Project Coordinator

New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE)

Boston, MA

Position Title: Project Coordinator, New England Prison Education Collaborative (NEPEC)

Reports To: Project Manager

Salary Range: $50,000 - 55,000

GENERAL SUMMARY:

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) invites applications for the role of Project Coordinator for the New England Prison Education Collaborative (NEPEC). The Coordinator will play a key role in supporting the NEPEC Team (consisting of a Director and two Project Managers) in planning, coordinating, and executing initiatives related to the development of NEPEC, a dynamic initiative to expand high-quality educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals in New England. The ideal candidate will be highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously.

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

NEPEC, a 5-year, grant-funded project, will build upon the work and specific recommendations of The New England Commission on the Future of Higher Education in Prison , a 9-month regional endeavor funded by Ascendium Education Group. NEPEC will seek to ensure that every incarcerated person in New England has access to high-quality, workforce-aligned, equitable postsecondary opportunities with a wide range of educational pathways. To those ends, it will catalyze states’ work to increase the availability of affordable, high-quality prison education programs, supporting collaboration within and across states to accelerate progress, build capacity and share resources via three multi-state projects over 5 years:

1. State Strategic Planning
2. Higher Education Engagement Initiatives
3. New England Higher Education in Prison (HEP) Data and Research

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:

Project Administrative Support & Coordination

• Provide administrative support for all aspects of NEPEC-related work, including:
• Maintaining project records, meeting minutes, and other documentation.
• Curating and managing a large volume of contacts from stakeholder groups in and across the six states (corrections, higher education institutions, re-entry organizations, etc.) to build robust networks for advancing NEPEC’s aims.
• Coordinating logistics for meetings, webinars, and other events (invitations, venues, promotion, and follow-up).
• Helping track and report project progress including identifying potential delays or issues.
• Support the Project Managers in managing sub-granting processes, including issuing RFPs, tracking applications, and awarding of grants.

Stakeholder Engagement & Support

• Assist Project Managers in drafting communications for key PEP stakeholders, including postsecondary institution leaders, prison education administrators, and policymakers.
• Coordinate the preparation of materials for stakeholder meetings, webinar, and advisory sessions.
• Assist in drafting content for the NEPEC and NEBHE newsletters.
• Attend, alongside the NEPEC team, periodic higher education in prison events throughout New England and nationally.

Social Media Management & Support

• In coordination with the Project Managers, draft, schedule, and monitor social media posts across LinkedIn to engage key stakeholders and promote awareness of and engagement with NEPEC activities and updates.
• Monitor and report on the performance of social media campaigns and suggest improvements to increase engagement.
• Assist in the development and execution of a social media strategy to promote NEPEC and related initiatives.
• Coordinate with the Director of Communications and Marketing to ensure consistent messaging and outreach that aligns with overall project goals and updated information about NEPEC activities in public-facing platforms.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in project coordination, education, public policy, or related fields.
• 0-1 years of experience in a project coordination or support role, ideally in education, social justice, or a related area.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and tasks simultaneously.
• Advanced proficiency in Office 365 and collaboration tools such as Teams or similar platforms.
• Knowledge of communications technologies, web design and development tools and principles (e.g., Constant Contact, WordPress, Adobe InDesign)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including experience working with diverse stakeholders and teams.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and sensitivity in communications with diverse populations.

Preferred

• Knowledge of and interest in higher education, prison education, and/or criminal legal reform.
• Experience supporting grant-funded projects
• Familiarity with RFP processes, event coordination, and stakeholder engagement in a multi-state context.
• Experience with project management software (e.g., Hive), scheduling technology (e.g., Doodle polls), and customer relationship management (CRM) software (e.g., Constant Contact)
• Demonstrated experience with social media and marketing to boost interaction with stakeholders, especially related to educational or non-profit organizations

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

BENEFITS

• Medical and dental insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid holidays and vacation
• Retirement plan
• Flexible hybrid work environment (with three required in-office days per week)
• Occasional overnight travel within and beyond New England is required

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• More than half of the time (3 days) 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 using the subject line “NEBHE Project Coordinator, 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.