Program Assistant

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INITIAL REVIEW DATE (IRD)

Application materials submitted by 11:59 pm on the IRD will be routed to the hiring unit for consideration. Materials submitted after the IRD will ONLY be forwarded at the request of the hiring unit. To ensure your application is routed for consideration, submit your materials before 11:59 p.m. on the IRD. Talent Acquisition cannot accept application materials outside of the jobs portal, and is unable to update submitted applications on an applicant's behalf, or forward communications to the hiring units. For more information about the IRD and the applicant review process, view this link.

The IRD for this job is: 09-09-2024

ABOUT UC SANTA CRUZ

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. It's known as an unconventional place where innovation and experimentation is part of the campus's DNA. That playful, bold spirit still thrives today, all on a campus renowned as among the most beautiful in the world.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Scout, from University of California, is an online education program that is available for middle and high school students, teachers, schools, and school districts. UC Scout offers A-G approved college preparatory and College Board-approved Advanced Placement courses online. UC Scout's mission is to provide high-quality A-G and AP curricula and courses for students in need, with an emphasis on advancing the academic success of California's educationally underserved students. UC Scout consists of roughly fifty full-time employees and another two dozen part-time employees. UC Scout is a branch of the UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Extension and the University of California. The UC Scout team is a remote team that holds occasional on-site meetings from its home location in Santa Clara, CA.

More information can be found here: https://www.ucscout.org/

JOB SUMMARY

The Program Assistant reports to the Customer Support Supervisor and works closely with the UC Scout support team. The incumbent assumes a full range of administrative duties that utilize full knowledge of the professional goals of Scout programs, subject matter, and audience characteristics. Administrative services performed include course set-up and student and teacher support, coordination of logistics, marketing, special needs, and general administration.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $28.47 - $34.20/hour. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
• Shift Includes: Day, Evenings, Weekend

Employee Classification: Career appointment

Job End Date: None

Work Location: Remote. Must live within the state of California or be willing to relocate to California.

Union Representation: CX Union

Job Code Classification: 004722 (BLANK AST 3)

Travel: Never or Rarely

JOB DUTIES

40% - Course set-up and student and teacher support

• Adds prebuilt classes to Scout's Student Information System (SIS). This requires programming classes in the SiS, which includes creating course code/name, adding course description, associating it with a term, adding relevant dates, and adding grade scale and credits.
• Processes course information and website content, and identifies, updates, and maintains promotional materials. Website maintenance includes proofreading, adding/deleting content, and updating UC Scout's policies to the website. Provides updates on current academic standards.
• Manually inputs course drops. This requires processing student enrollments and drops, transcript requests, extension requests, refund requests, and general technical support.
• Communicates with instructors regarding enrollments, course materials, and updates to courses. Responsible for forwarding and communicating relevant information to teachers, Teacher Supervisors, and Director, such as IEP and 504 plans, student medical needs/disabilities, and severe chronic illness (i.e. cancer; death in family/emergency). Documents this information via email and confidential record-keeping management.
• Tracks administrative fees with a tracking sheet.
• Generates contracts for BYA teachers and distributes them to the Teacher Supervisors to review for accuracy. Gathers enrollment and payment information using software reporting features.
• Receives and resolves heavy telephone and email inquiries, and if escalation is needed, directs to appropriate staff, including Customer Support Supervisor, teachers, Academic team, and/or Director. Provides program and course information to teachers, students, parents, counselors, principals, and other administrators. Provides general technical support for students and teachers.
• Submits proper documentation to accrediting bodies to meet California academic standards and main campus standards. These include NCAA, College Board, UCOP (A-G), and SAPEP. which are submitted annually, and WASC, which is submitted every five years.
  Responsible for proactively collecting information and submitting information before deadlines.
• If IT system goes down, shares malfunction details with IT team and outside vendor. Communicates where issues might exist with Jenzebar representatives.

