The mission of Mount Tamalpais College is to provide an intellectually rigorous, inclusive Associate of Arts degree program and college preparatory program, free of charge, to people at San Quentin State Prison; to expand access to quality higher education for incarcerated people; and to foster the values of equity, civic engagement, independence of thought, and freedom of expression. Mount Tamalpais College is a national leader in providing quality higher education opportunities to incarcerated people and in expanding access to higher education within California’s prison system and nationwide. In recognition of our work the organization was awarded the 2015 National Humanities Medal by President Obama.

The Senior Program Administrator is responsible for driving operational and administrative excellence within Mount Tamalpais College’s Academic and Student Affairs programs. This role leads planning, coordination, and execution of academic programs and key events, while managing critical partnerships with San Quentin administrative staff. This position requires exceptional organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, detail orientation, and tremendous dedication, diplomacy, and patience.

The Senior Program Administrator ordinarily spends up to one-third of their time inside the prison and the rest of their time working remotely or at the Mount Tamalpais College office in San Rafael. On prison escort days, the position is physically active, including spending at least one-third of the day escorting faculty a half mile through the prison to the Education area and between different classroom areas, at least twice per shift, and lifting up to 15 lbs. Hours may include at least two evenings per week and some Sundays inside San Quentin.

Core Job Responsibilities:

• Academic & Student Affairs Operations and Administration: Work closely with the Chief Academic Officer and Registrar/Director of Advising and Student Services on all aspects of planning and administration of academic and extracurricular programs.
• Project Management: Lead semester planning and scheduling, including all Academic and Student Affairs projects and initiatives, in close collaboration with the Program Manager and Academic Directors.
• Budget Oversight: Plan, organize and coordinate preparation of the Academic and Student Affairs annual budget and manage expenses throughout the year.
• Volunteer Coordination and Recruitment: Oversee the faculty volunteer recruitment portal and workflow, ensuring smooth operations; regularly send recruitment emails.
• Communication with faculty: Communicate regularly with volunteer faculty regarding administrative issues and general inquiries.
• Student Correspondence: Manage large-scale and individual mailings to students related to academic programming and administration.
• Event Management: Project manage both small and large events inside San Quentin each year, including commencement, the annual Open Mic, and a research symposium.
• Volunteer Appreciation: Oversee volunteer appreciation activities and events.
• Tech Operations: Manage administrative aspects of MTC’s Computer Lab, including liaising regularly  with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) IT teams to manage laptop maintenance and Learning Management System operations.
• Supervision: Supervise and support the Computer Lab Manager and Program Manager and foster their professional development through regular feedback and support.
• San Quentin Logistics Coordination: Coordinate and troubleshoot with San Quentin administrators and staff regarding prison logistics, including space utilization, equipment and supplies, and resident movement.
• Administrative Support: Support the Chief Academic Officer and other ASA team staff with additional administrative tasks as needed.

Other Responsibilities:

• Cross-Team Collaboration: Collaborate with MTC’s Advancement team on faculty data collection, event planning and execution, site visit hosting, and other projects as needed.
• On-the-Ground Support: Escort faculty into San Quentin regularly during the week, and provide onsite support for faculty and students while classes are in session.
• ASA Team Participation and Collaboration: Participate in weekly Academic and Student Affairs team meetings and regular staff check-ins.
• All-Staff Engagement: Participate in monthly all-staff meetings and other organization-wide meetings, activities, and events, to foster a cohesive organizational culture, build relationships with colleagues across various departments, and stay informed about broader organizational initiatives and strategic priorities.

Key Success Factors:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Excellent skills in supervising and in collaborating  within and across teams
• Clear Communication: Ability to give clear and receive actionable feedback, and to support direct reports’ professional development
• Cultural Competence: Ability to work well with diverse populations with a broad range of backgrounds
• Ability to communicate cordially and effectively with diverse constituents, including students, faculty, staff colleagues, prison staff and administrators, donors, and others
• Outstanding communication skills (written, verbal, presentation, etc.)
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities under tight deadlines
• Strong organizational and time management skills; detail-orientation and capacity to switch frequently between multiple tasks
• Analytical thinker, active listener, team-builder
• Commitment to fostering a collegial and collaborative work environment
• Strong sense of personal responsibility and exceptionally self-motivated
• Proficiency in computer skills such as MS Office Suite (with a focus on Excel), Google Workspace products (Docs, Sheets, Groups, Calendar), Salesforce, or similar tools

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this role is $100,000 - $115,000.

Mount Tamalpais College offers competitive compensation, flexible work policies, and a collaborative work environment. Our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, and the full cost of each plan is covered by Mount Tamalpais College. We also offer vacation and holiday pay, as well as opportunities for professional development.

Applicants

We seek candidates who share a commitment to Mount Tamalpais College’s mission. We especially encourage applications from candidates of diverse socio-economic backgrounds; and/or who reflect the cultural, ethnic and racial diversity of our student body; as well as people directly impacted by incarceration. We welcome applicants who are LGBTQ and/or gender diverse.

Statement of Non-discrimination:

Mount Tamalpais College provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

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