Assistant Director, Higher Education for Incarcerated Youth (HEIY)

Utah Tech University; Saint George (UT); On-site; USD 54,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Disability & life insurance

Tuition waivers

Job summary

Utah Tech University seeks a detail-oriented Assistant Director for Higher Education for Incarcerated Youth (HEIY) to coordinate program operations, instructional logistics, and student support across multiple sites. This role bridges communication between students, faculty, and facilities and ensures academic continuity.

Reporting to the HEIY Director, the position manages data tracking, enrollment procedures, and course delivery while supporting faculty and staff with Canvas and other

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's preferred.
• Experience in databases and tracking systems using standard software.
• Ability to coordinate with educational institutions, government facilities, and partners.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail for complex initiatives.
• Ability to organize, verify, and synthesize information from multiple sources.

Responsibilities

• Support HEIY program operations across facilities through coordination and alignment with policies.
• Develop procedures for enrollment, delivery, tracking, and multi-site logistics.
• Coordinate instructional logistics and ensure compliant operations.
• Maintain student tracking systems covering enrollment, progress, and course participation.
• Support online and asynchronous coursework and access to Canvas.
• Collaborate with faculty and facility staff to address barriers to student participation.

Skills

Data management

Coordination

Privacy & confidentiality

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in any subject

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Canvas

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Position Announcement

Utah Tech University seeks a detail-oriented, highly collaborative, and collegial Assistant Director for Higher Education for Incarcerated Youth (HEIY). This position serves as a key internal operations leader and liaison between Utah Tech University and partnering juvenile justice facilities, supporting the implementation and day-to-day coordination of postsecondary educational programming for justice‑involved youth across Utah.

Working under the guidance of the HEIY Director and the Executive Director for Early College Outreach, the Assistant Director manages and implements program operations, instructional coordination, student support systems, and student data tracking across multiple sites. The position helps establish and maintain consistent procedures, supports instructional staff, and expands incarcerated youth access to high‑quality academics, university resources, and educational opportunities.

Because HEIY students may have limited or no direct access to university portals, email, Canvas, or other electronic communication, the Assistant Director serves as an essential academic bridge, information‑processing specialist, and operational proxy helping students, faculty, facility personnel, and university offices exchange the information and materials necessary to maintain academic continuity.

The Assistant Director will manage virtual and asynchronous instruction across the program. They may also teach courses as assigned by the Director and academic leadership. Position funded through June 30, 2028, dependent upon funding thereafter.

Responsibilities

Program Operations and Coordination

• Support implementation of HEIY programming across participating juvenile justice facilities through communication, coordination, and alignment with university policies, facility requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Develop, document, and maintain standardized procedures for enrollment, course delivery, student tracking, scheduling, and multi‑site program logistics.
• Coordinate instructional logistics across sites and help ensure consistent, accurate, and compliant program operations.
• Maintain accurate student tracking systems to account for student enrollment, academic progress, course participation, and movement among participating facilities.
• Respond flexibly and positively to student transfers, releases, facility scheduling changes, and other changing circumstances that may affect academic continuity.
• Synthesize information received from multiple partners, including facility personnel, school district representatives, educators, and university offices into accurate and usable program and student records.
• Maintain exceptional accuracy and attention to detail in program documentation, enrollment information, academic records, and operational data.

Instruction and Academic Support

• Facilitate online and asynchronous coursework for HEIY students, ensuring access, engagement, and academic progress.
• Support faculty and instructional staff through coordination of course materials, classroom logistics, assignments, and access to Canvas and other learning resources.
• Serve as an academic intermediary between university faculty and HEIY students who may not have direct access to university communication systems or academic portals.
• Facilitate the timely delivery of physical and digital course materials to participating facilities and assist with the secure return and submission of completed student work to instructors' LMS (Canvas) pages.
• Work creatively and collaboratively with faculty and facility personnel to address barriers to student participation and academic progress.

Technology‑Enhanced Instruction and Communication

• Coordinate, host, and facilitate live virtual instruction in partnership with faculty and juvenile justice facility staff.
• Provide a welcoming, patient, respectful, and supportive presence during virtual instruction, technology troubleshooting, and interactions with students and staff.
• Serve as liaison between faculty, students, and facilities, ensuring clear communication of expectations, schedules, course needs, and instructional changes.
• Troubleshoot instructional technologies and user‑interface issues within university‑supported systems, including Zoom, Canvas, and secure learning environments.
• Assist faculty and students with technology‑related instructional logistics when direct student access to university systems is limited.