40% - Coordination of Logistics, Marketing and Special Needs

• Applies an overall working knowledge of Scout programs. Updates and creates Confluence (wiki-like-software) to capture procedures and best practices.
• Organizes meetings, projects, and special events, such as the AP exam for College Board held on-site in May. Handles the coordination of administrative arrangements (including logistics and marketing) for special programs and courses, meetings, conferences, and symposia, as requested.
• Attends and provides administrative support for public events, conferences, and on-site school visits; delivers and displays promotional materials, brochures, catalogs, and event supplies at public events.
• Prepares equipment, technical support, and work order requests.
• Sends materials/swag to teachers for events as needed.
• Processes vendor purchase orders. Follows up on past due invoices, processes payments and checks in the Student Info System (SiS), maintains vendor policies, communicates with school vendors closely regarding student enrollments/drops, and provides potential refunds for courses purchased.
• Performs various marketing tasks to publicize programs including telemarketing, distributing announcements, addressing/mailing brochures, and updating website. Provides website messaging when there are website errors or downtime.

20% - General Administration

• Provides general administrative support for all programs as necessary.
• Responsible for day-to-day logistical and administrative support of Scout projects and tasks, including answering program inquiries via phone, email or inperson meetings, and directing students to appropriate personnel for assistance.
• Troubleshoots student, instructor, and administrator problems, and oversees requests for services, escalating to second-level complaint staff/supervisor as needed.
• Works with IT, classroom team and vendors to troubleshoot and identify errors between the SiS and LMS, resolving glitches that prohibit students and teachers from accessing their courses.
• Prepares routine correspondence with instructors and students. Uses templates when appropriate, or individualized correspondence as needed.
• Responsible for accuracy, completeness, and end product of work. Checks the work of other Blank Assistants.
• Processes transcript requests for students.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalent experience.
• Ability to adapt to constantly shifting priorities, while managing strict and sometimes competing deadlines and unexpected urgent situations.
• Strong customer service skills internally and externally.
• Demonstrated effective written communication skills.
• Demonstrated effective verbal communication skills and active listening skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills demonstrated by an ability to interact effectively with students, staff, instructors, the general public, and the department, and an ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with vendors.
• Demonstrated attention to detail.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Ability to maintain composure with difficult customers.
• Ability to work collaboratively on a remote team, with minimal direction in a high-volume department with frequent interruptions.
• Strong level of computer skills with proficiency in G Suite or equivalent software, and teamwork tools (e.g., Google Chat).
• Multi-tasking and time management skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience and / or training.
• Professional experience with educationally disadvantaged populations in an educational context.
• Experience in, or knowledge of, the field of K-12 Online Education.
• Demonstrated commitment to issues of Social Justice. Knowledge of current pedagogical and instructional methodology best practices.
• Fluency in a Language Other Than English (LOTE) that is commonly spoken in California.
• Familiarity with the organization's processes, protocols, and procedures.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Selected candidate will be required to pass a pre-employment criminal history background check.
• Must live within the state of California or be willing to relocate to California.
• This is a fully remote position, and the selected candidate must be able to work successfully from a home/remote office and be able to fulfill the requirements of the UCSC telecommuting agreement.
• Ability to work long periods of time at a computer with or without accommodation.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as directed.
• Ability to work overtime including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays to meet operational needs, and work an alternate work schedule shift as required.
• Selected candidate will be required to complete training within established time frames as directed including UC compliance training.
• Ability to maintain appearance and conduct suitable for working in a professional setting.
• The University of California has implemented a Vaccination Policy covering all employees. Employees, including new hires, are required to comply with any applicable policies relating to the University of California vaccine program.
• Per the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), this position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter. The selected candidate will be required to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect as defined by CANRA and will be required to sign a Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse prior to commencing employment. CANRA Penal Codes, and related definitions, requirements, and responsibilities may be obtained here.

SAFETY STATEMENT

All UCSC employees must understand and follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, proactively promote safety at work, and promptly report actual and potential accidents and injuries.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the Clery Act), the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASFSR) is available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hUBiz3WS3zErEGOhSOu7KZZPzGkTwr_2/view?usp=sharing. This report is published by October 1st of each year and includes current institutional policies and procedures concerning campus safety and security; fire safety and evacuation policies; sexual misconduct and relationship violence reporting and response protocols; and crime and fire statistics for the three previous calendar years. A paper copy of the ASFSR is available upon request by contacting the UCSC Police Department at 114 Carriage House Rd., Santa Cruz, CA 95064, or by calling 831-459-2231 Ext. 1.

EEO/AA

The University of California is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees.

For the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010393/PPSM-20

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination