Program Assistant-Admissions/Registration (Spanish Bilingual)

Are you ready to be a go-to resource for students navigating their educational journey? 

Big Bend Community College, nestled in the heart of the beautiful Columbia Basin in Central Washington, is calling for dynamic customer-service, administrative/clerical professionals to apply for an exciting opportunity as a bilingual (English/Spanish) Program Assistant in our fast-paced Admissions/Registration Office.  

In this exciting role, you’ll be the first point of contact for a wide range of inquiries—from admissions and registration to transcripts, advising, financial aid, veteran benefits, disability support services, and more. Your expertise will directly impact students' success by providing the guidance and support they need to enroll, thrive, and reach their goals.  Under the direction of the Director of Enrollment Services and Registrar and as a key player on our collaborative and dynamic team, you’ll work closely with students, faculty, and staff to resolve questions, streamline processes, and ensure smooth interactions. Whether you're assisting in-person, over email, or via phone or virtual sessions, you'll play a pivotal role in helping students navigate their academic journey with confidence.  This position is overtime eligible.

This position offers the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of students and is vital in ensuring students feel supported throughout their journey at BBCC. If you love helping others and are passionate about providing exceptional customer service in a vibrant, team-oriented environment, we want to hear from you!

Why BBCC?

BBCC isn’t just a college – it’s a community, a movement. We are a place where small-scale efforts result in BIG outcomes that empower both our students and employees. We’re passionate about providing accessible, inclusive higher education, and fostering an environment where everyone can grow personally and professionally.

Our mission is clear: we serve as a bridge, stand as a leader, and provide the support for success. We are committed to honoring our role as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, equity, inclusion, and diversity in everything we do, and we live our guiding principles daily – advocating for all, embracing innovation, and modeling integrity.  We are here to educate all!

If you share our vision, mission, guiding principles, and values, come be a part of our transformative work at Big Bend Community College. Together, we’ll make a lasting impact on our students and our communities!

This position closes on February 9, 2025 at 12:00am.   Big Bend Community College reserves the right to offer this position to a qualified candidate at any time, so a prompt response is encouraged.

Primary essential duties and responsibilities include but will not be limited to the following:

Front-Facing Customer Service

The Program Assistant is the first point of contact in a fast-paced office environment and plays a key part in guiding prospective students through the admissions process, answering their questions, and helping them understand how to apply. As students move through the process of enrolling in classes, the Program Assistant is there to help with troubleshooting and offers clear guidance on available student support services. Assisting students understand how to navigate their online student accounts, the online class schedule, and the course catalog is a key responsibility to help them make informed academic choices. In addition to providing expert guidance on admissions and enrollment processes, the Program Assistant provides basic information about tuition, fees, financial aid, advising, and more, connecting students with necessary resources. 

Whether it’s answering questions about college policies or explaining complex procedures, the Program Assistant offers professional, empathetic, and solution-oriented customer service, ensuring students understand key deadlines and requirements. When complex or cross-departmental issues arise, the Program Assistant will step in to help facilitate resolutions, working with other departments to ensure students’ needs are met and referring issues when appropriate for continued support. This role is instrumental in fostering an inclusive, supportive environment for all students, helping them to overcome challenges, and ultimately, thrive in their academic journeys.

Processing

The Program Assistant processes daily transcript requests, schedules and checks-in student advising appointments, and manually adjusts students’ class schedules, if needed, during enrollment periods. They also review, document, and archive materials received for student educational records accurately and efficiently. The Program Assistant is responsible for data entry and coding in student records, as assigned by the Director of Enrollment Services. Confidentiality will be key in this position, as the Program Assistant must ensure that all student records are handled in strict compliance with FERPA regulations and college policies. 

Clerical Work

The Program Assistant manages incoming calls through a multi-line phone system, assists with various calling campaigns to support student success, and transfers calls as needed. They ensure a positive student experience by providing key information to the receiving staff member before transferring the student and by following up with students, as needed. When receiving documents at the front desk or via email, the Program Assistant ensures smooth operations of the Admissions/Registration office by ensuring forms and documents are completed correctly, scanned for filing, labeled, and filed in the appropriate location. As part of a supportive and interactive team, the program assistant provides critical support to department projects by printing labels and preparing large mailings, as needed. 

The Program Assistant also has the opportunity to tackle new challenges as they arise, always providing top-tier support and delivering results in this fast-paced and rewarding role!

Other Work Responsibilities

The employee is responsible for maintaining professional growth through workshops and affiliations, staying updated on industry trends. Safety is prioritized through adherence to work practices and policies, ensuring no injuries occur. The role also includes ensuring compliance with college policies and relevant state and federal regulations, while fostering effective collaboration with colleagues, staff, students, and administrators from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the employee may be asked to perform other related duties as required.

Required Abilities

• Think critically, problem solve, and respond to challenging situations. 
• Communicate effectively and convey detailed information to students, staff, and the public. 
• Organize daily work and prioritize tasks. Keep track of information or work in progress, ensuring accuracy, handling interruptions effectively, and meet competing deadlines.
• Work independently and reliably. Regular and consistent attendance is expected.
• Ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a team environment.
• Maintain a high degree of accountability in the application of policies, rules, and regulations.
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality. 
• Demonstrate competency in the ability to provide service in an inclusive, equitable, and diverse community.

