Temporary Program Assistant

Temporary Program Associate- Professional Fellows Congress

Reports to: Rita Maximilian Atassi, Program Officer

Salary Range: $23.76/hour; commensurate with experience and base of designation

Grade: DC-1

Anticipated Start Date (Period of Employment): March 10, 2025-July 11, 2025

Term of Employment: Temporary

Apply by: January 31, 2025

Base of Designation: Washington, DC

Remote Eligible: Hybrid

Conditional on Funding: No

World Learning seeks a Temporary Program Associate to support the implementation of the Professional Fellows Congress, a program funded by the U.S. Department of State. The Program Associate supports the design and implementation of a four-day leadership conference for international Fellows participating in the Professional Fellows Program, a program of the Global Leaders Division in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State (DOS).

ABOUT GLOBAL PROGRAMS

This position is a part of the Global Programs unit of World Learning which designs, implements, monitors and evaluates global development and exchange programs. We work with various donors, including the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, to achieve immediate impact and sustainable outcomes. Consistent with our organization's status as both a global nonprofit and an accredited institution of higher education, we prioritize experiential programs that are grounded in theory, proven in practice, and lift up diverse voices.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Program Associate will prepare Congress materials and payments; coordinate with local partners on travel, lodging, and site arrangements; and assist in the development and management of the event.

Working under the supervision of a Program Officer, the Professional Fellows Congress Program Associate will:

• Develop prospective program sessions and schedules;
• Work with 10 national program partners, building relationships for effective program coordination;
• Arrange program logistics (ground transportation, hotels, meeting space, catering, A/V);
• Oversee set up and operations of the event app to optimize the management of Congress events;
• Implement the 2025 Congress event, which is scheduled for June 23-27, 2025 in Washington, DC.
• Assist with financial aspects of program arrangements, including processing payment requests and receipts, invoices, and checks for vendors, and ensuring that all financial and travel transactions are executed in compliance with the organization's procedures and requirements;
• Implement strategies for social media use in the Congress events;
• Assist with virtual programs to complement the event;
• Prepare and maintain program files; assist with project close-out and follow-up; and
• Handle other tasks as assigned.

Members of World Learning's staff also have access to various professional development opportunities, including skill-building workshops, shadowing sessions with internal and external entities, and brownbag lunches on various topics relevant to international education and exchange.

REQUIREMENTS

We seek candidates with excellent attention to detail, who thrive in collaborative settings, and who are committed to international exchange. You should have:

Required Experience/Education:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 1 year of related work experience in an office environment;
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the location where this position is offered.
• Required Skills:
• Ability to adapt to change and make decisions in ambiguous situations.
• Strong cross-cultural and communications skills, including public speaking and interpersonal skills;
• Proven strong written and oral communication skills in English;
• Experience with event planning and logistics coordination;
• Ability to work in person in Washington, DC 1-3 days per week and the entire week of the scheduled Congress events, June 23-27, 2025;
• Experience with social media tools and platforms, preferably in a professional context;
• Demonstrated accuracy, attention to detail, and organizational ability;
• Computer and Internet proficiency, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Zoom, and other web-based tools

Required Behaviors/Competencies:

• A willingness to work with a variety of people from different cultural backgrounds;
• Curiosity to learn about U.S. foreign policy and international relations;
• Acts as a collaborative and resourceful team player;
• Supports a culture of continuous learning and improvement through diligent program monitoring, data tracking, and reflection to ensure strong outcomes;
• Displays curiosity about World Learning and is eager to represent the organization effectively to external audiences, as required;
• Shows dedication to the organization's business development targets through ongoing program implementation and relationship building;
• Committed to promoting diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices in program implementation and monitoring, and willing to challenge exclusionary practices.

Preferred Qualifications:

• International or cross-cultural experience is appreciated.
• Experience with living, studying, traveling, or working in cross-cultural contexts strongly preferred;
• Foreign language skills desirable.

Benefits

World Learning provides a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, FSA/HRA, Life/AD&D, Short Term/Long Term Disability, EAP, Parking and Transit, 403 (b) retirement plan for full-time and eligibile part-time employees.

The World Learning Inc. Family

For more than 90 years, World Learning Inc. is a thriving global organization made up of The Experiment in International Living, the nation's most experienced provider of international education through exchanges for high school students; School for International Training, offering accredited undergraduate study abroad programs through SIT Study Abroad and internationally focused master's degrees through SIT Graduate Institute; and World Learning, a global development and exchange nonprofit organization.

World Learning | worldlearning.org

World Learning has worked to create a more sustainable, peaceful, and just world. World Learning's education, development, and exchange programs help people find their voices, connect with their communities, strengthen the institutions that form the backbone of a democratic society, and build relationships across cultures. With World Learning's support, these emerging leaders tackle critical global issues like poverty, conflict, and inequality.

The Experiment in International Living | experiment.org

The Experiment in International Living is the nation's most experienced provider of international education through exchanges for high school students. For more than 90 years, The Experiment has empowered young people to step off the beaten path, experience the world as a classroom, immerse themselves fully in another culture, and build the knowledge and skills needed to confront critical global issues.

SIT | sit.edu

School for International Training (SIT) was founded in the early 1960s as a training center for the first Peace Corps volunteers. For nearly 60 years, SIT has prepared students to be effective changemakers and global citizens through experiential education focused on the world's most critical global issues. SIT Study Abroad offers accredited summer and semester undergraduate programs in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs on multiple continents. SIT Graduate Institute offers global and hybrid certificates, master's, and doctoral degrees.

An organizational commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.

We are a globally diverse community of staff, faculty, board members, alumni, students, and participants who believe that inclusive and equitable practices are at the heart of a peaceful and just world. Each of us strives to honor diverse voices and lived experiences, examine our own biases and privileges, actively work to address inequities in our structures, and foster a community of open dialogue. We are committed to acting with accountability, transparency, reciprocity, authenticity, and empathy.

World Learning is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action/veterans/ADA employer, committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce.