POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Technical Support Specialist
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 5195
GRADE 30
CLASSIFICATION Nonexempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISION Associate Provost for the Extended Campus and International Programs
MAJOR ADMINISTRATOR Provost
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Technical Support Specialist provides help desk services and technical support for faculty teaching internet-based courses and online students. The Technical Support Specialist provides user account management services for online courses through the course management system (CMS), such as creating courses, setting up new users, and changing passwords, and assisting faculty and students with questions about various CMS features. The Technical Support Specialist works with faculty and shows them how to use various components of the CMS as well as helping them resolve questions about class registrations and class rosters. The Technical Support Specialist assists students with creating PINs and active directory accounts, explains how to use features and components of the CMS, and troubleshoots problems. The Technical Support Specialist provides administrative support for the Distance Learning department.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A high school diploma or the equivalent and thirty to sixty hours of college credit are required. An Associate’s degree with an emphasis in a computer-related field is preferred.
Experience: A minimum of two years of experience working with applications such as a course management system is required; experience providing user support or help desk services is preferred. Administrative support experience is preferred.
Skills: Must be able to quickly learn the course management system software and how to support faculty and staff information needs, diagnose problems, and resolve them. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are required to work effectively within a team-oriented environment and with a multi-disciplinary faculty with varying levels of instructional technology skills. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.
Effort: Extended periods of time at a microcomputer work station is required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Provides technical support for the Missouri State Online Program (Internet-based instruction) by providing help desk services and technical assistance for faculty and online students related to Internet-based instruction, establishing and maintaining student user and faculty accounts for online courses, and handling agreed on “after hours” technical assistance for online students.
2. Supports faculty teaching online classes, both one-on-one and by producing training modules, by explaining features and components of the CMS and how they can be used to present course content, such as Breeze and Captivate, digital drop boxes, online testing, and discussion boards and providing assistance in resolving problems with course registration and class rosters.
3. Supports students by helping them use the CMS to access course materials and participate in course events, such as tests and discussion boards, and providing user management services as needed (changing passwords, resetting timed events, etc.)
4. Serves as a liaison between Missouri State Online and the Academic Technology Associate, who administers the CMS, regarding issues with the CMS.
5. Provides administrative support services to the Distance Learning department by reconciling and maintaining accounts, serving as p-card coordinator, assisting with mailings relating to online classes, preparing personnel action forms, processing student payroll, and preparing correspondence, etc.
6. Works with the Media Production Coordinator by duplicating and captioning multimedia materials, determining the priority of telecourses requiring transcription, and supervising the production of transcripts.
7. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
8. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as directed by the Director of Academic Outreach and Distance Learning.
9. Contributes to the overall success of the Distance Learning by performing all other duties as assigned.
SUPERVISION
The Technical Support Specialist is supervised by the Director of Academic Outreach and Distance Learning and supervises student employees.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED JANUARY 2017
