EIPA Interpreter & Administrative Specialist

Provides essential operational and communication support to the entire Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) team, serving as the first point of contact for test candidates, state agency partners, and local test administrators. Brings firsthand understanding of the educational interpreting profession and the EIPA assessment program by being fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) as a Nationally Certified Interpreter. Engages credibly and knowledgeably with the Educational Interpreting and Deaf Communities, responds accurately to candidate inquiries, and communicates effectively across hearing and Deaf cultural contexts. Supports the broader EIPA team by coordinating interpreter hiring for assessment-related activities, provides basic technical support to local test administrators, maintains organizational systems, and contributes to the smooth execution of EIPA operations day to day. MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES: Serves as the primary point of contact for EIPA test candidates — responding to inquiries via email, phone, and video (ASL/English) regarding registration, scheduling, score reports, credential verification, and program policies. Communicates professionally with state education agencies, school districts, and interpreter preparation programs regarding EIPA procedures, deadlines, and requirements. Drafts, reviews, and sends routine program correspondence on behalf of the EIPA team, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and alignment with EIPA messaging standards. Manages the EIPA general inbox; triages, routes, and responds to incoming communications within established timelines; flags urgent or sensitive matters to the Director. Maintains a log of candidate and agency inquiries; identifies recurring questions or issues and brings patterns to the Director's attention for process improvement or FAQ development. Coordinates candidate accommodations requests in collaboration with the Test Operations & Compliance Analyst, ensuring timely processing and documentation. Manages the EIPA team calendar, including scheduling internal meetings, external partner calls, rater calibration sessions, SME panels, and Director appointments. Prepares meeting agendas, compile background materials, take and distribute meeting notes, and track action items to completion. Maintains organized filing systems (digital and physical) for EIPA administrative records, contracts, correspondence, and candidate documentation in accordance with data privacy and retention policies. Processes and route forms, invoices, purchase orders, and expense reports; coordinate with institutional finance and administrative offices on behalf of the EIPA team. Supports document preparation for the Director, including formatting reports, presentations, and correspondence for internal and external audiences. Maintains and updates EIPA contact databases, stakeholder directories, and mailing lists. Orders and manages office supplies and program materials; coordinate shipping and receipt of test-related materials as needed. Provides ASL/English interpreting services for EIPA-related activities, including rater training events, SME panels, standard-setting sessions, professional development workshops, and stakeholder meetings; coordinate additional interpreter coverage as needed to ensure appropriate team interpreting protocols are followed. Coordinates the recruitment, screening, and hiring of qualified ASL/English interpreters for EIPA engagements; maintains a roster of vetted interpreter candidates; verifies credentials, experience, and availability; manages scheduling and contracting in coordination with the Compliance Manager. Serves as the on-site or virtual interpreter and interpreter coordinator for EIPA events, ensuring interpreting services — including one's own — are appropriately matched to context, participant needs, and setting demands. Applies professional knowledge of interpreter ethics, working conditions, and team interpreting protocols to uphold quality and equity in all interpreted settings, modeling best practices for contracted interpreters. Monitors and evaluates interpreter performance, including self-reflection on one's own interpreting work, and provide feedback to the Director on suitability and quality for future EIPA engagements. Escalates technical issues to the Test Operations & Compliance Analyst or institutional IT support with clear documentation of the issue and steps already taken. Maintains a troubleshooting log and contribute to the development of administrator support resources (FAQs, quick-start guides, how-to documents) in collaboration with the Content Development Specialist. Assists with testing platform updates by participating in user acceptance testing and reporting usability issues to operations staff. Provides administrative support across all EIPA functional areas — scoring operations, content development, compliance, and stakeholder engagement — as directed by the Director. Assists with coordination of professional development events, including logistical planning, participant communications, materials preparation, and post-event follow-up. Supports EIPA data entry and record maintenance in assessment platforms, candidate management systems, and credential databases, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Assists with preparation of credential verification letters, score confirmation communications, and other official candidate-facing documents. Contributes to maintaining the EIPA program's professional image through consistent, accurate, and culturally responsive communication in both English and ASL contexts. Participates in team meetings, staff development activities, and organizational initiatives as required. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Advanced ASL receptive and expressive skills; knowledge of interpreter ethics (RID Code of Professional Conduct); understanding of team interpreting protocols; awareness of Deaf c