Required Work Schedule and Work Environment
Work is sedentary in nature with frequent repetitive hand and wrist motions.  Frequent use of computer and exposure to terminal screens in performing work assignments.  Frequent need for oral and auditory communications.  Occasionally kneel, stoop, crouch, crawl, reach, and lift up to 25 lbs. in an office environment.
 
Basic work schedule is 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Thursday and 8:00am to 2:30pm Friday.  Hours may be adjusted to meet the needs of the departments and various events.Minimum Qualifications
At the time of application, all candidates must possess the following:

• High School diploma or equivalent and two (2) years of professional work experience in an administrative and clerical support position with experience providing services to and working with the public OR Equivalent education/relevant work experience (determined at discretion by the college).
• Must have the ability to read, write, translate, and converse with fluency in both Spanish and English.  Bilingual jobs include a 5% salary increase for dual language responsibilities.  (The candidate selected for position must successfully pass a Spanish Language Proficiency Test consisting of reading, writing, and speaking components.)
• Direct experience providing quality customer service to internal and external customers.
• Experience using computers, spreadsheets, databases and word processing software to accomplish daily work. 

Desirable Qualifications

• Knowledge of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and experience working with student records.
• Experience with student information systems such as PeopleSoft.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

This position closes on February 9, 2025 at 12:00am.  Big Bend Community College reserves the right to offer this position to a qualified candidate at any time, so a prompt response is encouraged.  

To qualify for consideration, applicants must meet required qualifications and submit a complete application packet, which includes the following:

1. BBCC Online application.
2. Cover letter, addressing why you are interested in this position and how your qualifications make you the ideal candidate.*
3. Comprehensive resume or CV.*
4. Response(s) to the questions found in the Supplemental Questions Tab above.*  Supplemental questions are designed to address the Additional Desirable qualifications list in the job posting. 
5. Unofficial transcripts documenting undergraduate and graduate course work and degrees.  Official transcripts required upon employment.*

NOTE:You must complete the online application in full and respond to the required supplemental questions.  Failure to provide this information or responses of "See Resume" may eliminate you from consideration for this position.The college reserves the right to remove documents, submitted but not requested, by BBCC as part of the application process.  These documents include, but are not limited to statements of teaching philosophy, diversity statement, letters of recommendation, student evaluations, performance evaluations, etc. 

BBCC reserves the right to not fill this position, reject all applicants, reopen the position, or make a direct appointment.  Applications received during this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies at the College's discretion.

This posting does not reflect the entire job description and may be changed and/or modified, at any time, without notice.  

If you have difficulty logging into your account, attaching documents, submitting your application, etc., please contact NEOGOV Customer Service at 1-855-524-5627.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Pursuant to RCW 28B.112.080, applicants must declare whether they are the subject of any substantiated findings of sexual misconduct in any current or former employment or are currently being investigated for, or have left a position during an investigation into, a violation of any sexual misconduct policy at the applicant’s current or past employers. By law, post-secondary education institutions cannot hire an applicant who does not complete the questions.  

Prior to employment, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted.   Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform the position.  

An offer of employment will not carry with it any responsibility or obligation on the part of Big Bend Community College to sponsor an H-1B visa.   In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, proof of authorization to work in the United States will be required at the time of hire.  

Official transcripts must be provided to the college upon hire. 

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION:  

Big Bend provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students, employees, and applicants with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Please direct all inquiries regarding compliance with access, equal opportunity, and/or grievances to the Vice President of Human Resources & Labor/Equal Opportunity Officer/Title IX Coordinator/Section 504 Coordinator, BBCC 7662 Chanute Street NE, Moses Lake, WA  98837; 509-793-2026 or via email at hroffice@bigbend.edu.  

DRUG AND ALCOHOL-FREE CAMPUS:

In compliance with state and federal regulations, BBCC is committed to a safe and drug and alcohol-free campus.  Employees are expected to comply with BBCC’s policy prohibiting illegal drug use or activity, including notifications of criminal drug convictions and the use of prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications that are likely to affect job safety.  The complete policy and procedure are available to view on the policies page of the BBCC website.  Printed copies of the policy and procedure are available by contacting the Human Resources Office at 509-793-2008.

BBCC ANNUAL SECURITY REPORT:

BBCC strives to be a safe and secure campus for our students, employees, and community.  Detailed information regarding campus security, crime statistics for the most recent-three year period, and other information is available on the Campus Safety and Security page of the BBCC website.  If you have questions or would like a printed copy of the materials please contact Campus Safety and Security at 509-793-2286.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:

Big Bend Community College provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, age, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical, mental or sensory disability, use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, marital status, pregnancy status or families with children, a mother breastfeeding her child, AIDS/HIV or hepatitis C, genetic information, and/or status as a veteran or any other legally protected classification.  

Salary : $38,868 - $51,588