What are the responsibilities and job description for the Higher Education Adminstrator position at Operation Restoration?
Job Description
Higher Ed Administrator
Classification: Full-time Exempt
Reports to: Education Administration Specialist
Program: Operation Education
About Operation Restoration:
Operation Restoration (OR) supports women and girls impacted by incarceration to recognize their full potential, restore their lives, and discover new possibilities. At OR, we focus on advocacy, education, economic mobility, and true economic equity for our staff, clients, and community. Our goal is to end the incarceration of women and girls. Incarceration is defined as confinement in prison, jail, immigrant, juvenile or military detention, or a deportation facility. Directly impacted women and girls are those that are or have been incarcerated, arrested, are on probation and/or parole.
About the Position:
Under the direction of the Education Administration Specialist, the Higher Ed Administrator manages higher education programming provided by Operation Restoration, including working closely with the Tulane School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) in administering the College in Prison Program.
Duties and Responsibilities:
College in Prison Program:
Provide administrative support in the development, implementation, funding, and marketing of higher education programs under Operation Education.
- Serve as a liaison between students, faculty, staff, other departments, and/or external constituencies on day-to-day programmatic, operational, and administrative issues with the College in Prison Program.
- Develop and participate in program development of funding proposals for higher education programming.
- Provide input in the development of course catalogs, promotional materials, educational materials, training manuals, newsletters, and/or brochures to further highlight the goals of the College in Prison Program.
- Perform or delegate clerical and administrative support tasks, including the creation, typing, and editing of program correspondence, purchasing materials, reports, program handbooks, and other publications of the College in Prison Program.
- Complete purchase orders for the College in Prison Program.
- Train and assist College in Prison Program instructors.
- Check in regularly with College in Prison Program students to support them in meeting their educational goals.
- Assist with grant and/or proposal writing as appropriate to the objectives and funding nature of the College in Prison Program and participate in other fundraising activities.
- Solicit donations for the College in Prison Program from individuals, corporations, and community groups.
Communicate with education staff and wardens at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) and the Department of Public Safety & Corrections (DPS&C) to coordinate logistics for the College in Prison Program.- Provide support with writing and research for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation process for the College in Prison Program.
- Communicate with the Tulane School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) to coordinate creating course materials, registering students and instructors, maintaining and sending student records, among other duties.
- Coordinate OR staff, contractors, and other parties for special projects related to the College in Prison Program.
- Collaborate with Operation Restoration staff on an ongoing basis to ensure that OR’s higher education programs align with OR’s mission, vision, and organizational structure.
- Collaborate with Tulane SoPA and LCIW administration on the student selection process when a new cohort is admitted into the College in Prison Program.
- Ensure that instructors and volunteers are cleared by DPS&C each semester and are set up in the learning management system.
- Provide orientations and training for instructors and volunteers each semester.
- Manage instructor contracts and monthly invoices each semester.
- Identify course textbooks needed each semester for both currently and formerly incarcerated students and work with OR staff in ordering textbooks and student supplies in a timely manner.
- Work with LCIW administration to approve, deliver, and pick up all student course materials each semester.
- Ensure that the students’ immediate needs are met during the time of release, specifically as these needs relate to continuing their higher education, which may include hands-on assistance.
- Assist Tulane SoPA in pursuing PEP status with the Department of Education to secure federal and state student financial aid.
- Develop and administer work-based learning (WBL) opportunities for currently and formerly incarcerated students, such as the National Science Foundation REU summer internship program for formerly incarcerated students on Tulane’s main campus.
- Teach in the College in Prison Program, when needed (as part of regular workload).
- Perform other miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
Committee & Task Force Participation:- Network and collaborate with various groups involved in promoting, improving, and expanding Higher Education in Prison (HEP) opportunities at the national, regional, and state levels.
- Represent Operation Restoration as the HEP liaison in regional and statewide advocacy efforts and serve on various HEP committees.
- Serve on the Steering Committee for the Southern Conference of Higher Education in Prison Collective (SCHEPC) to represent Operation Restoration’s interests and provide assistance to programs throughout the Deep South region.
- Participate in Progress Louisiana's Reentry Collective Meetings to advise and develop proposed legislation related to HEP.
- Serve on the Legislative Task Force for Education in Prison to contribute to policy discussions and legislative initiatives supporting HEP expansion.
- Remain active in the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison and participate in their annual National Conference on Higher Education in Prison (NCHEP).
- Participate in the Louisiana Prison Education Task Force to support policy and program development.
- Engage with the Unlock Higher Ed Committee to advocate for expanded access to education for incarcerated individuals.
Other:
- Collaborate daily with Operation Restoration staff to meet to ensure organizational effectiveness.
- Provide hands-on assistance with returning students to continue their studies and identify higher education opportunities available to them.
- Develop, expand, and administer the REU summer internship program for returning students on Tulane’s main campus.
- Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications and Skills:
- Detailed oriented with strong organizational skills.
- Ability to multi-task and problem-solve.
- Proactive: comfortable taking appropriate initiative.
- Bachelor’s degree required; Graduate degree preferred.
- 3-5 years of experience in Adult Education, especially with low-level literacy students.
- Experience working with formerly incarcerated women is preferred.
- Experience with curriculum development and fundraising.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with various constituencies in a diverse community.
- Ability to lead and train staff and/or students.
- Ability to interact with students, faculty, and/or staff in a team environment.
- Commitment to criminal justice reform.
- Excellent computer skills. Regular use of Microsoft Office and Google products.
- Ability to work well with diverse individuals and groups, balance needs, and employ objectivity.
- Ability to manage timelines, prioritize multiple products, and meet demanding deadlines.
- Ability to communicate effectively.
- Ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team.
- Flexibility to meet student needs and organizational changes.
