Senior Fellow – Adult Attainment, Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC)

Positions:  Hiring two motivated and experienced professionals experienced in supporting adult learners through their higher education pathways. 
Commitment:  Part-time position. Estimated 10 hrs per month (up to 120 hrs total).
Contract Dates: July 1, 2025 - Nov. 11, 2025; and Jan. 19, 2026 - June 30, 2026.  A two-year commitment is encouraged.
Location: Remote work; must have a Kentucky workstation.
Travel:  Attend three or more in-person convenings at Kentucky postsecondary institutions and the spring Student Success Summit (dates and locations listed below under “Duties and Responsibilities”)
Compensation: $50/hr.
Priority deadline for application:  May 30, 2025

About the Council

The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) is Kentucky’s higher education coordinating agency committed to strengthening our workforce, economy, and quality of life. We do this by guiding the continuous improvement and efficient operation of a high-quality, diverse, and accessible system of postsecondary education.

The Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC) works with higher education institutions in the state to advance and support efforts to improve student outcomes. CPE, in partnership with the James Graham Brown Foundation, created KYSSC to advance large-scale change and help equip institutions with the tools and techniques needed to drive transformation and improvement.

In 2022, KYCPE commissioned the Moving Up Action Plan that brought together insights from key state offices, the Kentucky Chamber, local campus partners, and national content experts with the goal of recommending action steps that support the council’s strategic priority to reduce barriers to enrollment and completion for Kentucky’s adult learners.

The report identified three key priorities to increase adult postsecondary attainment in the state: accessibility, institutional innovation, and strengthened partnerships and collaboration.  Senior Fellows will support the design, implementation, and evaluation KSSC initiatives and efforts in each key priority area.

Adult Attainment Core Team Overview

Working alongside the strategy lead, Adult Attainment Senior Fellows will include 4-6 individuals from diverse institutions, functional areas, and experiences. In this role, you will be responsible for supporting and guiding strategies to improve adult engagement, reengagement, persistence, and completion of postsecondary goals. By working collaboratively with key stakeholders from Kentucky Adult Education, community colleges and universities, you will leverage data and research to identify best practices and help to maintain and sustain a culture of continuous improvement.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Attend required in-person convenings, including the Student Success Summit.
• Post content to the KYSSC Impact exChange and other shared platforms.
• Participate in up to 2 hours/month of virtual KYSSC or strategy meetings.
• Maintain project plans and track deliverables using Microsoft Planner or similar platform 
• Participate in monthly team meetings.
• Participate in professional development opportunities relevant to their strategy area. 
• Provide input and feedback on the development of Kentucky’s statewide strategy to improve adult attainment of postsecondary goals.
• Provide project management support for the implementation of the Moving Up Action Plan.
• Serve as point of contact for consulting projects related to statewide strategy. Work effectively with consultants and national organizations to support work on KY campuses.
• Co-facilitate the Adult Learner Community of Practice (CoP) meetings to share effective practices across campuses.
• Proactively develop agendas and reach out to guest speakers as needed for meetings.
• Broaden and deepen engagement among stakeholders working towards increased adult attainment across all KY institutions and community partners through individual outreach and meetings.
• Facilitate in-person and virtual trainings and professional development opportunities to enhance faculty and staff effectiveness in supporting adult learner success.
• Analyze data and research to identify best practices and ensure continuous improvement of team efforts.
• Serve as a liaison between academic departments, student services, and other stakeholders to ensure coordinated efforts to support adult learner success.

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in supporting parenting adult learners through childcare solutions
• Demonstrated experience in convening stakeholders to solve challenges
• Demonstrated experience supporting adult learners in reaching their goals
• Experience with partnership development and relationship building with diverse stakeholders
• Strong ability to lead complex projects
• Deep understanding of barriers and challenges adult learners and parenting students face from institution-level and student-level perspectives
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Experience leading professional learning initiatives
• Strong skills in facilitation and collaborative action
• Master’s degree preferred or commensurate experience
• Project and instructional design experience is a plus

Application Instructions:

• Submit your Resume/CV and a written response to the following prompt (500 words or less) to CPE.HR@ky.gov by May 30, 2025, for priority consideration:
• Through your experience, what do you believe are the most promising approaches/strategies to support adult learners in reaching their educational goals?