General Description

Children need to spend their most critical years with dedicated, educated, trained, and well-compensated individuals in order to thrive. The New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute leads the work to establish and implement an early childhood workforce system to ensure funding, standards and competencies, career development resources, qualifications and credentials, professional development (training and strengths-based coaching), and program quality assurance and improvement for individuals who work with young children throughout New York. Housed at the City University of New York, the Institute is a fast-paced, dynamic public/private partnership that is committed to the early childhood workforce across New York State.

The Institute is working with the New York Administration for Children's Service (ACS) to support childcare programs and providers who serve children with ACS vouchers for subsidized childcare. We are looking for a full-time Technical Assistance Specialist to provide technical support to childcare programs and providers with the process of registering for and using ACS's online attendance system, CAPS Online. This position will report to the CAPS Online Project Coordinator.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Assistance

• Learn the details of the CAPS Online attendance system, including but not limited to: account creation, entering and submitting attendance, common technical issues.
• Provide technical assistance support to childcare programs and providers via e-mail and phone regarding use of the CAPS Online system; assist programs and providers in troubleshooting issues with the system, registering for trainings, and identifying appropriate resources (e.g. websites, user manuals, online Help Center).
• Utilize the Zendesk ticketing system to respond to provider inquiries and record detailed information on provider interactions.
• Use discretion to determine which provider inquiries can be independently addressed, which should be referred to an external agency, and which should be escalated to a supervisor.
• Proactively and independently monitor assigned tickets in Zendesk; when necessary, follow up with program/provider, other team members, or supervisor to prioritize prompt resolution.
• Work with Project Coordinator and Project Associate to identify technical issues and/or user challenges, as well as next steps to address them; as needed, develop resources to be shared with childcare programs and providers during the technical assistance process.
• Conduct periodic email and phone outreach to childcare programs and providers (as needed).

Other Duties

• Attend staff meetings and trainings
• Perform special projects and other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Fluent in both English and Spanish; able to clearly communicate technical details in verbal and written form in both languages.
• Associate's degree with at least two years of related experience in training, technical support, administrative, or customer service roles.
• Demonstrated experience providing effective customer service, especially via phone/email.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills; ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced work environment, while working both independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to learn, retain, and communicate high volumes of detailed information regarding systems and processes.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to communicate with people patiently and clearly with varying levels of technical proficiency and/or English fluency.
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills; attention to detail.
• Strong data entry skills, with the ability to provide data accuracy, speed, and consistency.
• Experience in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel and Word required, other programs a plus).
• Knowledge of internet-based software programs: Zoom, Teams, and/or various database applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using an online ticketing system such as Zendesk
• Experience troubleshooting technical issues

Physical Requirements

• This is a hybrid position. Remote work arrangements are not a righty or entitlement of employment and, as such, are discretionary and subject to operational needs unless otherwise provided by the CUNY Flexible Work Guidelines. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as personal computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and other presentation materials.
• While performing these duties, the employee is required to perform physical activities such as, but not limited to, lifting items (up to 20 pounds), bending, reaching, and sitting for prolonged periods of time. Reasonable accommodation will be made for employees with disabilities or other needs per RFCUNY policies.

How to Apply

Provide a resume and cover letter specifying your qualifications, experience, and interest relevant to this position.

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

About the Research Foundation

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).

RFCUNY stands between CUNY's principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.