Edtech.com's Summary

University of Wisconsin - Madison is hiring an Odyssey Beyond Bars Program Manager. The manager develops and administers the Odyssey Beyond Bars academic program, coordinating courses and advising for students incarcerated in Wisconsin prisons under the Division of Continuing Studies. Day-to-day work includes liaising with Department of Corrections staff, supporting instructors and volunteers, and building systems to track program outcomes and support alumni.

Highlights

Develop and administer academic program offerings for students incarcerated in Wisconsin prisons.
Liaise with prison-specific Department of Corrections staff and the Prison Education Initiative to plan course offerings.
Build and maintain support systems for instructors, tutors, volunteers, and interns.
Orient new students each semester and create mechanisms to support program alumni and track metrics.
Provide full-service academic advising and communicate directly with students throughout the advising process.
Address structural barriers and design accessibility into the student experience for non-traditional students and students with disabilities.
May supervise staff and manage the unit budget and expenditures.
Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred.
Minimum $62,419 annually.

Odyssey Beyond Bars Program Manager Full Description

Job category:

Academic Staff

Employment type:

Regular

Job profile:

Academic Program Manager

Job summary:

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a public, land-grant institution that exemplifies the "Wisconsin Idea" that the resources of the university should benefit all the citizens of the state. The Division of Continuing Studies provides and supports high-quality continuing education, outreach, service and scholarship related to personal enrichment and professional development.

Under the general direction of the Odyssey Beyond Bars Director, and in coordination with other staff and faculty of the UW Odyssey Project and the Prison Education Initiative, the Program Manager is responsible for developing and administering the Odyssey Beyond Bars academic program, with special emphasis on communications with other UW-Madison units involved in prison-based education, Department of Corrections staff, and other partners.

Odyssey Beyond Bars offers UW-Madison courses and advising to students incarcerated in Wisconsin prisons. Responsibilities will include but are not limited to: liaising with prison-specific DOC staff, collaborating with the Prison Education Initiative to plan and coordinate academic offerings, developing processes to support our instructors in a rapidly expanding higher education landscape, developing and maintaining tutor, volunteer, and intern support systems, orienting new students each semester, and creating mechanisms to support program alumni and track program metrics. This position requires work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.

Key job responsibilities:

Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revised unit operational policies and procedures to comply with regulations, institutional policies, and academic program objectives
Leads the development and implementation of academic program initiatives
Supporting non-traditional student populations and students with disabilities by addressing structural barriers and designing accessibility into every facet of the student experience
Serves as the liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups to identify and maintain academic program-related partnerships
Manages degree programs and/or certificates, high impact practice programming and events, and curriculum development and implementation
May exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 FTE or equivalent employees
Provides full service advising resources and services, provides information about educational options and academic requirements, and communicates directly with students regarding all aspects of the advising process
Assists stakeholders with preparing and/or maintaining documentation, financial management, and/or reporting requirements related to sponsored grants, contracts, or agreements
May manage the unit budget and approve unit expenditures
Evaluates existing academic program strategy and makes recommendations to unit leadership for program enhancement
Planning, managing, and marketing events

Department:

Continuing Studies, Liberal Arts and Applied Studies

Compensation:

Minimum $62,419 Annually

Required qualifications:

Excellent problem solving and independent decision-making skills
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Adaptable interpersonal skills
Proficiency working in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook), Google Docs/Sheets, Salesforce or a similar CRM, Blackboard or a similar LMS, WordPress, and the Adobe Suite.
Experience providing services to currently or formerly incarcerated people

Preferred qualifications:

At least one year of experience managing an academic program in prison.
Professional experience in developing teams—leading professional development opportunities, coordinating/facilitating team building activities, etc.
Student services background—experience with providing academic support and training volunteers and student workers.
Knowledge of college-level tutoring and teaching methods, including evaluation and assessment
Background handling logistical coordination and communications with multiple entities regarding a variety of work streams, including academic units and the Department of Corrections
Familiarity with ACPA/NASPA competencies for higher education program design and student affairs

Education:

Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred.

Institutional statement on diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

Original Job Description