Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Application Specialist

Class: Classified | Exempt status: Non-Exempt | Grade: 25

Under the direction of management, the Application Specialist helps to keep PCC enterprise applications running smoothly and operating properly. Resolves tickets and provides administrative and technical support and guidance on PCC applications to users and others in IT. Troubleshoots issues, fixes bugs, installs and maintains applications with regular updates. Writes support and procedure documents, helps develop requirements and detailed specifications and works according to those requirements and specifications. Works independently under specified objectives and applies advanced troubleshooting techniques to identify, diagnose and correct application problems; escalates issues to vendors and works with vendors for solutions

Distinguishing Characteristics

This position is responsible for maintaining and providing support on applications in the PCC IT enterprise portfolio.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

1. Supports and administers enterprise applications including implementation, installation, configuration, and developing concepts and documentation. Helps create requirements and detailed specifications and works according to those requirements and specifications.
2. Provides daily and proactive monitoring, maintenance, and regular updates to PCC enterprise applications.
3. Tests, troubleshoots, corrects, and uses diagnostic tools and utilities to resolve application problems. Escalates issues to vendors and works with vendors for solutions.
4. Answers queries and resolve issues with applications and escalates or closes tickets as necessary.
5. Works with PCC technical staff, customer representatives, vendors and contractors to resolve problems and to  provide application consulting and assistance with planning activities and end user support.
6. Manages security aspects affecting assigned applications and areas including analysis of appropriate log file entries and analyzing appropriate applications. Interprets log file anomalies and takes appropriate corrective and/or preventative actions.
7. Ensures integration between systems, identifies standards, and prioritizes project tasks and other activities to meet stakeholder needs.
8. Gathers and analyzes data to help with decisions related to performance, capacity, and fault tolerance.
9. Understands how customers use applications and supports end users by developing reporting tools, supplying training and technical support and/or documentation and creating a user-friendly environment that promotes self-sufficiency.
10. Contributes to the maintenance and updating of documentation and procedures. Orients user personnel on new or changed procedures.
11. Maintains up-to-date technical skills and stays current with developments in application administration and recommends ways for PCC to take advantage of new technology and procedures.
12. May provide functional direction to technical staff and/or student employees. Obtains advice and provides direction when precedents are unclear or unavailable.
13. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office environment with frequent interruptions and work pressure due to multiple priorities and deadlines. Exposure to video display terminals occurs on a regular basis. Working conditions may require various shifts and/or weekends to provide incident response and pre-scheduled maintenance tasks.

Minimum Qualifications

Associate’s degree in Computer Information Systems or related discipline. Relevant experience may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Two (2) years of applied work experience in software support services required. Must possess state-of-the-art knowledge of enterprise application technology (i.e. KACE, Adobe, ImageNow) and other client service applications (i.e. JAMF, Ghost, DeepFreeze, LANSchool) and be familiar with software diagnostics.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• State-of-the-art knowledge of enterprise application technology (i.e. KACE, Adobe, ImageNow) and other client service applications (i.e. JAMF, Ghost, DeepFreeze, LANSchool);
• Maintenance, administration, and troubleshooting practices for enterprise applications.

Skills in:

• Operating effectively in a complex environment involving multiple applications and a variety of technologies at several locations;
• Recognizing and resolving application related problems;
• Working independently and making necessary decisions throughout the application process;
• Responding to emergency situations;
• Planning, organizing, and documenting complex application activities;
• Configuring applications to be consistent with institutional policies and procedures.

Ability to:

• Recognize and resolve production problems;
• Collaborate and work in a team environment;
• Communicate technical and complex information both orally and in writing.

New: 3/2022

Portland Community College is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other protected class.