Program Manager, Career Connections

Position Overview

The Program Manager for Career Connections develops and oversees the various educational programs for U.S. exchange alumni organized by Global Ties U.S. The Program Manager will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders to implement the educational programming that meets the ever­ evolving professional development needs of alumni. This will be achieved by connecting exchange alumni to professional development opportunities via Career Connections events, in addition to the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund, a small community service grant provided to exchange alumni to further their work. The Program Manager will bring creativity and innovation to programming models, and oversees the needs assessment, creation, implementation, and evaluation of member­ facing educational programs.

The position is charged with managing the strategic direction, business planning, and implementation of high-quality, high-impact education and networking events for the U.S. Exchange Alumni program. Specifically, they will oversee the planning and evaluation of the session content for 18 events (three virtual job fairs; and 15 virtual, in-person, and hybrid learning events) over three years that are substantive and meaningful in order to 1) improve U.S. alumni’s professional development and leadership abilities; 2) connect U.S. alumni to citizen diplomacy opportunities, like the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund; and 3) connect U.S. alumni to careers in public service, through the U.S. government, non-profit community, and or internationally-oriented companies. The Program Manager will also work closely with the Manager for Events & Communications to implement these events, in addition to the Senior Program Associate for Membership & Grants to work with Global Ties Network members. We are seeking someone eager to help Global Ties U.S. grow and achieve its mission. The successful candidate must be hands-on and ready to step in wherever needed within a small team.

Reports to: Team Leader, Training & Community Development
Location: This position is based in Washington, DC with telework opportunities
Application Deadline: November 17, 2021

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES

Career Connections

  • Lead, manage, and continuously improve the development and execution of educational and training events — virtual, hybrid, and in-person — for U.S. exchange alumni: one per year in Washington, DC; two per year in U.S. cities to be determined; two virtual seminars; one virtual career fair; and asynchronous learning content.
  • Lead the budget creation and management for each event, RFP process for Career Connection events, project planning timeline, development of audience recruitment strategy, content for registration site and managing registration, and event recaps, as well as, the technical production of the events.
  • Create one virtual career fair each year with government agencies, non-profit organizations implementing international programs, and others that have globally-minded careers. Develop partnerships with potential organizations for the fairs.
  • Lead the development of content for webinars, online courses, and other educational programs critical for the objectives of alumni learning and professional development; identify guest speakers for keynotes and panels; develop and deploy surveys to understand learning preferences and needs of alumni each year.
  • Work closely with the Program Manager for the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund to develop proposal writing learning opportunities at Career Connections events.
  • Work closely with the Manager for Events & Communications to organize venues for events in Washington, DC and working with virtual platforms (Zoom Webinar; Gatheround).
  • Work closely with the Strategic Communications & External Affairs team to ensure the branding and amplification of the U.S. Exchange Alumni cohort and the Career Connections opportunities; work also with the Alumni Office Communications team to ensure Career Connections is amplified on U.S. Department of State platforms.
  • Lead the RFP process for Global Ties Network members to host Career Connections events, as well as the selection process for non-DC locations for the events.
  • Serve as the main point of contact at Global Ties U.S. for U.S. Exchange Alumni and ensure that they are being directed to participate in the best learning event for their needs, and provide access to learning materials.
  • Lead the organizational execution and cross-departmental coordination of Career Connections activities.
  • Develop training and curriculum products and materials, and execute the asynchronous learning content development and placement on the Bridge platform.
  • Assist with the management and selection of vendors and contractors.
  • Serve as principal liaison to project funders and supporters at events and meetings; Manage and coordinate with relevant committees and stakeholder groups connected to meetings and events.
  • Oversee preparation of learning event sessions, including evaluating proposals and further developing proposals for content.
  • Coordinate project closeouts and create Career Connections performance reports mid-year and at the end of each year, and also on-demand, that include results of funding distributed, and notable findings, summaries of interim and final project reports.
  • Monitor and evaluate each Career Connections event, including interviewing past participants about their experience to ensure there is a complete feedback loop.

Global Ties U.S. Emerging Leaders

  • Support the professional learning opportunities for the Global Ties U.S. year-round Emerging Leaders program to include
    • Developing webinar content throughout the year.
    • Organizing learning opportunities and manage Emerging Leaders participation at the annual Global Ties National Meeting.
  • Develop annual report on Emerging Leaders program for program funders.
  • Develop and lead other special projects as designated.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Five years of professional experience relevant to this position
  • Bachelor’s degree in social science, education, or a related field.
  • Experience conceptualizing, planning, developing, implementing, and/or supporting career development, training design and educational opportunities for young professionals
  • Proactive and self-motivated with experience working across multiple departments in a dynamic environment.
  • Demonstrated problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • Strong project management skills including demonstrated attention to detail as well as the ability to work under pressure while ensuring efficacy through process management.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Demonstrated experience with MS Office (including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, SharePoint), and/or other Internet-based or desktop databases and software.
  • Proven ability to work well with a diverse staff of all levels.

DESIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

  • M.A. in international education, nonprofit management, or related field
  • Experience in developing in-person and virtual training opportunities for a wide range of audiences and abilities, including self-paced asynchronous online courses, synchronous online engagement, and in-person workshops
  • Experience with learning management platforms and software such as Bridge LMS, Camtasia, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Articulate 360
  • Experience directly managing and implementing events and programs with multiple stakeholders and audiences, including knowledge of marketing and market research to promote the events and programs
  • Experience coordinating staff, volunteers, and others contributing to the execution of events
  • Experience working within a budget and executing in a cost-effective manner
  • Knowledge of international exchange program implementation, administration, and planning
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, Global Ties U.S. members, stakeholders, and program participants
  • Ability to play a leadership role in developing new partnerships that help strengthen the organization’s events and training offerings

BENEFITS & SALARY

  • Salary Range: $65,000-$72,000
  • Mission-driven organization
  • Collaborative, flexible environment
  • Excellent professional development opportunities
  • Medical insurance
  • Dental insurance
  • Vision insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Long-term / Short-term disability insurance
  • FSA (Flexible Spending Account)
  • 403(b) retirement savings plan
  • Commuter benefits
  • Generous paid leave policies (vacation, sick, personal, parental, family medical, etc)
  • Mobile phone use reimbursement ($50/month)
  • Limited telework available