Instructional Services Support Specialist

Walden

Walden University is a member of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE). More than 50 years ago, Walden University was founded to support adult learners in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and communities. Students from across the U.S. and more than 115 countries are pursuing a certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree online at Walden. The university offers more than 100 online degree and certificate programs. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, hlcommission.org. For more information, please visit WaldenU.edu and WaldenFacts.com.

OASIS

Walden’s Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS) provides instruction to help students develop academic and professional skills for success. OASIS houses seven teams: the Walden Library; Content Management; Content Operations; Instructional Services; and Undergraduate, Graduate, and Doctoral Academic Support. Following Walden’s Success by Degree framework, we align our instructional support with university-wide, degree-level learning outcomes. Everyone in OASIS collaborates with teams across Walden to ensure we connect students with flexible, seamless instructional support where and when they need it.

Across OASIS, we offer various instructional services and resources to support students’ skill development at all stages of their studies. The Instructional Services Support Specialist will primarily support OASIS Graduate and Undergraduate Assistant (GA/UGA) staff with program and professional development training, peer-led responsibilities, and team logistics. Graduate and undergraduate assistants are current Walden students who support their peers through tutoring, mentoring, and writing support activities. The individual in this role will secondarily support various OASIS instructional services, possibilities include resource development, paper review appointments, doctoral residency presentations, and instructional design. In collaboration with the other OASIS teams, the OASIS Instructional Services Team creates varied interactive experiences that meet students where they are and encourage critical thinking, active engagement, and the application of knowledge inside and outside the classroom. This dynamic position will provide excellent opportunities to strengthen leadership, organizational, instructional design, and presentation skills. This role will report to the Manager of Graduate Assistant Strategy and Support in OASIS. This role requires a flexible full-time schedule that includes some evenings and weekends.

Walden’s Values and Mission 

Walden University provides a diverse community of career professionals with the opportunity to transform themselves as scholar-practitioners to affect positive social change. Walden’s commitment to social change began with our founders. Students, faculty, and staff choose Walden because of that commitment, and we keep our values in mind with every action we take. 

We are a teaching institution. Online higher education is our specialty, and we emerged early on as pioneers in this field. We are committed to inclusive teaching and learning in all our academic endeavors with intentionality, using a framework of shared accountability to enhance and advance the equitable health and wellbeing of communities, systems, and organizations. The philosophy of our institution is not sink or swim: We meet students where they are and accompany them as they strive to move forward on their academic pathways.  

Our Students

Walden is a broad-access institution. We teach the students we have, nurture their curiosity, and support them as they develop academic skills to reach their degree goals. Walden serves a majority female-identifying student body, with over 40% African American and Black students and over 40% White students, as well as over 15% Latino/a/x and Asian and Pacific Islander students. We proudly embrace our LGBTQIAA+, (dis)abled, and first-generation college students, working parents and caregivers, as well as military veterans, and the unique cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds of all our students. Most importantly, we acknowledge the impact of intersectionality on the lives of our students, and we strive to provide community, support, and rigor tailored to the individuals that are our students.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

•    Co-lead and support Graduate and Undergraduate Assistants (20+) part-time staff members who work 10 hours per week as peer mentors, tutors, and administrative writing assistants in OASIS.
•    Conduct program onboarding and technology training for new GA/UGA staff and monitor training completion. 
•    Ensure GA/UGA staff can access all program tools, including LMS systems, email role accounts, and team sites to facilitate student support and engagement.
•    Monitor and organize peer lead staff e-mail role account and communication activities, ensuring GA/UGA staff are using best practices and accurate content when communicating with students.  
•    Communicate regularly with GA/UGA staff through monthly meetings and email communication to respond to questions or concerns; elevate issues to the Manager as necessary. 
•    Motivate and coordinate GA/UGA participation in OASIS degree-level projects, tasks, and resource development closely tied to Walden’s Student at the Center initiative.  
•    Present and/or moderate with GA/UGA staff or OASIS colleagues during live events, such as drop-in sessions, residency sessions, webinars, and workshops. 
•    Track mentor activity and complete quality assurance checks of communication between mentors and mentees.
•    Participate in other opportunities as needs arise in the instructional services vertical, such as, instructional design collaboration, working group participation, and/or other specialized academic support tasks.
•    Contribute to building a positive team culture and a healthy workplace in OASIS and beyond.
•    Join OASIS and/or university committees or working groups and participate in professional development opportunities. 
•    Attend weekly meetings with OASIS Manager of GA support and strategy and other regular team or office-wide meetings.  
•    Complete other related duties as assigned.

TECHNICAL, MANAGERIAL, and PEOPLE SKILLS 
•    Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal relationship skills.
•    Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
•    Excellent organizational and prioritization skills. 
•    Demonstrated ability to instruct/train in small groups or individualized settings.
•    Must have excellent attention to detail and proofreading skills.
•    Ability to work with individuals from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.
•    Demonstrated working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (especially Word, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
•    Ability to adapt to changes and new initiatives tasked to support student needs. 
 

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
•    Master's degree required in any field, with educational background in higher education, online education, and/or adult learning preferred; 
•    Experience as a student in online higher education preferred.
•    Demonstrated experience working in a college or university co-curricular instructional center or office, such as a learning center, a student services center, a student affairs office, or an academic skills center; management experience in such a center preferred.
•    Demonstrated pedagogical training or experience supporting academic skill development in asynchronous and synchronous settings.
•    Commitment to advocating for the learning and development needs of adult students earning their degrees in an online, distance-learning environment required; experience in supporting or mentoring students in online educational programs preferred.

In support of the pay transparency laws enacted across the country, the expected salary range for this position is between $47,766.34 and $86,253.75. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; geographic location; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. Our Talent Acquisition Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to learning more about your salary requirements. The position qualifies for the below benefits.

Adtalem offers a robust suite of benefits including:

• Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• 401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match
• Participation in Adtalem’s Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
• 12 Paid Holidays
  
  For more information related to our benefits please visit: https://careers.adtalem.com/us/en/benefits.

We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. At Adtalem, we welcome everyone and have a strong commitment towards diversity and inclusion. We encourage our Colleagues to be their true authentic selves and support laws that prohibit discrimination everywhere we do business. We also maintain a drug-free workplace.