Program Specialist 3 - Teaching, Learning, And School Improvement

WASHINGTON MANAGEMENT SERVICE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Program Specialist 3 - Teaching, Learning and School Improvement

Attention: INTERNAL ONLY: This position is open to current OSPI employees only

$59,760 - $80,496 annually

Closes November 06,2026

The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seeks to fill Title. This full-time position is based in Olympia, Washington. This position may be eligible for partial to near full-time telework. Telework is a combination of in-building and off-site days. After completing training, employees may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule that includes partial telework. This position requires regular on-site work at least 3 days a week and is not eligible for full-time telework. During the initial training period, successful candidates will be required to work in the office five days a week. We encourage interested candidates to visit the OSPI website to gain insight into our agency.

About OSPI and our initiatives OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K–12 education in Washington state. Working with the state's 295 public school districts and 7 state-tribal education compact schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education.

At OSPI, we recognize that our employees are the key to the success of the agency. We are committed to our work but value the balance with our personal lives. We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth and values them for their expertise. OSPI is a great place to work and has several initiatives to help create a great working environment, including:

• We support a healthy work/life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules and mobile and telework options. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We have an Infant at Work Program that is based on long-term values of newborns and infant-parent bonding. Eligible employees who are new parents or legal guardians can bring their infant (six weeks to six months) when returning to work. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We value and are actively involved in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within OSPI by way of cross-divisional, collaborative committee. The focus of the committee includes employee engagement and education; reinforcing OSPI values; and maximizing the value of diversity and identifying strategies for inclusion.

Vision, Mission, and Values Vision: All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.

Mission: Transform K-12 education to a system that is centered on closing opportunity gaps and is characterized by high expectations for all students and educators. We achieve this by developing equity-based policies and supports that empower educators, families, and communities.

Values: Ensuring Equity, Collaboration and Service, Achieving Excellence through Continuous Improvement, Focus on the Whole Child

Equity Each student, family, and community possesses strengths and cultural knowledge that benefits their peers, educators, and schools. Ensuring educational equity:

• Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine the ways current policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color, students living in poverty, students receiving special education and English Learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and highly mobile student populations.
• Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts; engage students, families, and community representatives as partners in decision-making; and actively dismantle systemic barriers, replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools.

Position Overview The Program Specialist Supervisor leads and supervises the Program Specialist team and manages day-to-day Program Specialist operations within the Professional Certification Office. Reporting to the Director of Professional Certification, the position exercises independent judgment and delegated decision-making authority to oversee service delivery, staffing and workload, customer service, workflows, process improvement, performance, and assigned fiscal and administrative activities. The supervisor works collaboratively with the Director to plan for operational needs, align Program Specialist services with broader office and cross-team priorities, and identify opportunities for improvement, while independently managing routine operations within delegated authority and elevating matters involving significant risk, broader policy or strategic decisions, or impacts beyond Program Specialist operations. The position ensures staff have the guidance, training, tools, and procedures needed to provide consistent, responsive, and equitable certification services.

Key Responsibilities Program Leadership, Staff Supervision, and Workforce Development Tasks include:

• Provide direct supervision, coaching, mentoring, performance management, and support to Program Specialist 2 staff, including regular one-on-one and team meetings and annual performance evaluations. Establish clear performance expectations and provide timely feedback, coaching, recognition, and accountability to support employee and team success.
• Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive training and ongoing professional development approach for all Program Specialist staff, including onboarding, WAC and policy training, certification requirements, technical training, cross-training, skill development, knowledge sharing, and continued professional growth.
• Regularly assess individual and team training needs and ensure Program Specialist staff maintain current knowledge of applicable WAC, laws, certification policies, procedures, and requirements necessary to provide accurate and consistent technical assistance.
• Regularly assess individual and team training needs and ensure staff maintain the knowledge and skills necessary to provide accurate, consistent, and responsive certification services.
• Assign, prioritize, schedule, and monitor staff work; approve leave and recommend corrective or disciplinary action as appropriate and in accordance with agency requirements and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
• Assess staffing capacity, coverage, workload, training needs, and resource needs and make adjustments within delegated authority or recommendations to the Director when additional resources or broader decisions are needed.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, equitable, and customer-focused team culture that values communication, knowledge sharing, and partnership across benches, ensuring Program Specialist staff understand how their work connects to and supports the broader work of the Professional Certification Office.
• Maintain effective communication with the Director regarding significant staffing, performance, operational, or organizational matters requiring leadership awareness or action.

