FEPPS is looking to fill our full-time role of Academic Program Manager. This person is responsible for coordinating all of the academic planning, professor recruitment and training, and academic structure for the FEPPS college education program inside Washington Corrections Center for Women. They will act as a direct support for our student body and will work closely with students to develop and facilitate other academic engagement opportunities. We are looking for someone with knowledge of working in the college environment, specifically teaching and administrative experience. We also require excellent communication and time management skills. This position does require working in person in the prison in Gig Harbor 3 days/week. A full position description is attached.

Position Overview

The primary responsibilities of this position role include:

• Setting quarterly course offerings and overseeing curricular and academic standards and quality.

• Recruitment, pedagogical support, and oversight of teaching faculty.

• Coordinating and overseeing the student admission process.

• Developing and offering enrichment programming, scholarly opportunities, and student advising sessions.

• Engaging, supporting, and facilitating collaboration with FEPPS leadership inside WCCW.

This role requires a commitment to the transformative and liberatory capacity of education, and familiarity with educational and pedagogical approaches that integrate anti-oppression and anti-racist principles and practices. It requires a self-motivated person with excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects. The position also requires effective communication with students, prison staff, faculty, and college administrators, which includes confidence and skill in navigating complex power relationships, ambiguity, and conflict. The Academic Program Manager typically spends at least one day per week at WCCW.

FEPPS is a highly collaborative effort, and this person must enjoy working as a team. The Academic Program Manager reports to the Executive Director. They collaborate closely the Operations Program Manager, who oversees the logistical operations of the program at the prison. All staff collaborate with the FEPPS Student Advisory Council which provides guidance, feedback, and co-leadership for the FEPPS program inside WCCW.

The ideal candidate will have relevant experience in a higher education setting, and ideally direct experience teaching at the college level.

Responsibilities

Oversee academic aspects of the AA program.

• Set AA course offerings for each term as part of a yearly schedule that allows students to progress towards earning their degree and pursuing further education. Coordinate with the Program Operations Manager to set the quarterly course schedule and communicate it to students and instructors.

• Collect, review and submit syllabi and instructor credentials to the accrediting institutions.

• Oversee the procurement and budgets for textbooks, course readers, and other academic materials.

• Oversee the student admissions processes, including outreach, information sessions, math and English placement testing, and final admission decisions.

• Distribute and collect course evaluations.

• Maintain Student Handbooks, and collaborate with the Program Operations Manager, BA Program Director, and partnering college’s Dean of Correctional Education to ensure consistent and fair application of policies for enrollment, attendance, grades, and academic integrity.

• Review course and instructor evaluations, and respond/make adjustments as needed.

• Hold individual and group academic advising sessions with students, and arrange for sessions with campus-based advising.

• Build and maintain relationships with students, partnering college’s staff at WCCW and on main campus, and WCCW administration.

• Participate in long-term and strategic planning for the academic programs.

Work as part of a team to recruit, on-board, and support FEPPS teaching faculty.

• Take the lead in recruiting and selecting faculty for the AA program. Meet with and give feedback on prospective BA faculty as requested by the BA Program Director.

• Maintain master calendar and task assignments for recruitment and on-boarding of faculty for future quarters.

• Develop and organize joint orientation and professional development sessions for AA and BA faculty.

• Provide ongoing support to instructors on classroom and pedagogical questions and challenges, including doing in-classroom visits as needed.

• Maintain contact and good working relationships with former instructors, keeping them connected to FEPPS and part of future curricular planning.

• Once in a Pell model, collate appropriate data and follow reporting guidelines.

• Compile quarterly report for DOC.

Develop student enrichment offerings and academic scholarship opportunities.

• Collaborate with students, instructors and volunteers to offer high-quality academic enrichment programs such as film or lecture series, literary journal, etc.

• Identify and pursue opportunities for students at WCCW to participate in broader academic scholarship, such as submitting writing or research for publication, or virtually attending or presenting at conferences.

As part of a team, support overall student community and leadership.

• Serve as primary point of contact with the Student Advisory Council. Schedule regular meetings as well as special meetings as needed, and ensure regular communication between the Council and staff.

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Council members to develop meeting agendas, group development/learning activities, strategic priorities, and decision-making processes.

• Collaborate with the Advisory Council to identify and support specific programmatic, administrative, outreach, and leadership development roles performed by Council members.

• Collaborate with the Advisory Council and Program Operations Manager to hold at least one all-student meeting each year.

General organizational duties:

• Adhere to all relevant policies of the Department of Corrections and Washington Corrections Center for Women, and maintain up-to-date training requirements.

• Provide backup coverage for Program Operations Manager as needed during absences.

• Participate as requested in external coalitions and partnerships related to higher education in prison and dismantling mass incarceration.

• Provide backup coverage for Program Operations Manager as needed during absences.

• Attend FEPPS weekly staff meetings.

• Assist as requested with FEPPS community events, fundraising efforts, funder visits to WCCW, and annual graduation ceremony.

Qualifications

• Deep commitment to social justice and to furthering the mission and growth of FEPPS.

• Commitment to working in an organization in which the people served have shared leadership and decision-making, and willingness to examine and address how issues of equity, race, and gender identity show up and affect the organization and its work.

• Two years of relevant experience in an academic or educational setting, ideally including teaching experience at the post-secondary level.

• Formerly incarcerated people encouraged to apply. This staff position must be able to work as a credentialled contractor inside WCCW, which means that they must be off of state or federal correctional supervision for at least two years. Additional restrictions related to conviction may apply. Please note that these restrictions are set by the Department of Corrections, not by FEPPS.

• Exceptional professionalism, including excellent written and verbal communication skills, and commitment to collegiality and collaboration.

• Ability to work independently and to manage multiple ongoing projects. Self-motivated, with strong sense of personal responsibility and strong time management and long-term planning skills.

• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including students, staff colleagues, academic staff, teachers, prison staff and administrators, and donors.

• Skill in navigating complex power relationships and dealing constructively with ambiguity and conflict.

• Prior experience supervising volunteers, students, interns, or staff would be valuable but not required.

• Sensitivity to the particular circumstances and experiences of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students, and ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and CRM or student records database.

• The person in this position needs to occasionally lift and move supplies, equipment, and textbooks, which can be done with the aid of a cart but requires bending and lifting.

• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel regularly between Seattle, Tacoma, and Gig Harbor. WCCW is not accessible by public transportation.

• Some evening and weekend time required.

Compensation and benefits: This is a full-time exempt position Salary is $78,000 per year, plus full medical/dental insurance and generous paid leave and holidays. We also provide an annual professional development stipend.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $78,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 4 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Weekends as needed

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Ability to Commute:

• Gig Harbor, WA 98332 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Gig Harbor, WA 98332: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person