Information:

Salary placement is based on "LIKE" work experience.

SUMMARY

This position provides operational support to the Executive Director of Student Programs across assigned programs and departmental functions. Serving as a primary operational resource, the position gathers, reviews, and analyzes information; monitors priorities, commitments, and follow-through; identifies operational issues requiring attention; and develops and improves processes that support effective, consistent, and compliant operations.

The position works collaboratively across Student Programs, District departments, schools, and with community partners, vendors, and other stakeholders to address operational needs and support departmental initiatives. Responsibilities include assigned program functions, reporting and compliance requirements, fiscal and procurement activities, process improvement, implementation of department priorities, and other operational responsibilities in support of Student Programs.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Serves as a primary operational resource to the Executive Director of Student Programs by supporting assigned activities involving Student Programs, District departments, schools, and other stakeholders; gathers information, tracks activities and outstanding items, and supports timely follow-through on department priorities.2
2. Gathers, reviews, and analyzes information related to assigned operational matters; identifies issues, barriers, or matters requiring additional attention and provides relevant information and potential options to the Executive Director and other appropriate staff to support problem resolution and decision‑making.
3. Monitors assigned priorities, decisions, commitments, deadlines, and action items; follows up with responsible staff regarding outstanding activities and brings delays, concerns, or unresolved matters to the attention of appropriate leadership.
4. Supports operational projects and initiatives involving multiple Student Programs areas and/or District departments by maintaining timelines, tracking activities and deliverables, facilitating communication, monitoring progress, and supporting follow‑through.
5. Serves as an operational resource between the Executive Director’s office, Student Programs leadership, District departments, schools, vendors, community organizations, and other stakeholders on assigned matters; facilitates the exchange of information and supports timely response and follow‑through.
6. Reviews recurring operational practices and workflows to identify gaps, duplication, inefficiencies, or other areas for improvement; recommends process improvements and supports implementation of approved changes.
7. Develops, documents, maintains, and updates operational procedures, workflows, process maps, tracking systems, continuity resources, and other tools for assigned Student Programs functions; recommends updates based on operational needs and established requirements.
8. Supports the implementation of new or revised District processes affecting Student Programs by assessing operational impacts, developing workflows and materials, communicating established requirements, tracking implementation activities, and addressing operational issues within assigned responsibilities.
9. Establishes and maintains tracking systems for assigned operational priorities, deadlines, commitments, outstanding actions, and reporting requirements; prepares summaries, reports, and other information to support department operations and decision‑making.
10. Monitors assigned fiscal, procurement, contractual, and operational activities; identifies discrepancies, outstanding actions, or compliance concerns and works with program staff and appropriate District departments to support timely resolution.
11. Maintains department‑level tracking and follow‑through for assigned contracts, memoranda of understanding, procurement actions, travel, reporting requirements, grants, and other operational commitments involving Student Programs.
12. Monitors assigned state, federal, District, and program reporting and compliance activities; identifies incomplete or outstanding requirements, follows up with appropriate staff, and brings significant concerns to the attention of appropriate leadership.
13. Performs assigned McKinney‑Vento program functions, which may include student eligibility and enrollment processes, data collection and reporting, transportation arrangements, program records, community resources, and communication with schools and families; ensures assigned activities are completed in accordance with applicable requirements and established District procedures.
14. Develops and maintains collaborative working relationships with Student Programs staff, schools, District departments, families, community agencies, and other stakeholders to support effective delivery of services and resolution of operational issues.
15. Provides technical assistance, information, and training related to assigned Student Programs operational processes, systems, procedures, and program requirements.

OTHER JOB DUTIES

1. Maintains and updates knowledge and skills necessary for success in the position by participating in meetings, professional development, workshops, webinars, and other activities as assigned.
2. Provides operational support and continuity for critical Student Programs functions during periods of transition, peak workload, or staff absence, as assigned.
3. Performs related duties as assigned, on a temporary basis.
4. Regular, reliable, predictable attendance or physical presence is an essential job requirement and critical to the performance of the work.

CONDITIONS

Office environment; experiences frequent interruptions and prolonged visual concentration and exposure to video display; may be required to manage multiple priorities and inflexible deadlines; regularly handles sensitive and confidential information; may be required to work with and defuse difficult or sensitive situations; may be required to lift and carry up to 20 pounds and to bend, squat, stoop, kneel, crouch, walk, twist, climb, and/or be mobile.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

Associate’s degree or two-year vocational certificate in business administration, public administration, education, human services, or a related field and progressively responsible experience in program support, administrative operations, project or process support, or a related field, including experience performing work involving multiple programs, departments, or stakeholders; or any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work.

Experience in a public education, government, human services, or other highly regulated environment preferred.

Licenses/Special Requirements

Washington State driver’s license with access to personal transportation, as required for assigned responsibilities.

Fingerprints and successful WSP and FBI background clearance/sexual misconduct clearance.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of principles and practices related to program operations, administrative systems, workflow management, and process improvement.

Knowledge of methods and practices for supporting projects, processes, timelines, and deliverables.

Knowledge of data collection, reporting, recordkeeping, and compliance processes.

Knowledge of basic fiscal, purchasing, procurement, contract, and budget-related processes.

Knowledge of student support programs and applicable state and federal program requirements, as assigned.

Knowledge of McKinney‑Vento requirements and services, as applicable to assigned responsibilities.

Skill in gathering, reviewing, analyzing, organizing, and presenting information to support operational activities and decision‑making.

Skill in identifying operational issues and opportunities for improvement and developing appropriate recommendations within assigned responsibilities.

Skill in tracking multiple projects, processes, deadlines, commitments, and deliverables.

Skill in developing, documenting, maintaining, and improving procedures, workflows, tracking systems, and other operational tools.

Skill in preparing accurate reports, summaries, records, and other operational materials.

Skill in using database, spreadsheet, word‑processing, and other applicable technology systems.

Skill in obtaining, clarifying, organizing, and exchanging information.

Skill in handling sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and sound judgment.

Ability to exercise judgment within established procedures and assigned responsibilities and recognize when matters should be elevated to appropriate leadership.

Ability to anticipate deadlines, follow‑up needs, competing priorities, and potential operational barriers.

Ability to organize, prioritize, and monitor multiple activities simultaneously.

Ability to work independently within established procedures and maintain accountability for assigned work.

Ability to collaborate effectively across programs, departments, schools, and external organizations.

Ability to communicate effectively with administrators, staff, families, community organizations, vendors, and other stakeholders.

Ability to maintain accurate records and meet established deadlines and reporting requirements.

Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people in a multicultural, diverse socioeconomic setting.

Ability to demonstrate reasonable, reliable, and regular attendance.