Student Progression, Administrative, & Other Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Director to enhance student support services, retention, reentry pathways, and efforts to address barriers to student engagement and success.
• Assist with recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, and supervision of instructional staff and HEIY program assistants.
• Assist with planning and coordinating program events, including graduations at juvenile justice facilities.
• Track student progress by course towards the General Education certificate, associate degree, and bachelor's degree.
• Apply for graduation on behalf of students, obtain LMS access for students, and coordinate future course and graduation pathways for HEIY participants.
• Ensure consistency in instructional expectations and program delivery and provide ongoing support to instructors working in correctional education settings.
• Assist the Director in aligning program operations,
• Under the advisement of the Director, align program operations, track data and student outcomes, maintain records, support reporting, and contribute to continuous program improvement and program sustainability.
• Maintain accurate program data related to enrollment, course completion, academic progress, certificates and degrees, and other identified outcomes.
• Assist in preparing accurate program reports and summaries for university leadership, partner organizations, and other authorized stakeholders.
• Preserve and protect confidential student and partner information, including academic records, student locations, educational needs, and other protected information obtained through program operations.
• Map student graduation pathways, apply for graduation on behalf of qualified students, obtain necessary LMS access, and coordinate future course pathways for HEIY participants.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the HEIY program and Utah Tech University's educational mission.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in any subject, required. Master's degree preferred.
• Training or experience developing and maintaining databases and tracking systems using Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, or comparable software.
• Demonstrated ability in information and data processing and creating accurate and aesthetic illustrations of data.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and collaborate effectively with educational institutions, government facilities, community partners, and cross‑agency stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and operational skills, including developing procedures, documentation, tracking systems, and workflows, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to coordinate complex initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, verify, maintain, and synthesize information or data obtained from multiple sources of information from government agencies and partners.
• Strong technology skills and demonstrated ability to learn and effectively use systems necessary for virtual instruction, academic coordination, data management, and communication.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, sound judgment, and ability to maintain confidentiality when working with sensitive or protected information.

Position Details, Compensation and Benefits

Full-time overtime‑exempt staff position. Annual salary of $54,000–$57,000 depending on qualifications and experience. Position funded through June 30, 2028, dependent upon funding thereafter. Desired start date of November/December 2026. Excellent benefits package included that begins on start date; includes medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, employee assistance and wellness programs, retirement plan contributions, and undergraduate tuition waivers for employees and eligible dependents, as well as paid holidays in addition to sick and vacation leave accruals.

See https://humanresources.utahtech.edu/employee-benefits/ under "Benefits Summary" for more details.

About the University

Utah Tech University is an open, comprehensive, polytechnic institution, committed to exceptional student learning and success that has adopted an instructional approach of "active learning. active life." and a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. We seek faculty and staff committed to creating an active, applied and career‑oriented learning environment that is student‑centered. Established in 1911 as a community college and in 2013 as a state university, our University is located in picturesque southwestern Utah, approximately 120 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The area is renowned for its red rocks, desert climate, over 300 days of sunshine annually, and featuring easy access to world‑class outdoor recreational opportunities. Click here to learn more about the University.

Utah Tech University is a fast‑growing Utah public institution of higher education, with more than 13,000 students. We offer over 250 programs, including doctoral, masters, bachelors, associates, certificates, endorsements, minors, and/or emphases. We seek faculty and staff committed to creating an active, applied, and career‑oriented learning environment that is student‑centered, who bring new ideas, possess values and career aspirations aligned with the University's mission and vision, and are inspired to build a premier open, comprehensive, polytechnic university.

Utah Tech employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non‑U.S. citizens. All new employees must provide employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Utah Tech is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, please contact Human Resources [e-mail] or 435‑652‑7500.

Utah Tech University does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy‑related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services. For more information or contact information, please visit https://titleix.utahtech.edu/reporting‑discrimination/.

For important information regarding academics, campus safety, student services, employment laws, and other regulatory requirements, visit Utah Tech University's Right‑to‑Know https://utahtech.edu/right-to-know/ and Clery Act https://police.utahtech.edu/clery-act websites.