Office Specialist

Office Specialist 2

Position Announcement

Proposed Start Date - 10/01/2026

Classification Title
- Office Specialist 2

Working Title
- Office Specialist 2

Department - 200272 - ACS Academic & Career Services

Position Number - D96306

Representation - OP - SEIU/OPEU Local 503

Position FTE - 1.0 FTE

End date, if applicable

Position Summary

Brief Description of PSU/School/Dept
- Advising & Career Services (ACS) is a unit within the division of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs at Portland State University. ACS provides
1) advising to undergraduates who have not selected a major,
2) career services to all graduate & undergraduate students and alumni and
3) campus leadership related to advising and careers.

Position Summary
- The Office Specialist 2 will provide office management to the Student Success Division, which includes units critical to the student experience (Undergraduate Academic Advising, Student Academic Support Services/Academic Coaching, Transfer Center, Office of Student Success, and the University Career Center. This position provides oversight, change management, student staff leadership and development, communication coordination, and project coordination across the units, which includes 75+ staff and 20+ student employees.

The position will have access to and need to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information. A key component of this role is to strategize process improvements to ensure that all office operations run effectively so that students are served across the unit.

Successful Candidate Characteristics & Mindsets Ability to deftly handle project logistics, operations, and change management across 5 offices with student success being at the forefront. Lead the hiring, onboarding, training, and professional development of student staff with the goal of developing a pipeline of future PSU employees. Support the onboarding of full-time staff and provide assistance in professional development and training.

Ability to anticipate problems, provide solutions, and create process improvement plans to better serve students with quality control. Must have sound judgment, anticipatory skills, confidentiality, negotiation, problem-solving, and customer service skills. Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and oral/written communication skills. Ability to prioritize and manage multiple competing needs across 75+ staff and 20+ student employees. Demonstrated proficiency with project management/scheduling and task management software.

A deep, demonstrated commitment to understanding and improving the student experience and an evident dedication to student success. A positive, forward-looking attitude with a creative and solutions-focused orientation to higher education. A demonstrated capacity to support students, faculty, and staff through change, and a strong interest in innovation.

Minimum Qualifications from Classification
- Two years of general clerical experience. One year of which included typing, word processing, or other experience generating documents; OR An Associate's degree in Office Occupations or Office Technology; OR Graduation from a private school of business with a Certificate in Office Occupations or Office Technology AND one year of general clerical experience.

Note:

College courses in Office Occupations or Office Technology will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Additional Minimum Qualifications for this Position - 2-3 year of project coordination experience High degree of attention to detail and follow through Demonstrated ability to take initiative, work independently Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively toward goal achievement Demonstrated ability to anticipate issues and provide appropriate solutions. Excellent written and verbal communication skills Solid understanding of HR principles/policies/employee relations Proficiency project management tools such as Asana, Google Suite, and more Demonstrated time and project management skills Experience guiding the work of others Strong interpersonal skills Service orientation and ability to facilitate, anticipate and coordinate requests/needs

Preferred Qualifications
- Higher education experience Working knowledge of Higher Education Academic Services and practices Bachelor's degree

Key Cultural Competencies
- Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages and celebrates differences. Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations,…