Course Materials Specialist

Position Title: Course Materials Specialist

Department: Ichabod Shop

Advertised Pay: $15.02/hour base with the potential for a higher entry rate commensurate with experience

Campus Location: Washburn University

Application Deadline:  Application review will begin as applications are received and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants can be assured of full consideration if submitted by February 16, 2026.

Position Summary: The Course Materials Specialist is responsible for a high level of expertise in specific areas of the Ichabod Shop. Along with excellent customer service, the Course Materials Specialist will demonstrate extensive experience and competence in the distinctive responsibilities of a higher education retail operation. This position facilitates communication with the faculty for course material and supply adoptions, generates purchase orders, and sets the sales floor for each term.

About Washburn University: Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution located in the metropolitan setting of Topeka that has earned national recognition for its high-impact programs for first-generation students. Washburn has a student body of over 5,500 undergraduate, graduate, and law students, a significant and growing number of whom are first-generation and Pell-Grant eligible. The University has created educational pathways for all students to be successful and achieve their educational goals.

Washburn is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a dynamic faculty, staff, and student body and cultivating a robust learning and working environment and curriculum. We employ more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka and strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, and a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance. Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community and transformation. In 2024, Washburn was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to Great Colleges to Work For® program.

Essential Functions:
• Provide excellent customer service through timely, accurate, and professional service during every customer interaction, utilizing knowledge of standard operating procedures.
• Assist as needed, especially during back-to-school rush.
• Contact faculty and/or educational departments to determine course material and classroom supply needs for each term. Follow up to discuss edition changes, no adoption, out of stock, etc. Assist the Coordinator of Course Materials in growing and maintaining the Day1 Access program.
• Work with departments on procuring class sets used on all campuses.
• Responsible for determining quantities of course materials needed. Identify suppliers and place orders with publishers/distributors. Coordinate with Shipping/Receiving to ensure materials are available for customers.
• Work with distributors and staff to return unsold/unused textbooks or buybacks. Audit return lists and credits received. Work to resolve discrepancies.
• Support cross-departmental sales by cashiering, locating merchandise, facilitating special orders, and providing product knowledge as requested.
• Develop, maintain, and/or assist with open-to-buy allocations for course materials, general trade, and supplies according to industry practices. Compile and assess sales data to identify trends, ROI, and inventory turns, and provide summaries of area performance to support purchase decisions.
• Establish and maintain professional relationships with faculty, staff, and students across campus to identify classroom needs and interests.
• Help train and educate staff in operations.
• Conduct or assist with semester and fiscal year-end inventory to track sales and returns for financial record-keeping and reporting.
• Share in opening/closing duties for the Shop and may be required to work periodically on evenings and weekends.
• Pursue professional development opportunities for individual growth and to improve performance.
• Performs additional job-related duties as assigned or as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:
• High School diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• Two years of experience in a retail environment with ordering and/or shipping/receiving responsibilities.
• Experience with automated ordering and receiving software.
• Proven effective interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software, specifically Excel, Outlook, and Word.

Physical Requirements:
• Ability to move/maneuver items weighing up to 40 pounds periodically, depending on focus.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Knowledge of higher education adoption platforms.

Hourly, Full-time
Background Check Required