Program Operations and Service Delivery Tasks include:

• Direct and oversee daily Program Specialist operations, including workload distribution, shared inboxes, phone queues, customer inquiries, staffing coverage, and service performance.
• Exercise delegated decision-making authority for day-to-day Program Specialist operations, making independent decisions within established laws, rules, policies, procedures, service standards, office priorities, and delegated parameters.
• Determine operational priorities and adjust staff coverage, workload distribution, schedules, assignments, and available resources to maintain service levels and respond to changing demands.
• Monitor email volumes, phone queues, call-backs, correspondence, workload, service metrics, and customer feedback to identify trends, emerging needs, and service gaps and ensure timely, accurate, equitable, and consistent responses.
• Actively support customer service queues, including email and phone services, during peak periods, staffing shortages, or significant increases in customer demand to maintain or restore service levels.
• When email, phone, call-back, or other service volumes exceed Program Specialist capacity or established service levels, develop and coordinate a response plan in collaboration with the Director, including mobilizing appropriate cross-team support, prioritizing work, adjusting resources, and monitoring progress until service levels stabilize.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex customer concerns and provide technical assistance on certification requirements, policies, procedures, and service expectations; independently resolve matters within delegated authority and elevate significant-risk, broader-policy, or office-wide issues as appropriate.
• Plan for peak seasons, vacancies, absences, legislative or policy changes, and other anticipated workload surges; develop proactive strategies for coverage, backlog prevention and reduction, and continuity of service.
• Coordinate with other Professional Certification teams when operational decisions, workload needs, or service issues affect shared processes, customers, or cross-team responsibilities.
• Coordinate with staff responsible for website, newsletter, and customer communications to ensure certification updates, changes, deadlines, service information, outreach campaigns, and emerging customer needs are communicated accurately and timely across appropriate channels.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex customer concerns and technical questions requiring interpretation and application of WAC, laws, certification policies, requirements, and procedures; provide guidance to Program Specialist staff and customers and elevate matters requiring broader policy interpretation or leadership determination.
• Perform Program Specialist duties when needed to maintain continuity and service levels.

Process Improvement and Systems Development Tasks include:

• Evaluate, develop, implement, and maintain operational policies, procedures, workflows, service models, standard operating procedures, training resources, desk manuals, and knowledge-management tools for Program Specialist operations.
• Exercise delegated authority to make and implement Program Specialist operational process and workflow decisions within established certification requirements, policies, and office direction, including determining appropriate work methods, procedures, and service-delivery practices.
• Lead continuous improvement and implementation efforts that increase efficiency, consistency, accountability, equitable service, and customer service quality.
• Evaluate existing policies, procedures, processes, and operational practices; determine when improvements can be implemented within delegated authority; and develop recommendations for the Director when proposed changes have broader policy, fiscal, legal, compliance, strategic, or cross-office implications.
• Analyze workflows, operational data, service outcomes, and staff feedback to identify problems, clarify roles and responsibilities, streamline processes, and assess the effectiveness of implemented changes.
• Facilitate Program Specialist huddles and workgroups focused on workflow, problem-solving, training needs, knowledge sharing, process improvement, and operational effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain systems that promote consistent practices and reduce reliance on individual or informal knowledge.
• Facilitate ongoing cross-team collaboration between Program Specialists, Evaluators, and staff across benches to strengthen communication, shared understanding, coordination, and problem-solving; identify and address gaps in handoffs, workflows, and information sharing that affect service delivery.
• Monitor changes to WAC, laws, policies, certification requirements, and agency guidance; assess operational impacts and coordinate with the Director, Evaluators, and other impacted staff to support consistent interpretation, communication, training, and implementation for Program Specialists.

Data Analysis, Reporting, and Program Evaluation Tasks include:

• Establish and monitor performance measures, service standards, workload indicators, and operational goals for Program Specialist services.

• Develop and maintain reports, dashboards, and tracking tools for workload, productivity, response time, customer service, and backlogs.

• Establish and maintain methods for gathering and reviewing customer feedback, including recurring questions, concerns, service barriers, and opportunities to improve the customer experience.

• Regularly review operational performance with staff and use data to support transparency, shared understanding, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Analyze operational data together with customer and staff feedback to identify trends, service gaps, workload concerns, inequities, recurring issues, root causes, and opportunities for process and service improvement.

• Use findings to develop and implement process improvements, inform workload distribution, staffing, training, customer communication, and operational decisions, and make recommendations to the Director when broader changes are needed.

• Evaluate implemented changes using data and feedback to determine whether improvements achieved the intended results and identify when additional adjustments are needed.

• Keep the Director regularly informed of Program Specialist performance, customer feedback, emerging trends, service gaps, risks, and improvement efforts, including progress toward operational goals and areas requiring additional attention or leadership support.

• Provide concise reports, summaries, and recommendations regarding Program Specialist operations and performance to the Director as requested.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Tasks include:

• Build and maintain effective relationships with school districts, Educational Service Districts, educator preparation programs, professional organizations, agency partners, and other stakeholders that interact with Program Specialist services.
• Participate in assigned stakeholder meetings, trainings, conferences, workshops, and outreach activities.
• Serve as a liaison between the Program Specialist team and internal and external partners to support accurate information, consistent service delivery, effective coordination, and alignment across certification functions.
• Provide technical assistance and consultation regarding certification processes, requirements, procedures, and Program Specialist services within the scope of the position's expertise and authority.
• Identify recurring stakeholder questions, concerns, or service barriers and use that information to inform training, communications, procedures, and process improvements.
• Contribute to guidance documents, newsletters, webinars, presentations, website updates, and other communication and training materials.
• Elevate stakeholder matters to the Director when they involve significant risk, policy implications, strategic decisions, sensitive external relationships, or issues extending beyond Program Specialist operations.

