SCOPE OF WORK:
UNITE-LA seeks a passionate consultant who can collaboratively drive innovative, institutional and systems-level changes. This position will require 15-20 hours per week over 24 months. It will pay up to $3,750 per month. The consultant will report to the Director of Postsecondary Strategy & Policy and work to align this project to the LA Region K-16 Collaborative and identify public policy opportunities. UNITE-LA’s Systems Team Administrative & Communications Coordinator will support the consultant with logistics, note taking, and project management. The consultant will help represent and operationalize UNITE-LA’s role as the regional intermediary and cross-sector convener.
In addition to UNITE-LA staff, the consultant will work closely with:
- CSU Dominguez Hills (technical and academic leads)
- CSU San Bernardino
- Other partner universities
- Corrections agencies
- Community organizations
- Industry and entrepreneurship partners
The consultant should have knowledge of Credit for Prior Learning, public higher education systems and the barriers experienced by formerly-incarcerated students. Additionally, UNITE-LA is seeking a consultant with skills in setting trust tables, facilitation, communication, and project management, as well as the ability to set an agenda and document/report outcomes to support project design and implementation.
ABOUT UNITE-LA:
UNITE-LA is a regional intermediary that has worked since 1998 to advance equitable economic mobility across Los Angeles County by strengthening education and workforce systems regionally, statewide and nationally. UNITE-LA convenes partners across early childhood education, K–12, higher education, adult education, workforce agencies, community-based organizations, and employers to build career-connected pathways that lead to thriving wages.
UNITE-LA is the grant lead and convener for the Reentry Entrepreneurship Accelerator (REA)—a cross-sector initiative designed to develop an implementation-ready entrepreneurship certificate pathway for justice-impacted adult learners that incorporates Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) and verified work-based competencies gained during incarceration. The project brings together higher education institutions, corrections partners, employers, and community organizations to design the entrepreneurship certificate.
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
The REA project is a two-year design and feasibility initiative that will produce the infrastructure needed to support a credit-bearing entrepreneurship pathway for formerly incarcerated learners, including:
- A CPL crosswalk that maps in-custody training and work-based learning to college credit
- An entrepreneurship certificate blueprint
- A technology blueprint for learning and employment records
- A cross-sector governance structure
- A replication toolkit and adoption package for other institutions
The work is organized into six integrated workstreams:
- Governance and advisory infrastructure
- CPL crosswalk and portfolio design
- Entrepreneurship certificate design
- Technology and learning visibility blueprint
- Pitchfest validation event
- Replication and adoption package
These workstreams will produce implementation-ready assets that allow institutions to operationalize CPL pathways for justice-impacted learners.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Strategic Advising on CPL Pathways
- Provide subject-matter expertise on Credit for Prior Learning policies, practices, and standards
- Advise on CPL crosswalk development connecting prior learning to course-level outcomes
- Ensure alignment with California Title 5 CPL regulations and institutional governance processes
- Support development of evidence standards, portfolio assessments, and CPL validation mechanisms
2. Higher Education Systems Navigation
- Provide insight into decision-making processes within California public higher education systems (CSU, UC, CCC)
- Support strategies to ensure institutional feasibility and faculty governance alignment
- Advise on portability, transferability, and policy constraints
3. Stakeholder Convening and Facilitation
- Support UNITE-LA in convening diverse stakeholders including:
- Higher education faculty and administrators
- Corrections and reentry partners
- Community-based organizations
- Employers and industry partners
- Entrepreneurship ecosystem partners
- Facilitate design discussions, working sessions, and advisory board activities.
4. Justice-Impacted Learner Pathway Design
- Provide guidance on the barriers justice-impacted individuals face in accessing higher education and employment
- Help ensure pathway design reflects reentry realities and learner needs
- Advise on equity considerations, wraparound supports, and policy barriers
5. Workstream Coordination Support
Provide strategic support across the REA workstreams, including:
- Governance and advisory structures
- CPL design and validation
- Certificate pathway development
- Portfolio and assessment design
- Pitchfest validation and evaluation
- Replication and adoption planning
6. Documentation and Deliverables
Support development of project deliverables including:
- CPL evidence standards and crosswalk documentation
- Governance and advisory board structures
- Adoption and replication toolkit materials
- Institutional feasibility insights and recommendations
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
The ideal consultant will demonstrate expertise in the following areas:
Credit for Prior Learning Expertise
- Knowledge of CPL frameworks and implementation models
- Understanding of competency-to-credit crosswalks
- Familiarity with CAEL standards and best practices
Higher Education Systems Knowledge
- Understanding of public higher education systems, preferably in California
- Experience working with faculty governance, academic program design, or institutional policy
Justice-Impacted Learner Experience
- Knowledge of education and workforce barriers faced by formerly incarcerated learners
- Familiarity with reentry programs, correctional education, or justice-impacted student support
Cross-Sector Facilitation
- Experience convening stakeholders across:
- Higher education
- Government agencies
- Community organizations
- Employers
- Strong facilitation and partnership-building skills
Strategic Systems & Policy Thinking
- Experience working in complex, multi-partner initiatives
- Ability to translate policy and systems design into practical implementation strategies
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION:
Interested candidates should submit:
- Resume or CV
- Statement of interest describing relevant expertise, including a description of experience with:
- Credit for Prior Learning
- Higher education program design
- Justice-impacted learners
- Two professional references
LOCATION: This position can be performed from anywhere in the United States, but this person should be available to travel to Los Angeles for some in-person meetings.
APPLICATION: To apply, please submit your resume and statement of interest to Amy Cortina at [email protected]. Please include "Consultant - CPL & REA – [Last Name]" in the subject line of the email. The deadline to submit qualifications is April 8, 2026.
UNITE-LA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to developing and sustaining a diverse workforce, because we believe that it makes our organization stronger. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.