Overview

Bard College seeks a full-time Lead Reentry Advisor for the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI). This is a full-time, exempt, 12-month-per-year position based at Bard’s campus in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY. 

The Advisor will deliver in-person reentry advising support to BPI students across its 7 in-prison campuses. The Advisor will fulfill a robust site visit schedule, providing advising to individual students and overviews of BPI reentry to groups of students, and coordinate with Site Directors and other relevant BPI staff about the status of students’ reentry concerns. 

The Advisor will ensure that alumni have the resources to prepare for parole and reentry and that each student or alum preparing for release is fully aware of the network and resources at their disposal.

The Advisor is expected to work within the NY State prison and parole systems and follow its rules and regulations in order to maintain access. 

Support of students as they approach release from prison is a core component of the college programs that BPI offers within the state prison system. Reentry work has expanded through a variety of innovative practices both inside and outside of correctional facilities, as well as the development of new projects that are now central features of the BPI student experience. At this stage in its program development, the breadth of the Advisor’s support for students is well-defined, always with room for improvement. The key work now in this area is to meet the standards of pre-release support consistently. The candidate will excel at working in a community that is broadly diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, and religion. 

Bard College has a vaccination requirement for students, faculty, and staff, including for this position. 

Responsibilities

  • Working with students on reentry planning and preparation 
  • Delivering the Introduction to BPI Reentry lecture to all incoming classes
  • Maintaining a regular advising presence at the facilities where BPI operates and being available for one-on-one advising sessions
  • Developing a working knowledge of reentry resources
  • Maintaining relationships with professionals and organizations that specialize in therapeutic services, legal services, employment services and more, for consultations as needed
  • Post-release responsibilities include guest appearances in the Transitional Workshop; attending regular meetings with College-in-Prison, NYC Programs, and Upstate Alumni Engagement teams; and being available for information and conversations with recently released alumni
  • Data management duties include collaborating with the Reentry Administrative Coordinator to help maintain up-to-date release date information and ensuring NYC and Reentry teams have all pertinent information

Qualifications

  • Proven experience in mentoring, advising, and data management 
  • Knowledge of office management systems and procedures
  • Working knowledge of office equipment
  • Proficiency in Google Suite, MS Office (MS Excel and MS PowerPoint)
  • Experience using a database is a plus
  • Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize work
  • Attention to detail and problem solving skills
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively
  • Must have private transportation to correctional facilities
  • Must be prepared to enter correctional facilities in NYS and become a registered volunteer with the Department of Corrections, NYS

Education/Work Experience

  • 3 years in advising, counseling, or similar human services work
  • Preference for experience in educational institutions
  • BA degree preferred

Physical Demands

  • Must be able to sit for extended periods of time and work in standard office environment 
  • Must be able to occasionally lift 20 pounds
  • Must be able to work occasional weekends and evenings as needed

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and the names of three references through Interfolio at: http://apply.interfolio.com/115257

Equal Opportunity Employer

Bard College is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from those who contribute to our diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, mental, or physical disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, familial status, veteran status, or genetic information.

Bard is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for all individuals in employment practices, services, programs, and activities.

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