The Executive Director/President/CEO is the chief executive officer of the Consortium and will provide strategic leadership, manage daily operations, represent MiCHEP to external stakeholders, lead fundraising and resource development, ensure effective collaboration among members, and guide the organization in fulfilling its mission. The person in this role will work closely with the Steering Committee/Board to translate MiCHEP’s strategic plan into actionable initiatives, ensure financial health, oversee staff and contractors, and serve as a public face and advocate for higher education in prison in Michigan.
Below are the primary duties expected of the Executive Director/President/CEO. This is not exhaustive and may evolve as the Consortium grows.
Area
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Planning
• Lead the development, implementation, and periodic updating of MiCHEP’s strategic plan in collaboration with the Board/Steering Committee.
• Identify gaps and opportunities in the prison higher education landscape; propose new initiatives or partnerships to expand access, quality, & outcomes.
• Ensure that MiCHEP’s efforts align with state and federal policy developments (e.g., Pell Grant eligibility, prison education program standards).
• Stay current on research, trends, best practices in college-in-prison, reentry, data collection, equity, and correctional education.
Program Oversight & Member Relations
• Support member institutions with technical assistance, peer sharing, capacity building, and best practices.
• Coordinate with MDOC and other state agencies to review applications for college-in-prison programs, ensuring quality and compliance.
• Oversee data collection, analysis, reporting on outcomes (e.g., enrollment, retention, graduation, recidivism) for incarcerated students.
• Foster relationships among member colleges, correctional facilities, incarcerated/formerly incarcerated students, and other stakeholders.
Advocacy & External Relations
• Serve as primary spokesperson for MiCHEP to legislators, state agencies, funders, media, and the public.
• Advocate for policies, funding, regulations that expand and improve higher education in prisons.
• Build partnerships with other nonprofits, foundations, educational networks, community organizations.
• Represent MiCHEP at conferences, meetings, and convenings.
Fundraising & Resource Development[1]
• Develop and carry out fundraising strategies to secure financial resources (grants, donations, contracts) to sustain and grow MiCHEP’s work.
• Manage relationships with current and potential funders.
• Ensure compliance with grant requirements, reporting, budget tracking.
• Identify in-kind support, partner contributions, and other nonfinancial resources.
Operations & Financial Management
• Oversee MiCHEP’s operational systems, including staffing or contractors, project management, administrative processes, budgeting, and financial reporting.
• Prepare an annual budget; monitor financial performance; ensure fiscal responsibility.
• Ensure organizational policies, procedures, and legal requirements are adhered to.
• Ensure effective internal communication and collaboration within the organization.
Board/Steering Committee Engagement
• Serve as liaison between staff and Board/Steering Committee; prepare and provide information, reports, and analyses to enable effective governance.
• Support board in governance functions: strategic decisions, policy setting, oversight, recruitment, evaluation.
• Facilitate, with the Board, regular evaluation of MiCHEP’s performance and adaptation of strategies as needed.
Equity, Inclusion & Student Centeredness
• Promote principles of equity, inclusion, justice in all MiCHEP’s work.
• Ensure that policies, practices, communications are responsive to the needs and voices of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students.
• Ensure diverse representation in committees, leadership, and decision-making.
• Encourage the development of peer leadership among incarcerated students (e.g., tutors, mentors), and successful reentry supports.
Below are the desired qualifications for the Executive Director/President. The ideal candidate may not have every trait listed, but should bring a strong mix and be committed to growing into areas of needed expertise.
Some sample metrics by which performance might be evaluated include:
MiCHEP Executive Director Prospectus
MiCHEP is committed to inclusive excellence and strongly encourages participation by individuals with lived experience of incarceration. Accordingly, persons with lived experience of incarceration are especially encouraged to apply.
[1] This position is funded for three years by a grant from the Mellon Foundation. Ongoing employment is dependent on satisfactory performance and successful fundraising sufficient to fund the position beyond the grant period.
[2]. Michigan College Access Network serves as fiscal agent for MiCHEP. As such, the MiCHEP Executive Director will be an MCAN employee until such time as the fiscal agent relationship between MCAN and MiCHEP changes.
MCAN is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Benefits:
Full benefits package includes platinum health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. Also includes education support program, employee development program, 403b retirement plan (with standard 4% employer contribution and up to an additional 3% match), 240 hours of PTO, 13 paid holidays, 6 weeks fully paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave, employee assistance program, downtown Lansing parking permit and cell phone reimbursement.
Please upload your resume, cover letter and 3 professional references.