Technical Writer II

Technical Writer PositionThe Department of Public Instruction is seeking a Technical Writer. This position will serve as a member of the Customer Services Team under the Division of Libraries and Technology. The Customer Services Team is responsible for assisting in a statewide data collection program called WISEdata. Data collected is also used to feed other vendor systems which streamlines data collections and reduces redundancy. WISEdata integrates with WISEid, our identity management system. In addition, WISEdata provides the data used by DPI’s WISEdash business intelligence and reporting system used for public reporting and by client districts and schools.The Customer Services Team also assists in collecting staff data through a statewide data collection application called WISEstaff. In addition, the team maintains School Directory data, hosts the annual WISEdata Conference, and handles DPI application security. The team provides communications, workshops, training materials, and data submission guidance to schools. The Technical Writer position is responsible for understanding, creating, and maintaining all user-facing documentation, training materials, and general communications for the WISE applications and other Customer Service efforts.The position will communicate and disseminate complex and technical information more easily to customers. Under general supervision of the Customer Services Team manager, this person will work closely with others to accomplish project objectives, or function independently to accomplish daily work requirements as a member of the Customer Services Team. Objectives, priorities and deadlines are established in consultation with the department program area leaders, project managers, and the Customer Services Team manager.Goals and Work Activities:Create and Maintain End User Documentation (60%)Provide documentation on DPI webpages to explain the most up-to-date data submission guidanceWrite and maintain knowledge base articles and webpage contentCollaborate with many internal DPI teams on software development, requirements, policies, and data submission best practicesUnderstand WISEdata Ed-Fi Integration and WISE applicationsRecognize software or training issues impacting client schools and determine documentation needs/gapsSelect appropriate medium for message or audience, such as manuals, videos, or e-learningsStandardize content across platforms and mediaRevise documents as new issues and updates ariseCreate and communicate application release notesAssess and address current documentation to improve user experience and understandingCreate and Maintain Training Materials (20%)Work with trainer and other team members to develop new user training materialsDevelop and maintain application training materials, including e-learning courses, user guides, and tutorialsAttend conferences to present, train, and support DPI WISE systems, as neededCollaborate with the Customer Services Team for team projects, training, and general understandingReview presentation slides for grammatical and content accuracyCo-create training video script contentDraft Mass and Targeted Communications (15%)Work with subject matter experts on communication contentDraft communications to various audiences with different objectivesWork with internal stakeholders to review content and ensure accuracySend communications as neededProfessional Development and Other Duties as Assigned (5%)Keep abreast of updates to applications and proceduresParticipate in meetings and trainings, as appropriate, including participating in WISE User GroupsParticipate in related professional development activitiesMaintain awareness of operating procedures, activities, and best practices of the team and divisionOther duties as may be assignedRequired Skills:Strong written and verbal communication skillsExperience performing external communicationsAbility to work well independentlyAbility to process and document a fundamental understanding of end-to-end customer experience integration and dependenciesPreparation and maintenance of documentation and training materialsExperience writing about a technical, software systemRequired Technical Skills:Ability to grasp technical concepts and communicate with product owners and subject matter expertsMust have proficiency with Google suitePreferred Experience:Experience working with education software systems at the school, district, or state levelsUnderstanding of application programming interface (API) technologiesKnowledge of data warehousing and reportingExperience with Drupal webpage content managementExperience writing knowledge base articles