Fiscal and Administrative Management Tasks include:

• Approve and coordinate refunds within delegated authority and ensure refunds are processed in accordance with established agency and state requirements.

• Monitor fiscal and administrative activities associated with Program Specialist operations and identify discrepancies, trends, risks, or issues requiring follow-up. Provide the Director with Program

• Specialist operational information, anticipated needs, workload trends, and other relevant information to support budget planning and resource decisions.

• Keep the Director informed of significant fiscal or administrative issues related to Program Specialist operations and elevate matters requiring additional fiscal authority, budget decisions, or agency approval.

• Supporting Human Resources activities (recruitments, personnel action requests, hiring requests, evaluation and expectations)

• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, education, human resources, social sciences, or a related field AND at least two (2) years of professional-level experience in a related program or service environment. Professional-level experience must include experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Explaining, interpreting, and applying policies, rules, regulations, laws, program requirements, or similar requirements for customers or stakeholders; Evaluating policies, procedures, processes, or program operations and developing recommendations for leaders or other decision-makers; and/or Providing technical assistance, consultation, guidance, or subject-matter expertise to internal or external stakeholders.

• At least one (1) year of experience serving in a lead or comparable leadership role that included responsibilities such as coordinating or assigning work, supporting or training colleagues, facilitating team activities, leading projects or initiatives, helping establish work priorities, or providing guidance to others.

• Experience working collaboratively as part of a team, including coordinating work across roles, sharing information and expertise, contributing to shared goals, problem-solving with others, and supporting effective working relationships.

• Equivalent education and/or professional experience may substitute for the degree requirement.

• Must reside in the state of Washington

• Must be able to work from OSPI’s Olympia, WA Office.

• Occasional travel may be required for meetings, trainings, conferences, presentations, or other work-related activities. Travel may include both local and statewide travel and may occasionally require overnight stays.

Desired Qualifications:

• Ability to interpret, explain, and consistently apply applicable WAC, RCW, certification policies, requirements, and procedures; provide clear technical guidance to staff, customers, and stakeholders; and identify matters requiring additional interpretation or leadership review.

• Knowledge of supervision, employee development, performance management, workforce planning, customer service, conflict resolution, program management, and continuous improvement.

• Ability to supervise, coach, develop, and hold employees accountable while fostering a collaborative, supportive, and customer-focused work environment.

• Ability to establish priorities, allocate resources, manage competing demands, and plan effectively for high-volume periods, staffing changes, and emerging operational needs.

• Ability to exercise sound independent judgment and make timely decisions within delegated authority, including recognizing when consultation with or escalation to the Director is appropriate.

• Ability to analyze operational data and customer feedback, identify trends, risks, and service gaps, and use findings to inform decisions, recommendations, and improvements.

• Ability to develop, implement, and evaluate procedures, workflows, service models, training resources, and operational improvements.

• Ability to facilitate collaboration and problem-solving within and across teams and benches, including navigating differing perspectives, clarifying roles and handoffs, and supporting shared goals.

• Ability to communicate effectively with staff, leadership, customers, and stakeholders and prepare clear reports, recommendations, presentations, guidance, and other written communications.

Compensation The annual compensation for the position is $59,760 - $80,496 per year and depends upon experience, educational background and qualifications. Geographic differentials may be applied based on work location of successful candidate. Washington State offers a generous benefit package including health, dental and life insurance, retirement and an optional deferred compensation program. Please visit Health Care Authority for information regarding health benefits and the Department of Retirement Systems for retirement plan information. This is a Washington Management Position. This position is not represented by a bargaining unit.

Application Process Those interested in this position must apply through Careers.wa.gov. Applications must include the following documents in MS Word or PDF format:

• A letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications listed in this announcement;
• A current résumé, and;
• A list of three or more professional references.

NOTE: Your resume and letter of interest must be attached to your application. Please confirm they are attached before you submit.

Please address any questions to: Sal Salazar, Human ResourcesOffice of Superintendent of Public Instruction 600 Washington Street Southeast Olympia, Washington 98504-7200 360-725-6278: [email protected]

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact the Human Resources Office at (360) 725-6270 or (360) 725-6066, or e-mail [email protected].

New Jobs Alert Service OSPI offers a subscription service, which regularly notifies subscribers of new OSPI employment opportunities on careers.wa.gov. Subscribers are notified via text or email alert. If you are interested in this service, then please subscribe at this location.

OSPI is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from job seekers who will contribute to our diversity. OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. If you would like, please include your name and gender pronouns in your application, to ensure we address you appropriately throughout the application process. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resource consultant listed in “Application Process.”