Program Operations Specialist

The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences within the UW School of Medicine currently has an outstanding opportunity for a Program Operations Specialist to join their team. 

About this Opportunity

Reporting to Brit Bele Exworthy, the Program Operations Specialist is responsible for ensuring the Center’s instructional products related to workforce development and family programs are accessible and work efficiently, which supports external partnering organizations, clinicians, and caregivers in the successful execution of evidence-based therapeutic interventions (for 1500+ trainees annually). 

This position is located at the Patricia Steel building, within Harborview Medical Center, and is hybrid eligible.

Key Responsibilities 

Digital Documents & Media Artifacts (45%)

• Remediate various document formats to prepare for accessible distribution (handouts, slides, guidebooks, etc.).
• Create accessible digital media artifacts (basic audio & video clips, simple graphics, short form informational videos, etc.), including the development of alternative text, visual transcripts, and captions.
• Provide solutions for accessibility challenges related to digital documents and media artifacts.

Digital Training Environment (45%)

• Provide technical oversight within the learning management system to support the development and maintenance of course infrastructures for CBTp and Psychosis REACH trainings.
• Track and report CBTp and Psychosis REACH enrollments, LMS costs, & course data summaries.
• Ensure training products within the learning management system (Canvas) and other relevant applications (YouTube, One Drive, Google, Zoom) comply with digital accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.2 AA & PDF/UA).
• Conduct accessibility and user experience audits within the learning management system and other relevant applications and report on findings.
• Provide sustainable solutions for accessibility challenges within the digital training environment.
• Work with the SPIRIT Center Director of Operations, PI, and customers to review contract language to ensure compliance with LMS requirements and instructional processes.
   

Administrative Support (10%)

• In collaboration with SPIRIT Center staff, create and post content to Blue Sky and the center website, the primary locations where research and updates related to Center trainings are disseminated.
• Support communications related to Center trainings (e.g., periodic newsletter).

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 Communications, Education, Digital Design, Graphic Design, Computer Science, Instructional Design, Disability Studies or other relevant field, AND a minimum of one year of experience working with a learning management system (Canvas preferred) and reviewing and remediating digital documents for accessibility.

• Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager. 

Additional Qualifications 

• Advanced fluency using Microsoft 365 tools (Suite, One Drive) and web conferencing software (Zoom, Teams); experience with Canvas preferred, although willing to provide training to the right candidate.

• Advanced fluency in Adobe Acrobat Pro.

• Intermediate fluency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

• Understanding of the principles and best practices used for creating accessible digital content.

• Knowledge and awareness of how persons with disabilities may navigate and access digital content, including digital environments, electronic documents, and mobile apps, and ability to identify access barriers.

• Familiarity with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and PDF/UA guidance.

• Familiarity with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Principles.

• Knowledge of Google Suite, Microsoft Immersive Reader, YouTube, and Blue Sky.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain cooperative and professional working relationships.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently with sound judgment, exercising discretion and strategic communication when navigating decision points.

• Strong critical thinking and strategic planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and balance competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to translate accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) into practical, usable digital experiences for diverse audiences.

• Curiosity and openness to lived experience perspectives, particularly from people with disabilities.

• Ability to translate complex technical or accessibility requirements into clear, actionable guidance for non-technical stakeholders.

• Comfort advising leadership and partners on tradeoffs, risks, and priorities related to digital communications and accessibility.

• Strong systems thinking with the ability to anticipate downstream impacts of content, platform, and design decisions.

• Ability to manage multiple workflows and deadlines with good attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Knowledge of commonly used third-party and native assistive technologies on desktop and mobile platforms.

• Intermediate skillset in video & audio production (basic editing and recording in Adobe Premiere Pro or Biteable) or a willingness to learn.

• Adept at creating accessible multimedia materials for online learning platforms (e.g., Canvas).

• Globally recognized certification(s) in digital accessibility. Examples include IAAP’s Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies and Accessible Document Specialist (ADS) certifications; and Freedom Scientific JAWS and ZoomText certifications.

About the Team 

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences within the UW School of Medicine is the third largest clinical department within the School of Medicine with 330 full-time faculty members, 460 courtesy faculty members, and over 350 staff. Department faculty provide clinical services in 5 hospitals, 14 primary care locations, and several outpatient sites in addition to telepsychiatry consultations to more than 150 clinics in Washington and beyond. As the only academic psychiatry department serving the five state WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho), the Department’s highly competitive residency training program is largely responsible for developing the mental health workforce in the Pacific Northwest. The Department’s robust research portfolio totals $65 million in grants and contracts per year for projects ranging from clinical neurosciences to treatment development to health policy and population health. The Department’s research mission involves over 100 faculty. The Department is recognized as an international leader in developing, testing, and implementing Collaborative Care, an integrated care model increasingly seen as a solution for population-based mental health care. Other areas of excellence include Addictions, Autism, High Risk Youth, Neurosciences, and Trauma, and the Department is developing innovative new programs in Technology and Mental Health, Global Mental Health, Maternal and Child Mental Health, and Targeted Intervention Development. Psychiatry is the third largest department in the School of Medicine and the largest non-divisioned department. The overall annual operations funding from all sources is over $150 million. 

Placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.