Credentials & Careers Policy Analyst

Increasingly, high school and college students are turning to credentials as a way to enhance and demonstrate skills and work readiness.  Demand for transferable credentials that offer industry-wide recognition has grown in recent decades and accelerated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Certifications, badges, credentials, micro credentials and apprenticeships can enhance traditional education and work experience allowing people to improve their prospects in a varied career ecosystem. And, particularly for current students, there is a growing focus on high value non degree and degree aligned credentials that lead to future employment or further education. As a valuable “alternative” a credential can increase opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, moving forward at CUNY more course offerings—credit-bearing, non-credit-bearing, and dual enrollment—will be developed to expand pathways for differentiated student populations to earn the credentials that can serve as on-ramps to better jobs and accelerated degree pathways.

CUNY is seeking a talented self-starter who has strong writing and analytical skills for a non-teaching adjunct position. Strong candidates will be passionate believers in CUNY’s, have strong skills in policy creation, explanatory writing and writing from interviews and research, and have strong flexibility and skills in self-management to independently get work done to quality on schedule.

This role will support the work of the CUNY’s K-16 Initiatives and the Office of Careers and Industry Partnerships.  The K16 Initiatives thrives on fostering collaboration between CUNY and NYC Public School, crafting a seamless pathway to a brighter future by ensuring that every incoming college student is not just prepared but empowered for success because they have been supported from early education through post-college careers, while seeking to close equity gaps and promote economic mobility. The goal of the Office of Careers and Industry Partnerships is to support students and alumni in landing a job by offering engaging skill-building programs that prepare CUNY students for real life internship and job opportunities. We have made it our mission to not only provide CUNY students with the skills to succeed in the workforce, but also increase economic mobility through direct employer engagement.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

CUNY is seeking to fill the role of Credentials & Careers Policy Analyst, a part-time role.  This directly supports CUNY’s goal of creating more seamless pathways for dual enrollment and matriculated students to earn relevant credentials and potentially transfer these experiences into workforce success unlocking career advancement. Across all aspects of this work, CUNY’s work must be aligned with the needs of varied key stakeholders. Another primary goal is to increase the number of high school students and undergraduates who acquire recognized industry credentials. To that end, the Credentials & Careers Policy Analyst will:

●       Define a strategy for identifying, assessing, and offering industry certificates and other alternative credentials to high school students through existing CUNY infrastructure;

○        Collect relevant data about the actual skills needed to be successful in the job and align them with credentials or alternative learning experiences.

○       Propose tools, methods, and systems to assess the value of credentials with a focus on industry-accepted indicators of skills; and develop criteria to assess the value of any alternative credential that aligns with definable industry needs and overlaid with employers defined needs.

○       Utilize industry associations, credentialing organizations and frameworks, community colleges, and workforce boards as resources.

○       Identify “acceptable” or “valued” credentials with detailed, curated and tiered lists that define their quality based on rigor and outcomes, but specific to industries and degree pathways.

○       Aspire to create spaces for ongoing dialogue with industry to support shaping appropriately responsive learning opportunities within their disciplines.

●       In collaboration with the Office of Credit for Prior Learning, engage campus partners including faculty at CUNY FutureReadyNYC colleges in the work of determining credentialing opportunities and creating pathways by which students can start college with credentials or credits for prior learning.

○       Help to create policy or processes to support determining the potential credit equivalency and/or alignment of alternative credentials to traditional degrees or years of experience.

●       Develop clearer and more accessible information about career and credential pathways enabling New Yorkers to make better informed decisions to increase their social mobility.

○       Support a process of mapping academic and career pathways in high-demand industries (e.g., health and human services, education, technology, and business) by pulling together relevant and current information from CUN, labor markets indices, and a variety of other sources. Support a broad understanding of the requirements and characteristics of different credentials—for example, it will specify where high school diplomas or GEDs are needed, or the associated number of hours needed to earn the credential.

●       Ensure the credentialing process complies with organizational, accrediting agency, Federal and State regulatory standards.

●       Support knowledge that eventually increases enrollment in degree and non-degree programs that are directly aligned with market demand.

●       Increase the number of students attaining in-demand credentials that qualify them for employment within multiple fields.

○       This will potentially include eventually scaling up professional development for faculty, testing and refining strategies for evaluation of credentials, and improving data processes to create more seamless mapping of credential pathways across CUNY and into career paths.

●       Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

●       At least two years' relevant experience in program & policy management.

●       Knowledge of the NYC public school system and or public, urban higher education landscape.

●       Resourceful self-starter supporting complex logistical projects in a bureaucratic, fast-paced, environment.

●       Strong written and interpersonal communication skills with ability to work and interact effectively, collaboratively, and cooperatively with a diverse community.

●       Strong organizational and follow-through skills to create and execute work plans, prioritize work, coordinate multiple assignments, and meet deadlines.

●       Computer proficiency using administrative, financial or academic programs, systems or databases, plus Google Docs, social media platforms, and CRM tools.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.