Prison Education Assistant Director

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or status as a protected veteran. For more information regarding Evergreen's non-discrimination policies or to report discrimination, please visit the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity webpage at www.evergreen.edu/equalopportunity or contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Officer at (360) 867-5371, Room 3102 Library Building, 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, Olympia, WA 98505.

• In collaboration with ELEN Co-Directors and the Dean of Prison Education, identify EPEP short- and long-term programmatic, administrative, student service, personnel, and budget goals.
• Provide leadership in development of grants, contracts, and donations and manage resulting program or project implementation.
• Act as a consultant for the Co-Director of Curriculum in mapping out meaningful pathways to an Evergreen degree that provides opportunities for EPEP students to explore the full diversity of their academic and intellectual interests within the limitations of studying within the carceral setting.
• Brainstorming and problem solving around increasing student access to research materials.
• In collaboration with the Co-director of Curriculum, plan and provide faculty orientation.
• Lead development, implementation, and operations management for programs and collaborations supporting diverse students throughout their academic journey.
• Support EPEP faculty working in the Bachelor's degree program with logistics related to carceral classrooms; participate in EPEP faculty meetings as schedule allows.
• Work with other EPEP and College staff to provide student success services, including outreach, recruitment, registration, onboarding and orientation, academic and career advising, access services, trauma-informed and healing-centered engagement, instructional support, and graduation management for incarcerated and legally liberated scholars pursuing higher education, transitioning into college and/or successfully completing a degree.
• Facilitate communication between current and prospective EPEP students and EPEP's dedicated Financial Aid staff.
• Support communication and partnership between DOC education staff and EPEP Financial Aid staff and Student Accounts staff to support timely financial aid distribution, invoicing, and reimbursement processes.
• Assess self and team accountability to ensure the best service to students; provide compassionate, effective, and actionable feedback that aims to inspire mutual learning, growth, and professional development.
• Manage security clearances and work with others to effectively address security and other issues as they arise.

• Identify actionable educational barriers and develop strategies in collaboration with students to support student engagement, academic agency, and retention.
• In collaboration with the Co-Director of Curriculum, develop processes to gauge student academic interests to support a responsive, student-centered curriculum.
• Ensure compliance with ADA standards by informing students of their rights and facilitating access to reasonable accommodation in collaboration with Access Services and EPEP faculty.
• Provide holistic support to help students manage the emotional and cognitive demands of rigorous academic work and external stressors, including the stressors specific to studying and living within a carceral setting.
• Design and facilitate orientation programming for incoming and continuing incarcerated students that introduces them to Evergreen's unique pedagogic philosophy, including its emphasis on student agency, interdisciplinary inquiry, and collaborative learning.
• Support students in cultivating an inclusive learning community that values mutual support, fosters academic confidence and belonging, and engages difference-of experience, perspective, and identity-as essential to rigorous, thoughtful intellectual development.
• Introduce students to the expectations, norms, and resources of college life, while being mindful of, and responsive to, the specific contexts and challenges of pursuing higher education while incarcerated.

• Develop diverse partnerships, including with community organizations, state and federal agencies, education institutions, and multiple Evergreen offices and organizations.
• Using a collaborative approach, lead communications to effectively address and resolve complex program and/or organization issues and challenges.
• Coordinate with Liberation Scholars and other existing student support services at Evergreen, such as Financial Aid, Academic and Career Advising, Student Activities, Student Wellness, Admissions, Basic Needs Center, and others to support EPEP students releasing from prison to continue their studies on campus and to increase access to education, help address student success needs, maximize efficiency, develop critical redundancy, and engage in strategic differentiation.
• Foster positive relationships with all partners, including incarcerated people, students, DOC, Community Colleges, Evergreen, agency, and community organization staff and leadership.
• Engage in strategic activities that advance the mission of EPEP by leading and participating in meetings, conference calls, and working groups and presenting to a diverse range of audiences, including conferences, carceral settings, academic institutions, and community organizations.
• Coordinate with Evergreen's Marketing and Communication's office on communications, recruitment, and branding.
• Coordinate with Evergreen's Office of Advancement to pursue private funding opportunities.

