Program Operations Manager

Program Operations Manager

Freedom Education Project Puget Sound (FEPPS) is a nonprofit that offers a college program leading to an Associates of Arts and a Bachelors of Liberal Studies degree inside the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) in Gig Harbor, WA. FEPPS provides an accredited college program for incarcerated women, trans-identified and gender nonconforming people in Washington, and creates pathways to higher education after students are released from prison. Founded in 2011 by women inside WCCW, FEPPS provides an Associate of Arts degree accredited by Tacoma Community College and a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree accredited by University of Puget Sound. Prior to COVID, FEPPS supported a student body of 80 to 120 students. We continued to offer classes throughout the pandemic, but serving fewer students, and are now rebuilding programs. For more information, please visit www.fepps.org.

Position Overview

The primary responsibilities of this position role include:

• Managing the on-site logistics for class operations at WCCW.
• Serving as primary point of contact and maintaining communication with the student body.
• Serve as registrar, with primary responsibility for student records.
• Building strong working relationships with the prison’s administrative and living unit staff.

This role requires a self-motivated person with excellent interpersonal, organizational, and project management skills. It requires meticulous attention to detail, strong working memory, and the ability to manage a fast-paced flow of tasks and information in a setting where digital tools for communication and task management are not always accessible. 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. This position typically spends two to three days per week at WCCW.

FEPPS is a highly collaborative effort, and this person must enjoy working as a team. The Program Operations Manager reports to the Executive Director. They collaborate closely with the Academic Program Manager and BA Program Director who oversee academic aspects of the AA and BA programs respectively with regard to course offerings, faculty selection and support, and academic policies and standards. 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 for this position will have some experience working in higher education, with a strong commitment to social justice and to providing academically rigorous educational opportunities to students with highly diverse academic backgrounds and learning styles.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the day-to-day operations of FEPPS college program at WCCW.
• Coordinate on-site logistics for classes and study halls, including room scheduling, AV needs, and student call-outs.
• Coordinate and communicate with instructors to ensure that they have necessary printed handouts, classroom supplies, and AV equipment, are apprised of conditions inside the prison affecting classes and students, and are aware of critical dates and deadlines.
• Maintain ongoing communication with students, and distribute class sign-up forms, course schedules, notifications of upcoming events, surveys, and general updates.
• Order student and classroom supplies, and oversee processes for distributing supplies, textbooks and course readers each term. Collect and inventory textbooks and other loaned supplies each term.
• If/when paper-based distance learning is necessary due to COVID circumstances, facilitate the pickup and distribution of materials for students and faculty.
• Work with instructors to ensure that grades are submitted in a timely manner, provided to students, and submitted to Tacoma Community College and University of Puget Sound.
• Distribute and collect course evaluations.
• Maintain and communicate master calendars, tasks and timelines for current and upcoming quarters.
• Collaborate with the Academic Program Manager and BA Program Director to ensure consistent and fair application of policies for enrollment, attendance, and academic integrity.
• Update and maintain program documentation to reflect current processes and academic requirements.
• Coordinate in-prison logistics for the annual FEPPS graduation ceremony.
• Build and maintain relationships with students and TCC staff at WCCW and on main campus
• Stay apprised of policy and operational changes at the prison, and maintain good working relationships with administrative staff.
• Maintain complete and accurate student records.
• Oversee student enrollment and course registration processes.
• Maintain complete and accurate student records, including:
• Maintain updated student enrollment rosters
• Enter grades
• Verify high school diploma/GED and past college credits for prospective students
• Track status and expected release dates of students
• Maintain and modify the student records database and run reports as needed
• Track student transcript requests, and order transcripts for new and releasing students. Maintain policies and procedures for transcript requests and release of information documentation.
• Build tracking and check-in systems for students close to degree completion and release, and submit student transfer hold lists to the DOC on a quarterly basis.
• Work as part of a team to recruit and support teaching faculty and set quarterly course offerings.
• As part of the quarterly course planning process, provide information to the Academic Program Manager on course priorities for overall student degree progress and completion.
• Coordinate with the Academic Program Manager to arrange visits to WCCW for new/prospective instructors.
• Manage processes for DOC/WCCW credentialing and orientation for instructors and volunteers, and compliance with yearly training requirements.
• Participate in instructor orientation sessions, and assist with logistics.
• As part of a team, support overall student community and leadership.
• Collaborate with the Advisory Council to identify and support specific programmatic, administrative, and outreach roles performed by Council members.
• Collaborate with the Advisory Council and Academic Program Manager to hold at least one all-student meeting each year.
• General program and 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 Academic Program Manager as needed during absences.
• Attend FEPPS weekly staff meetings and monthly Student Advisory Council meetings.

Qualifications

• Deep commitment to social justice and to furthering the mission of FEPPS.
• Commitment to collegiality, collaboration, and working in an organization in which the people served have shared leadership and decision-making.
• At least two years of post-secondary education and two years of relevant program management experience; or, an equivalent combination of education, training and work.
• 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.
• Meticulous attention to detail, strong working memory, and the ability to manage a fast-paced flow of tasks and information.
• Strong project management skills, and effective use of team project management tools.
• Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility and well-developed time management, project management, and planning skills. Ability to work independently and manage multiple ongoing projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Capacity to work effectively, diplomatically, and sensitively with a wide range of constituents, partners, and stakeholders. Sensitivity to the particular circumstances and experiences of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Strong computer skills including high proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word. Prior experience with CRM or student records databases, or ability to learn.
• Prior experience supervising volunteers, work-study students, interns, or staff would be valuable but not required.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel regularly to Gig Harbor.
• Some evening and weekend time required.

Compensation and benefits: This is a full-time non-exempt position. Salary is $78,000 per year, plus full medical/dental insurance and generous paid leave and holidays.