Vocational Education Program Specialist

About the role

The Vocational Education Program Specialist (VEPS) manages licensing and regulatory compliance for over 300 private career schools across Washington, protecting more than 35,000 students. Reporting to the Consumer Protection Unit Director, the VEPS handles administrative oversight, interprets regulations, and enforces the Private Vocational School Act (RCW 28C.10).

Duties

• Review and approve private vocational school licensing applications by analyzing business plans, financial statements, and faculty qualifications.
• Evaluate instructional programs and facility resources to ensure schools can deliver advertised training.
• Audit institutional compliance using statutory and regulatory criteria under RCW 28C.10 and WAC 490-105.
• Determine overall institutional viability and identify operational deficiencies by applying established licensing standards.
• Review institutional documentation and practices to ensure the adequacy of program delivery.
• Protect students and ensure institutions achieve their stated educational objectives.
• Interpret and communicate licensing requirements, regulatory procedures, and compliance expectations to school representatives and stakeholders using RCW, WAC, and agency policies.
• Deliver information and guidance on application and renewal processes through verbal, written, in-person, or virtual presentations.
• Mediate student-institution disputes through informal conflict resolution and conduct formal complaint investigations by gathering evidence, interviewing parties, and applying regulatory standards to produce defensible findings.
• Other duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Three (3) years of professional experience performing administrative and/or regulatory work involving the compilation, analysis, and evaluation of information, data, and facts to determine eligibility, compliance with laws or program requirements, or to make recommendations for management action.
• Proficiency with licensing and regulatory data management systems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Adobe Acrobat.

Supplemental Information

• To apply, click “Apply” at the top of this page to start your application. Provide a letter of interest, current resume, and at least three professional references with current contact information.
• For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact George Deguzman via email at jobs@des.wa.gov.