Senior Fellow, Student Basic Needs - Multiple Positions

Positions:  Hiring 4-6 highly motivated and experienced professionals with expertise in supporting student basic needs, such as food security, housing stability, childcare, mental health, and access to essential resources.
Commitment:  Part-time position. Variable hours based on projects, estimated at 10 hrs. per month, through June 2025.
Location: Remote work; must have a Kentucky workstation.
Travel:  Attend in-person convenings at Kentucky postsecondary institutions and key meetings focused on the Student Basic Needs strategy implementation.
Compensation: $50/hr.
Priority deadline for application:  Nov. 5, 2024.

Overview

The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) is Kentucky’s coordinating body for postsecondary education. CPE is committed to improving the state’s workforce, economy, and quality of life through an accessible and efficient system of postsecondary education.  

Through the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC) and funded by the James Graham Brown Foundation, CPE is working to address the basic needs of Kentucky students. The KYSSC focuses on providing institutions with the tools and strategies needed to foster an environment that eliminates barriers, addresses food and housing insecurities, and supports the holistic well-being of all students.

Since 2021, KYSSC has been actively developing a statewide Student Basic Needs strategy that aligns with the needs of postsecondary institutions. To continue driving these efforts forward, we are assembling a team of Senior Fellows for Student Basic Needs to work with the KYSSC and campus partners. These fellows will assist with the implementation of key initiatives related to basic needs.

 Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide project leadership to support Kentucky’s Student Basic Needs strategy.
• Support Communication Project in the ECMC Grant, including student testimonials, trusted sources training, ecosystem mapping with the one stop webpage template.
• Collaborate on the development of toolkits, resource libraries, and best practice guides to help institutions integrate basic needs into their student success frameworks.
• Assist in organizing professional development sessions and workshops to enhance the capacity of faculty and staff to address student needs.
• Provide leadership including facilitation and communication of targeted workgroups that focus on specific areas of basic needs support, such as housing stability or food insecurity.
• Participate in the Data Dashboard Project, through data analysis to better understand high impact interventions and write research briefs to share findings with the field.
• Post best practices, research, and toolkits to the KYSSC Impact exChange, ensuring that resources are accessible to all campus partners.
• Attend and support in-person convenings and meetings that focus on basic needs success.

Highly Valued Skills/Education

• Proven commitment to supporting students through addressing basic needs (e.g., housing, food security, mental health).
• Strong understanding of the challenges that students face in accessing essential resources and services.
• Ability to build partnerships and cultivate relationships with diverse stakeholders, including students, campus staff, and community organizations.
• Skilled in problem-solving and adapting to new challenges in an evolving higher education landscape.
• Strong project management skills with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with data collection, tracking, and analysis to inform decision-making and drive improvements.
• Master’s degree in higher education, social work, public health, or a relevant field is preferred.

Application Information

Interested applicants should send a letter of application specifically 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.