The Program Specialist for the UT Plays Program serves as a central hub of support, communication, and coordination for teacher candidates, mentor teachers, faculty, and district partners. This position combines academic evaluation, program administration, and relationship-building to ensure exceptional candidate experiences and high-quality licensure outcomes.

This position manages and oversees all aspects of candidate support, licensure pathways, and program operations to ensure teacher candidates progress smoothly through preparation and endorsement requirements. The role requires exercising sound judgment in making decisions about grading, enrollment, fiscal operations, and learner support, as well as proactively identifying challenges and implementing solutions to improve candidate outcomes. In addition, the position serves as the lead point of contact for initial licensure, mentor training, and district partnerships, making independent determinations on compliance, communication, and collaboration with external stakeholders. Finally, the role drives program growth and continuous improvement through curriculum updates, data management, reporting, and professional development, using evidence-based decision making to guide program enhancements and strengthen institutional and district partnerships.

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Join the UT Plays Program, a statewide leader in innovative teacher preparation, and make a meaningful impact on the next generation of Tennessee educators! We are seeking a mission-driven Program Specialist who is passionate about ensuring future teacher success and helping current teachers advance their knowledge, skills, and competencies. In this dynamic, learner-centered role, you will guide licensure candidates from their first inquiry to program completion - providing high-quality academic support, managing critical program operations, building strong district partnerships, and ensuring compliance with state and university standards.

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Required Qualifications

• Education:

  • Master’s Degree (Education, teacher education or related)

• Experience:

  • Minimum of 3–5 years of progressively responsible experience in teacher preparation, licensure, or higher education program administration, including responsibilities such as candidate support, enrollment management, or assessment coordination.

  • Demonstrated experience in managing complex data systems (student information systems, licensure databases, or comparable platforms) with an emphasis on accuracy, reporting, and confidentiality.

  • Experience providing academic advising, candidate coaching, or learner support within an educator preparation or related academic program.

  • Documented experience in fiscal or operational management, including processing invoices, purchase orders, and program budgets.

  • Experience working collaboratively with faculty, students, and external stakeholders, such as school districts or state education agencies.

  • Proven ability to exercise independent judgment in decision-making and problem-solving in a professional educational or administrative setting.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Strong understanding of teacher preparation programs, state licensure requirements, and educator standards (e.g., TN Department of Education, CAEP, InTASC).

  • Knowledge of university academic policies, course enrollment processes, and student progression systems.

  • Familiarity with fiscal management procedures, including budgeting, purchasing, invoicing, and financial reporting.

  • Understanding of data systems and reporting tools, including database management, data integrity, and privacy/confidentiality standards (FERPA).

  • Awareness of assessment and evaluation practices in teacher education, including formative/summative evaluation cycles.

  • Project and program management skills to coordinate multiple operations such as grading, enrollment, licensure, and district partnerships.

  • Analytical skills for interpreting data, generating reports, and identifying trends for continuous improvement.

  • Advanced skills in preparing online instruction formats which may include: Powerpoint, video/audio recording/editing, using Canvas, Excel, Google forms, etc.

  • Communication skills (verbal, written, and interpersonal) to effectively interact with teacher candidates, faculty, district partners, and state agencies.

  • Training and facilitation skills for mentor teacher development, candidate support, and professional development.

  • Problem-solving and decision-making skills to address candidate issues and implement program solutions independently.

  • Technological proficiency with learning management systems (LMS), student information systems, data dashboards, and productivity tools (Microsoft Office, Excel, etc.).

  • Organizational skills for managing records, timelines, and multiple concurrent tasks with attention to detail and accuracy.

  • Ability to work independently with sound judgment, balancing multiple priorities in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.

  • Ability to interpret and apply policies, standards, and regulations related to educator preparation and licensure.

  • Ability to develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, and external school district partners.

  • Ability to design and evaluate mentor training, program improvements, and data systems that enhance candidate success.

  • Ability to communicate complex information clearly and diplomatically to diverse audiences.

  • Ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative data for reporting and continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education:

  • Doctoral Degree (Education, teacher education or related)

  • TN teacher license

• Experience:

  • 5–7 years of experience in educator preparation, licensure coordination, or program management within a university or state education context.

  • Experience supervising or training mentor teachers, field supervisors, or instructional staff.

  • Experience in teacher licensure compliance and reporting, including knowledge of state licensure pathways (e.g., Tennessee Department of Education requirements).

  • Prior involvement in continuous improvement or accreditation processes (CAEP, state reviews, or similar).

  • Experience developing and leading professional development or mentor training programs for educators.

  • Experience with data visualization or analytics tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) and preparing reports for internal or external stakeholders.

  • Experience in curriculum review or instructional design aligned with state standards or competency-based frameworks.

  • Experience establishing or maintaining district partnerships or other collaborative educational relationships.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Familiarity with HAL, TIGER Tracker, or comparable educator evaluation systems.

  • Knowledge of state and national accreditation frameworks (CAEP, Tennessee Literacy Standards, etc.).

  • Awareness of emerging trends in teacher preparation, online learning, and competency-based education.

  • Experience using data visualization and reporting software (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).

  • Skill in curriculum design and review aligned with evolving standards.

  • Strong presentation and professional writing skills, including the ability to produce reports and training materials.

  • Ability to lead professional development sessions or workshops.

  • Ability to analyze and interpret educational policies and state standards to inform programmatic decisions.

