ESS Education is seeking a Technical Support Specialist to join our onsite team in Portland, Michigan. This Tier 1 role provides telephone, chat, and email support to partner school districts and their staff, with opportunities to triage issues, escalate to Tier 2, or route to the appropriate department. The position offers a starting pay of $15 to $16 per hour, a clear path for growth, and a collaborative, mission-driven culture focused on serving educators and students.
Benefits
- Health insurance including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability
- 401(k)
- Nine paid holidays
- PTO
- Opportunity for growth
Overview
We are expanding our Portland, MI Midwest Regional office and are looking for Tier 1 Support Specialists to deliver dependable telephone, chat, and email assistance to partner districts and associated staff. The role supports a growing client base, contributing to high-quality service as we scale our operations.
Responsibilities
- Handle calls, emails, and live chats professionally; assess inquiries from clients and staff, resolve what you can, or escalate to Tier 2 or the appropriate department in a timely manner
- Maintain and update data in willSub
- Process inbound feature requests, identify business needs, and provide support
- Own and troubleshoot straightforward issues in a single customer interaction to maximize the experience
- Escalate complex requests to Tier 2 to ensure prompt resolution
- Prepare and compile reports for designated client contacts
- Prioritize and manage support tickets, escalating as necessary through proper channels
- Deliver informal training to customers and colleagues
- Assist in designing and developing curricula and training modules
- Perform other duties as assigned
Requirements
- Minimum 1 year of customer service, software support, or high-volume call center experience preferred
- Excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment
- High level of accuracy in data entry
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work independently and in a team
- Ability to multi-task and perform effectively under pressure
- Strong prioritization and organizational capabilities
- Self-starter who actively learns our systems and stays current with new features or updates
- Attention to detail and follow-up in a fast-paced setting
Technologies
- willSub
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
Work Environment
- Physical requirements may vary; duties may involve sitting, standing, and walking, with use of hands and arms; close vision needed for computer tasks
- Typically a moderate-noise environment found in office or school settings with light activity
About ESS
ESS specializes in placing qualified K-12 personnel in daily, long-term, and permanent school district roles, including substitute teachers, aides, and other support staff. With more than 900 school district partners nationwide, ESS supports over 5.5 million students each day. Since 2000, ESS has supported student achievement while offering flexible schedules and benefits to its workforce.
Equal Opportunity
ESS is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
