Course Operations Specialist

How to Apply

Candidates should submit the following as one document:

• Cover Letter / Letter of interest
• Resume
• One page statement that discusses/shares a recent experience; what was learned from this experience, and what you did with what you learned.

In order for the Career Portal system to accept a cover letter and one page statement, please include these as a page of your resume document.
 

Job Summary

The School of Social Work is seeking a qualified Course Operations Specialist, focusing primarily on  our Social Work Essentials Certificate (SWEC) program. This exciting opportunity will assist in technical and instructional support of a new online certificate program. This position will report to the Learning Experience Design Lead and will also coordinate as necessary with other offices and faculty within the school. 
 

The ideal candidate will bring experience in academic technical support, instructional design theories, familiarity revising/maintaining academic courses and supporting students in a Learning Management System (Canvas preferred), and online accessibility. There will be a variety of duties for this position. An exemplary candidate will thrive in a dynamic, fluid environment with priorities that may shift depending on project needs. Because this position's focus will be on initiatives within the School of Social Work, a demonstrated interest in the values of the social work community is a plus.

Please note, you must be currently eligible to work in the United States as we are unable to sponsor visas for this job opening.
 

Responsibilities*

Below are the prospective duties of Course Operations Specialist. This position will be primarily focused on Course Operations related to the Social Work Essentials Certificate (SWEC):

Managing Learner Issues

• Registration
  • As a canvas catalog administrator, manage learner enrollment and course registration processes on Canvas Catalog
  • Manage course changes, substitutions, or withdrawals as required
  • Coordinate with the finance department to handle learner registration, billing and payment issues as needed
     
• Content/Learning Related
  • Provide learners with timely and effective support throughout the program
  • Monitor learner progress and engagement, offering guidance and assistance as needed
  • Coordinate with the learning experience design team to ensure information is current and up-to-date
  • Provide limited content assistance to students engaged in the SWEC
  • Assist with peer review approvals and manual overrides when necessary
  •  
• Technical Support
  
  • Provide technical assistance to learners and staff involved in the SWEC and the Canvas Catalog platform
  • Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues related to course access, content delivery, and platform functionality
  • Coordinate with the ITS Teaching and Learning team to provide Canvas Catalog support to address complex technical problems

Organizing and Facilitating Live Sessions

• Assist faculty lead in coordination and facilitation of live sessions 
• Work with faculty lead, MSW program director and OSS to ensure any important messages are being relayed to students via these live sessions
• Ensuring a recording of the live sessions is made available to learners

Recruitment

• Coordinate recruitment activities with the Office of Student Services for SWEC learners
• Assists with prospective student webinars for SWEC learners as needed
• Provide a warm handoff with prospective students to the Office of Student Services and Enrollment Management
• Course Scheduling
  • Work with OSS to develop a recommended completion schedule for learners, taking into consideration the start dates of the MSW program
  • Ensure schedules and deadlines are being regularly communicated via web, live sessions and in learner interaction

Content Changes/Canvas

• Coordinate with faculty lead, instructors and subject matter experts to create and update course materials as directed by the LXD team
• Make necessary updates to course materials, as directed by LXD team and faculty lead
• Implement changes that ensure that course content remains aligned with School of Social Work standards and best practices
• Provide feedback to the LXD Lead on needed content updates, broken course links, etc.
• Review accessibility of online content and work with subject matter experts to ensure content meets accessibility standards
   

Completion and Certificate Process

• Track learner progress and verify that all program requirements have been met
• Verify learner eligibility for certification based on completion of audit results
• Coordinate certificate and completion survey process through Canvas Catalog
• Conduct audits to ensure the integrity and accuracy of completion records
• Coordinate with relevant departments to address any discrepancies or issues identified during the audit process
• Monitor SWEC certificate progress and provide outreach to learners, in collaboration with program leadership
   

Program Evaluation

• Offer suggestions related to continuous improvement based on learner feedback, performance data, and industry trends, with regular updates to course content and program features

Additional Foundations

Beyond work for the Social Work Essentials Certificate, the Course Operations specialist will collaborate with the Learning Experience Design (LXD) team to enhance quality and accessibility across the entire catalog of SSW courses. Projects may include assisting in developing new, and iterating existing, online courses for the SSW catalog, pilot testing new platform features or changes, improving/enhancing the accessibility of all courses, and providing technical support to instructors.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree in educational technology, instructional design or related field with at least 3 years of experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience using online education platforms (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, Coursera)
• Experience revising, updating, and maintaining Academic course content in a Learning Management System (LMS), e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, Coursera
• Strong commitment to customer service
• Knowledge of assessing learning outcomes and project outcomes
• Strong organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines
• Strong communication skills
• Demonstrated experience and interest in working in a team environment
• Demonstrated vision and passion for creating learning experiences that place a high value on diversity, equity, and inclusiveness
• Passion for teaching and learning innovation
   

Desired Qualifications*

• Demonstrated experience working in higher education and supporting learners in fully-online course delivery
• Experience with digital accessibility and updating content to meet accessibility standards
• Prior experience with online certificate programs 
• Skills in visual communication and user experience design
• Skills in developing web-based interactives
   

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

School of Social Work - Work Mode: In-person in Ann Arbor, with a possible hybrid schedule

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.