Fellow – Postsecondary Education Coordinator, Workforce & Economic Development

Position: Part-time, Interim
Location: Frankfort, Kentucky; limited telecommuting
Term: November 1, 2026 – July 30, 2027
Time Commitment: Up to 20 hours per week
Travel: Occasional in-state travel
Compensation: $25 - $28 depending on qualifications and experience
Priority Deadline: October 19, 2026

Overview

The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) is Kentucky’s coordinating body for postsecondary education and is committed to strengthening the commonwealth’s workforce, economy, and quality of life through ongoing improvement and efficient operation of a high-quality system of higher education. The Workforce and Economic Development Unit aligns higher education goals with economic development and workforce talent needs to support the growth of Kentucky’s students, communities, employers, and economy.

Function of the Position

This position will play a critical role in executing the mission and vision of the initiatives housed within the Workforce and Economic Development Unit with particular focus on working with colleges and universities to support their engagement with Prison Education Programs (PEPs). The Fellow will also be responsible for creating and hosting events related to Prison Education in Kentucky, researching and presenting on higher education policy, practice, workforce and economic development, and prison education trends regionally and nationally.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as a liaison between Kentucky colleges and universities and the Kentucky Department of Corrections
• Engage and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders, other state agencies, and postsecondary institutions to increase a sustainable prison education ecosystem in Kentucky
• Provide technical assistance for the administrators, faculty, and staff at Kentucky colleges and universities to support their work in the prison education space
• Develop and maintain workforce and postsecondary data related to prison education
• Develop and implement a prison education awareness campaign
• Collaborate with the Justice-Impacted Student Coordinator and other CPE units
• Prepare reports and policy recommendations that guide future work in KY’s prison education programs (PEPs) and share out this work on a national stage

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

Individuals with justice impacted backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Required

• Knowledge of state postsecondary and policy development process
• Knowledge of issues related to incarceration and barriers impacting justice-impacted individuals.
• Bachelor’s degree and two to three years of relevant experience at a postsecondary institution or with an education or justice-related organization OR a master’s degree or above in public policy, education policy, social sciences, humanities or related field. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Ability to design, execute, and evaluate short- and long-term projects related to postsecondary, workforce and economic development, and prison ecosystems
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Preferred

• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to build innovative and sustainable systems
• Demonstrated willingness to learn
• Mission driven

Application Process

Interested applicants should send a cover letter addressing the responsibilities and qualifications of the position, a resume, and the names, titles, and contact information for at least three professional references to CPE.HR@ky.gov.

The position will remain open until filled. Review of applications will begin after the priority deadline.