• Manage tracking, reporting, shared file, and program evaluation systems and submit reports to state and federal agencies, funders and EPEP leadership, including student enrollment, financial aid, outreach, recruitment reports, etc. to comply with college, funder, state, and federal requirements.
• Manage records and correspondence with incarcerated students to support education and reentry/reintegration via approved communication and tracking systems and in accordance with federal, state, DOC, and Evergreen policies, trainings, and agreements.
• Continue the development and maintenance of EPEP file management, tracking and reporting, and documenting program processes, including systems to track student metrics at all stages from recruitment to graduation.
• Maintain student information, produce required call outs, referrals, clearance checks, etc. using DOC's database and IT systems.
• With other EPEP staff, support, manage, and monitor program budgets using Excel and Banner.
• Complete all required training courses and training requirements necessary to maintain access to WA carceral facilities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Ability to focus on student success and increasing access to education while establishing and sustaining collaborative relationships across agencies and institutions with differing priorities and perspectives, identifying and building on areas of common ground to support shared goals.
• Excellent interpersonal and advising skills, including active listening, cultural competency, caring and supportive approach, support for healthy group dynamics, respect for differences, and ability to help students clarify their educational, career, and life goals.
• Knowledge of academic and reentry/reintegration issues impacting incarcerated and legally liberated student populations, including people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
• Skill in leading, planning, developing, managing, and coordinating education, student success, or related programs within correctional facilities.
• Ability to lead EPEP staff and faculty in completing program logistics, such as security clearance processes, resolving program operation issues, tracking, reporting, and complying with training and policy requirements.
• Ability to coach staff, student employees, interns, and volunteers, including scheduling, assigning work, prioritizing tasks, setting clear goals, training, evaluating performance, and addressing job performance issues.
• Skill in developing spending plans, managing a budget, allocating resources, and tracking expenditures; ability to follow fiscal policies and procedures.
• Ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships while consistently extending respect and compassion to all team members, partners, students, and other community members.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills, including presentation, training, facilitation, agenda development, time management, and conflict management skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, including incarcerated and legally liberated people, DOC officials, college administrators, staff, faculty, and community partners.
• Ability to expand student success resources through partnerships, networking, and collaborations.
• Skill in demonstrating and supporting self-care, compassion, and community building.
• Proficiency with software applications, such as Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams and higher-ed information systems (such as Banner) with ability to learn other file and record management systems.
• Strong skills in file management, tracking and reporting, and documenting program models, systems, and procedures, including ability to design, develop, and manage systems to track student metrics at all stages from recruitment to graduation.
• Ability to work independently, be self-directed, and work collaboratively as part of a team involving multiple offices and institutions.
• Knowledge of FERPA and understanding of the importance of confidentiality of student advising sessions.
• Knowledge of and ability to stay current in curricula and reentry/reintegration resources, including through the lens of gender, racial, and social equity; knowledge of college admissions, financial aid, student employment, academic advising, counseling, tutoring, and other resources available to students.
• Ability to adapt to continually changing circumstances, address and resolve complex issues, effectively identify and manage project priorities, and develop and maintain effective systems to organize and track programs and processes.
• Commitment to equity-minded professionalism, including critical awareness of how dominant norms of professionalism are shaped by structural inequities (e.g., racism, sexism, ableism, and classism), and the ability to work across differences to increase access to education.
• Ability to provide and respond to feedback in a positive and productive manner; maintain a personal and professional growth mindset; listen to, learn from, and demonstrate value for lived, academic, and professional experience; and work effectively with all organization partners.
• Ability to transition between multiple work locations on a regular basis.
• Commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive environment for all students and colleagues and the ability to work effectively with diverse populations.
• Understand teaching and learning models at The Evergreen State College.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel to prisons, jails, and youth carceral facilities.
• Ability to maintain and model healthy professional boundaries, including being fully engaged during working hours and appropriately disconnected during personal time and scheduled time off.

• Bachelor's degree.
• One year of experience in program planning, implementation, and operations, tracking short- and long-term program goals, managing budgets, reporting, facilitating meetings, supervision, and/or developing funding proposals.
• Two years of experience working alongside individuals and communities impacted by poverty, discrimination, incarceration, addiction, interrupted education, trauma, and/or other significant barriers, with demonstrated value and respect for individual agency, dignity, and self-determination.
• Two years of experience coordinating or providing education, student success, reentry/reintegration, recovery, or related programs.

• Two years of experience managing an educational, student success, or reentry/reintegration program.
• Experience with and value for interdisciplinary education.
• Direct or indirect experience with systems of incarceration.
• Experience working with incarcerated or legally liberated people in an educational setting.
• Experience using trauma-informed, strengths-based, culturally responsive, and/or restorative approaches in program design and participant or student support.

• Must provide proof of identity and employment eligibility within three days of beginning work.
• Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.
• Prior to an official offer of employment, a Declaration Regarding Sexual Misconduct form must be submitted to the college per RCW 28B.112.080. The college will contact current and past employers to verify this information. Applicants who provide inaccurate information in their declaration will be disqualified and, if the inaccuracies are discovered after the applicant has been hired, it shall be grounds for termination.
• Must meet the eligible driver requirements: 1) Valid U.S. driver's license, 2) 18 years old or older, 3) Two or more years of fully licensed driving experience, and 4) Clean driving record with none of the following within the past 2 years: Any suspension/revocation of license for reckless driving, hit and run, leaving an accident scene, failure to appear, DUI or other vehicle-related felony; or for multiple traffic offenses (2 moving violations/infractions in 12 months/3 moving violations/infractions in 24 months) resulting in a Conditional Status driving record or subsequent suspension/revocation of license.
• Prior to a new hire, must successfully pass DOC security clearance; information from these checks will not necessarily preclude employment.
• Must fulfill all Department of Corrections Yellow Badge requirements, including "New Employee Orientation" and "Annual In-Service Trainings" necessary to maintain active access to the corrections center.
• Must be able to travel and work in off-site locations, including carceral facilities throughout the state.
• Must comply with college travel policy.
• Must be able to work evenings and weekends.