Program Manager

Odegaard Writing and Research Center (OWRC) has an outstanding opportunity for Program Operations Specialist - OWRC Program Manager to join their team.

About this Opportunity

The Odegaard Writing and Research Center (OWRC) seeks a detail-oriented, collaborative Program Manager to manage daily operations for the largest writing center on the UW-Seattle campus. The OWRC's mission is to support the long-term development of writers and researchers across UW—undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff—through high-quality, conversation-based peer learning. Reporting to the Director of the OWRC, the Program Manager manages the Center's daily operations, supervises and trains OWRC's student staff, and coordinates hiring, ongoing programs, and assessment efforts that support the Center's mission. This role plays a key part in ensuring daily operations and assisting the Director in expanding OWRC services to the UW community and beyond.

This is an in-person position (M-F, 9am-5:30pm) in a shared office environment within the UW Odegaard Undergraduate Library. This position is eligible for hybrid work during interim breaks between academic quarters or other conditions, if applicable.

Key Responsibilities

Supervising daily center operations (30%)

• Supervises day-to-day activities, including tutoring sessions, workshops, and the needs of tutors and student assistants.
• Oversees writing appointment and workshop scheduling procedures and ensures on-going accuracy and adjustments.
• Available within working hours for tutor and writer questions and concerns.
• Oversees effective management of the OWRC email account and physical space during working hours.
• Manages inventory of office supplies and equipment needs; completes monthly purchasing of supplies; oversees the departmental office machines, including troubleshooting and requesting IT service.
• Manages student employee HR functions, including: submitting quarterly payroll roster; preparing, distributing and filing quarterly contracts; tracking hours; processing payments (timesheets); approving time-off requests.
• Supports marketing and outreach for OWRC, including updating informational materials relating to OWRC services and maintaining website accuracy; ensures content is current and up to date.
• Assists with developing and maintaining internal office policies and procedures and outward facing policies for writers and researchers; files data and documentation as required by UW policies
• Helps develop a professional, collegial environment within the Center by advising student staff.
• Flexibly takes on other tasks and general administrative duties vital to the work of the OWRC, as requested and available.

Supervising and training staff (25%)

• Supervises and manages all OWRC student employees throughout the year and enforces OWRC policies and procedures.
• Oversees effective internal communications such as newsletters, timesheet reminders, staff meeting reminders, and announcements.
• Serves as the Program Assistant's primary supervisor, training and supporting them in carrying out administrative and scheduling responsibilities.
• Manages the Peer Mentor Lead team; leads bi-weekly Peer Mentor Lead meetings, preparing them to supervise student employees and supporting their growth as effective mentors.
• Manages the Student Admin Team with support from OWRC’s Program Assistant; ensures team members are trained and engaged in ongoing projects.
• Collaborates with the Program Assistant to facilitate weekly Student Admin Team meetings; supports the team’s professional development.
• Supports tutors during scheduled shifts and in New Tutor Orientation; coordinates the annual tutor observation program.
• Supports All-Staff Training & Development:
• Co-leads all-staff meetings in coordination with the Director — a space for both training and community-building — including sending reminders, taking attendance, and contributing to and co-leading the agenda.
• Provides operational professional development for student employees, including training on OWRC systems, online appointment tools, and center-specific procedures.

Coordinating ongoing programs (20%)

• Oversees and develops the quarterly Week 7 Workshop program, an internal professional development series for tutors and student assistants.
• Oversees and develops the external tutor-led workshops for writers.
• Coordinates the scheduling and logistics of class visits in which tutors and student assistants lead visits to external classrooms.
• Coordinates event planning across these programs, including room reservation logistics, outreach coordination, and assessment.
• Supports additional ongoing programs, including the Graduate Writers' Social Hour and the Dissertation Writing Intensive.

Assisting with hiring new staff (10%)

• Assists Director with hiring new team members.
• Reads and ranks applications.
• Conducts in-person interviews.
• Assists the Director with making final hiring decisions.
• Coordinates the full administrative cycle of student hiring searches (posting positions, managing applications, scheduling interviews, and supporting onboarding)
• Submits and tracks Workday business processes as a departmental I-9 Coordinator.
• Assisting the Director with assessment (10%)
• Assists Director with collecting writing center data.
• Tracks writing center appointments and tutor-led workshop data; compiles quarterly quantitative reports on data.
• Works with Director to create assessment materials.
• Assists with analyzing assessment data.
• Works with the Director to interpret data to inform programming and staffing decisions.
• Representing OWRC on campus-wide collaborative groups on tutoring (5%)
• Working with the Director, establish and maintain collaborative relationships with departments, programs, and offices at the university to support writers across campus.

Required Qualifications:

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in relevant discipline or field.
• Minimum 1 year of experience in student services.
• Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager.

Additional Qualifications

• Oral and written communication skills and proven ability to relate well in a positive, professional manner with a wide variety of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and students; ability to communicate procedures and policies clearly and accurately.
• Ability in performing detailed operational work -- often with competing demands, thinking critically, and exercising independent judgment with minimal supervision.
• Experience supervising or managing staff, including delegating responsibilities, training team members, and providing performance feedback.
• Experience tutoring, coaching, or mentoring others. Desired qualifications
• Experience managing a program or center; advanced operational knowledge of student- facing programs and center management.
• Comfortable working in an open, interactive workspace that is fast-paced and task- oriented, which may include higher levels of noise and visual distraction.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), SharePoint, Zoom, Google G Suite (Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides), and other databases.
• Familiarity with (or ability to quickly learn) University of Washington policies, procedures and financial systems related to human resources.
• Ability to prioritize and work under pressure in a high-volume academic setting while maintaining confidentiality.
• Commitment to contributing to an inclusive work environment.

Application Requirements
This recruitment requires a cover letter (1200 words max). Applications that do not include a cover letter will not be forwarded to the hiring department.
Please address the following in your cover letter:

• First, explain how your education and working experience — including any experience supervising, coaching, or mentoring others — make you an idea candidate for this position.
• Second, describe your approach to supporting an environment where everyone can
  thrive, and how this approach would inform your work with students at the
  University of Washington and our student employees who support them.