  • Ability to innovate and adapt in response to changes in licensure, accreditation, or district partnership needs.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN
• Hybrid schedule possible after successful initial training period

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR10
• Anticipated hiring range: $60,000-$65,000
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before March 1, 2026

• Resume or CV
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 Professional References

About The College/Department/Division

This position is with the UT-PLAYS program, housed within the Office of Professional Licensure in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. UT-PLAYS is a non-credit generating professional development program leading to initial teacher licensure or additional endorsements. UT-PLAYS programs are designed for working educators. UT-PLAYS is an affordable, accessible program that focuses on teacher licensure. This program does not lead to a degree, however successful completion of UT-PLAYS coursework qualifies participants to transfer six (6) credit hours into a master’s or EdS program via low-cost proficiency exam process. For detailed information about the programs please visit the UT-PLAYS website.

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Candidate Support, Assessment, and Program Management:

Course Management

• Provide comprehensive assessment and feedback on coursework assignments, projects, and assessments for both initial licensure and additional endorsement candidates
• Develop and maintain detailed rubrics aligned with state standards and university expectations
• Ensure timely turnaround of graded materials to support candidate progression through programs
• Maintain detailed gradebooks and provide analytical feedback to improve candidate performance
• Coordinate with course instructors to ensure consistent grading standards across multiple sections

Enrollment for New Candidates

• Process and review initial applications for program admission and prerequisite verification
• Maintain accurate enrollment records and communicate status updates to candidates and stakeholders
• Troubleshoot enrollment issues and provide guidance on program pathways

Fiscal Management

• Process invoices, purchase orders, and reimbursements related to program operations
• Monitor and project enrollment revenue to support strategic planning
• Coordinate with university financial services to maintain program efficiency (i.e. Subscription extensions)

Learner Support (Office Hours, Phone Calls, Emails)

• Provide individualized academic and professional guidance through scheduled office hours and on-demand consultations
• Respond to candidate inquiries regarding coursework, program requirements, and career planning
• Maintain comprehensive communication logs to track candidate interactions and interventions
• Develop and distribute informational resources to support candidate success
• Progress Monitoring for Candidates
• Implement systematic tracking systems to monitor candidate advancement through program milestones
• Identify at-risk candidates and develop intervention strategies to support completion
• Conduct regular check-ins with candidates to address challenges and celebrate achievements

Exit Interviews

• Design and conduct comprehensive exit interviews with program completers
• Analyze feedback data to identify program strengths and areas for improvement
• Track post-graduation outcomes and maintain alumni contact information
• Use exit data to inform continuous improvement initiatives
• Comprehensive Feedback on demonstration of program competencies

Database Management (Enrollments, Orders, Progress, Completion)

• Maintain complex multi-system databases
• Generate regular reports on enrollment trends, completion rates, and program metrics
• Ensure data integrity through regular audits and quality control measures
• Coordinate data sharing between systems while maintaining confidentiality requirements
• Develop automated processes to improve efficiency and reduce manual data entry errors

Supervisor Duties

• Complete Initial Benchmark Observation (with pre-conference, observation, teacher reflection, and post-conference)
• Ensure that two formative evaluations are completed each semester (Fall/Spring)
• Complete mid-year summative assessments - enter scores into HAL
• Complete end-of-year summative assessment - enter scores into HAL
• Coach and support teacher candidates
• Ensure that the TIGER Tracker is being updated by the teacher candidates

Licensure, Mentorship, Partnerships, and Compliance for Teacher Preparation:

Contact for Initial Licensure Candidates

• Serve as primary point of contact for all initial licensure program inquiries and applications
• Provide comprehensive guidance on program requirements, timelines, and expectations
• Coordinate recruitment activities and information sessions for prospective candidates
• Maintain detailed knowledge of all initial licensure pathways and requirements
• Develop and maintain resources specifically for initial licensure candidates

Mentor Training

• Design and deliver comprehensive training programs for cooperating teachers and mentors
• Coordinate with school districts to identify and prepare high-quality mentor teachers
• Develop training materials and resources aligned with best practices in mentoring
• Evaluate mentor training effectiveness and make continuous improvements
• Maintain mentor database and track training completion and renewal requirements

District Partnership Communication

• Serve as the primary contact for communication with existing district partners.
• Build and cultivate new relationships with Tennessee school districts to expand placement opportunities and partnerships.
• Coordinate field placement opportunities and supervising teacher assignments
• Organize partnership meetings and professional development opportunities
• Licensure and Compliance
• Collect and verify Praxis exam scores as part of licensure eligibility tracking.
• Collaborate to ensure timely and accurate issuance of teaching licenses to qualifying candidates.
• Improvement, Partnerships, Growth, and Data:
• District Partnership Communication
• Maintain relationships with school district partners to ensure program alignment with workforce needs

Continuous Program Improvement/Updates

• Review and revise curriculum based on state standard changes, accreditation requirements, and industry best practices
• Research and implement innovative pedagogical approaches and technologies
• Collaborate with faculty to update course content and delivery methods
• Conduct regular program reviews and develop improvement action plans

Professional Development

• Attend conferences, workshops, and training sessions to maintain current expertise in teacher preparation
• Present program outcomes and best practices at professional conferences
• Participate in professional organizations related to educator preparation
• Pursue continuing education opportunities to enhance program leadership skills

Special Projects Related to Reporting and Communicating Data

• Design and implement data collection systems for state reporting and program evaluation
• Create comprehensive reports
• Develop data visualization tools and dashboards to communicate program performance
• Conduct statistical analyses to identify trends and inform decision-making