GENERAL SUMMARY

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) seeks a Stakeholder Engagement Specialist to support the activities of the New England Prison Education Collaborative (NEPEC). NEPEC is a five-year regional initiative led by NEBHE and funded by a grant from Ascendium Education Group. Through NEPEC, NEBHE seeks to accelerate, support, and collaborate to help actualize a future where every incarcerated person in New England has access to high-quality, workforce-aligned, equitable postsecondary opportunities with a diverse range of educational pathways. Since its launch in October 2024, NEPEC has operated on three distinct levels—the regional, state, and institutional levels — to catalyze progress.

Reporting to the Director of this initiative, the Stakeholder Engagement Specialist will collaborate with the Director to support successful agency, cross-sector planning work in four New England states over the next two years and co-lead relationship development and management with state legislators and state agency stakeholders to support these efforts as well as NEPEC’s success more broadly.

NEBHE is a fair chance employer and strongly encourages individuals with lived experience in the criminal legal system to apply.

NEBHE BACKGROUND

Established in 1955 by six visionary New England governors, NEBHE is a regional compact that works across New England to help leaders assess, develop, and implement education practices and policies of regional significance; promote regional cooperation that encourages efficient sharing of education resources; and strengthen the relationship between higher education and the regional economy. Based in downtown Boston, NEBHE is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Stakeholder Engagement

• In collaboration with initiative Director, facilitate and coordinate NEPEC’s cross-state agency, statewide strategic planning efforts in four New England states. This will include engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, state agency employees, corrections commissioners, prison education administrators, state legislators, and people with lived experience of incarceration.
• Plan and coordinate complex, large-scale, multistate projects and technical assistance efforts supporting prison education programs (PEP), often requiring complex political judgments, a high degree of responsiveness to constituents, and a mature sense of organization priorities and concerns.
• Oversee the planning, promotion, and execution of related meetings and stakeholder convenings including webinars, conferences, state house briefings, and other events. Support the Director in the facilitation of NEPEC Regional Advisory Council meetings. These activities could include development of invitations, promotional materials managing logistics, as well as executing on follow-up items.
• Field outreach requests and conduct virtual exploratory calls, directing stakeholders to the relevant NEPEC team member(s) for further conversation as needed.
• Represent NEBHE and NEPEC at relevant events throughout New England and nationally. Occasional overnight travel within and beyond New England is required.

Project Support

• Contribute to the completion of grant reporting requirements, including grant narratives required for mid-term and final reports to funder(s).
• Support the development of resources, such as agendas, briefs, and presentations, for use in key stakeholder engagements, including state strategic planning meetings.
• In collaboration with the NEBHE Director of Communications and Marketing and the NEPEC team, support the development of a regular communications strategy to the networks of varied collaborators and stakeholders to support system-level change, effective collaboration, engagement and awareness of NEPEC-related information and activities.

Supervisory Responsibility

• The position may involve supervision of one or more interns and/or coordination with one or more consultants in the event that such are engaged to support NEPEC state strategic planning work.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

Required

• A bachelor’s degree in education, social justice, public policy, or related fields.
• 3+ years of relevant, progressive work experience in higher education, prison education, state policy, or similar fields.
• Substantial knowledge of state corrections, legislatures, and/or intergovernmental policy processes. Preference will be given to applicants with knowledge of all three.
• Advanced proficiency in Office 365 and collaboration tools such as Teams or similar platforms.
• Experience navigating the sensitivities/complexities involved in communicating about higher education in prison to a wide variety of stakeholders, including people who have been directly impacted. Applicants who have experience navigating such complexities with other sensitive topics are also welcome to apply.
• Experience navigating collaborative work and building consensus among people with differing viewpoints and priorities.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and sensitivity in communications with diverse populations.

Strongly Preferred

• Strategic planning experience, e.g., developing unit initiatives for complex stakeholder groups and planning complex projects from start to finish.
• Experience working on multi-year grant-funded projects.
• Expertise in higher education in prison and federal regulations related to the restoration of Pell Grants.
• Expertise related to the issues and challenges that impact the success of prison education programs.

We welcome applicants with lived experience in the criminal legal system to apply.

BENEFITS

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid holidays and vacation
• Retirement plan
• Flexible hybrid work environment (with three required in-office days per week)

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• More than half of the time (3 days per week) spent in a normal office setting, not subject to extremes in temperature, noise, odors, etc.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times

CONTACT

Interested applicants should submit a single PDF file that includes both a cover letter and resume or CV on LinkedIn or via an email to skuczynski@nebhe.org using the subject line “Stakeholder Engagement Specialist, New England Prison Education Collaborative.”

Don't meet every requirement? Research shows that some individuals, particularly women and people from historically excluded groups, are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace, so if you’re passionate about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with the job description, we encourage you to apply.