About WestEd
As a community of over 1,400 researchers, practitioners, consultants, and administrative professionals from all backgrounds and life experiences, we are committed to making a qualitative difference in the lives of youth, children, and adults. We conduct and apply research, develop evidence-based solutions, and provide consulting services across the country in both rural and urban communities to improve equitable outcomes for individuals from infancy through adulthood. Serving as trusted partners in the areas of education, health, and justice, our teams enhance capacity within communities and school districts to prioritize impact by asking the right questions, customizing methodologies, developing relevant tools, and implementing best practices specific to a diverse range of stakeholder needs.
Furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion is core to who we are and how we work. We are committed to working with our clients to illuminate and address disparities, value and elevate diverse voices, and ensure equitable access to our resources and services. Read more about WestEd’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Come and join us!
SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING THE WORK LOCATION OF THIS POSITION—Although WestEd provides the option of working at one of its facilities for employees, many roles allow employees to choose to work remotely for their own convenience. The decision to allow remote work at the employee's convenience is based on the requirements of the position or project in question.
Content Areas Overview
WestEd’s Assessment Research & Innovation (AR&I) group is involved extensively at the local, state, and national levels in planning, developing, and evaluating standards and assessment tools, methods, and systems. We are researchers first and foremost, so our projects tend to examine the technical aspects of testing in addition to assessment- and accountability-related issues for various student populations (e.g., English language learners) and for developing fields (e.g., computer science) as well as traditional academic areas. To ensure assessment innovations make it out of the laboratory and into the classroom, AR&I also works closely with WestEd’s Assessment Design & Development experts who deliver high-stakes summative assessment programs in several states.
Assessment Design and Development (AD&D) is involved extensively at the local, state, and national levels in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating standards and assessment tools, methods, and systems. Some of AD&D’s work is aimed at revealing how well students or workers are learning or performing; other parts of our work address broader concerns of accountability and program or school success. AD&D serves as the test-development contractor for high-stakes assessment programs in several states. Its projects also examine the technical aspects of assessment, as well as focus on a range of assessment and accountability-related issues for various student populations (e.g., English language learners, students with disabilities) and for traditional academic areas and developing fields (e.g., alternative school accountability).
The Opportunity
As a Project Coordinator II, you will support Project Managers and Directors, manage workflows on assessment development, and research projects and proposals. Project lengths vary, and over the course of a year you may work on three to five projects or proposals. You will be assigned to coordinate project workflows that are reasonably straightforward or of moderate complexity, which will require a close partnership with the project manager and director. In this role you will have the opportunity to gain experience in coordinating projects in assessment and assessment research, toward a future project management path. Most of your assignments will be within Assessment Design and Development and the Assessment Research and Innovation content areas, though you will have opportunities to support projects and proposals in other WestEd areas. You will report to one of the Senior Project Managers in AD&D.
Core Focus Areas
Project and Proposal Coordination (85-95% of your time)
Provide project coordination and assistance for a variety of project types, ranging from large scale state-level high-stakes test development projects to assessment research projects, under the direction of Project Managers and Directors. Projects are reasonably straightforward or of moderate complexity, with workflows usually falling within standard and familiar practices. Below are examples of the types of support you will provide:
- Follow project plans and schedules developed by the Project Manager or Director, to ensure timely submission of deliverables.
- Create and maintain project and workflow trackers that support day-to-day activities, in collaboration with the Project Manager and Director. Track and document progress toward milestones, communicate timelines and necessary steps to ensure a smooth and timely workflow among project participants, and identify and track issues and risks, escalating as necessary.
- Schedule and serve as Zoom host for project meetings. Stage agendas and draft recaps for standing team meetings, for review and editing by the Project Manager or Director. Take on-screen notes during meetings. Contribute to updates on workflow statuses.
- Interface on a regular basis with internal staff at all levels within the content area, building effective relationships.
- Collaborate with the Project Manager or Director to estimate short-term resource needs.
- Monitor workflow progress and issues, informing leadership on an ongoing basis and escalating issues and risks in a timely manner.
- Oversee the production of high-quality products such as presentations and reports.
- Oversee the preparation and monitoring of contracts and invoices for consultants.
- Develop mastery of WestEd tools such as Box, Smartsheet, Excel, and Word in order to apply them to project processes. Act as an expert-resource to program staff in effective use of these tools.
- Pitch in on general administrative tasks to support project and content area objectives.
Coordination Team Goals and Initiatives (5-15% of your time)
- Ensure consistency of approach across the program by following established processes and protocols while engaging in collaborative process improvements when appropriate.
- Participate in Coordination/Management team improvement initiatives.
- Assist in onboarding and training of new team members.
What We’re Looking For
- Two (2) or more years of experience in coordinating workflows for straightforward to moderately complex workflows.
- Experience in training, mentoring, and providing feedback to staff.
- Advanced proficiency in web-based business solutions and managing Zoom meetings, and in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); ability to quickly adapt to new tools or software, especially Project Management software.
- Careful attention to detail.
- Good writing ability and command of the English language.
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to work as a team member.
- Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment dealing successfully with short- and long-term priorities simultaneously.
- Ability to pursue work and goals with tenacity, flexibility, and persistence in the face of complex, uncertain, or shifting circumstances.
Other degrees, skills, abilities, and experiences of interest
- Experience in the large-scale assessment or assessment research field.
- Experience in item industry partner item banking and authoring systems.
- Experience in on-site meeting facilitation.
- Bachelor's degree.
TRAVEL (10-20%):
In a post-COVID world, travel is assumed to be about 10% for the purpose of client visits or meeting convenings. Most meetings are currently done virtually.
*Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Successful candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.
WestEd conducts a criminal background check and education verification for all new hires. Any offers of employment will be contingent on receiving a clear background check in accordance with applicable law.
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
The full salary range for this position, WestEd level 8, is $70,400 to $105,600 but WestEd does not typically hire at or near the top of the salary range. The typical hiring range for this role is $70,400 to $88,000. The actual offer takes into account multiple factors including but not limited to education; experience; internal equity, and other organizational needs.
In addition to the base salary, benefits include:
- 15% contribution toward retirement effective day 1 of employment
- Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts
- All health/welfare benefits are effective first of the month following hire date
- PTO: 3 weeks’ vacation (increases to 4 weeks beginning the 4th year of employment), paid holidays, and 12 days paid sick leave per year
- Life Insurance: value of 3x gross salary
- Opportunities for annual merit-based performance increases + annual incentives
- Professional development opportunities & mentorship program
For more detail about our benefits, go to: https://www.wested.org/work-at-wested/benefits/
Committed to the diversity of race, ethnicities, perspectives, and opportunities, WestEd offers a variety of social and professional learning communities, such as Employee Resource groups, the Data Intelligence, Insights, and Innovation PLC, and the WestEd Parent Community, just to name a few. We hope you’ll consider joining us to build better schools, communities, learning pathways, and more! WestEd is a Drug Free Employer and maintains a drug-free workplace. #LI-Hybrid
