Graduate Certificate Specialist; Temporary

Job Description

The Information School
has an outstanding opportunity open for a
Temporary
Graduate Certificate Specialist.

The Graduate Certificate Specialist (Payroll

Title:

Pro Staff Temp Position (NE S)) leads the launch and operations of the Information School’s first graduate-level certificate: the 15-credit Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Organizations (one course per quarter; initial cohort of approximately 30 students). This role is responsible for translating faculty-driven academic vision, curriculum, and policy decisions into effective operational structures, student services, and sustainable program processes. This position is initially appointed at 0.50 FTE, with the expectation that as additional certificates and pathways are developed and launched, the role will eventually expand to full‑time.

The Graduate Certificate Specialist serves as a thought partner to faculty and is accountable for implementing and operationalizing the certificate, including curriculum coordination, scheduling, policy execution, enrollment processes, and exploratory planning for future stacked credential pathways. This work requires close collaboration with the MSIM program team and committee to ensure curricular alignment and a seamless student experience across programs.

The role also includes limited academic advising, and involves cross‑unit collaboration with Career Services, Admissions, Communications, the Associate Dean and Executive Director for Academics, and key campus partners such as the UW Graduate School, Continuum College, and UW‑IT.

Success in this role requires professionalism, initiative, independent decision‑making, and comfort operating in a start‑up‑within‑a‑university environment. As a visible contributor to program planning, improvement, and expansion, this position helps build the foundation for a broader certificate and stacked‑degree portfolio for certificates that are not held within our existing programs. All iSchool employees are expected to act from shared leadership, stepping up where expertise, opportunity, and institutional values align.

• Plan, schedule, and manage all the administrative functions required for the AI certificate. This responsibility requires coordinating effectively with multiple iSchool units. Specific tasks include:

• leading the planning for program‑specific events,

• establishing and maintaining annual calendars, and

• consult on internal and external academic reports.

• Assist the core faculty teaching in the program in assessing strategic program development and developing key performance indicators (KPI) to assess outcomes for the AI certificate program. Elicit proposals for change, and consult on the program’s capacity for change.

• Manage the certificate budget, updating the budget in response to quarterly program changes, and overseeing the processing and reconciliation of all program expenses.

• Monitor and report on metrics of program health (enrollment, student progress, faculty engagement, etc.), advising all stakeholders on areas needing specific attention or adjustment.

• Manage the AI certificate curriculum in coordination with the certificate’s Program Committee.

• Consider the interplay between the AI Certificate and the MSIM program when assessing curricular changes.

• Interpret and implement UW policy, developing and adjusting processes and procedures in response to policy changes.

• Serve as the key liaison for the AI Certificate and new Certificate opportunities in relation to developing, facilitating, and managing partnerships with other academic programs, particularly for stacked degrees with other certificates on campus.

• Coordinate with the Admissions team on outreach, recruitment, and admissions activities and processes for the AI certificate program.

• Coordinate and represent the AI certificate program at recruitment events, such as information sessions.

• Review applications for the certificate program. In collaboration with the Director of Admissions train other reviewers and ensure decisions are conveyed to applicants.

• Collaborate with…