Senior Program Officer; YA-WHA)

Senior Program Officer

Reports to:
Director of Youth Programming

Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000

Anticipated

Start Date:

November 30, 2026

Term of Employment: Full-time

Base of Operations Designation: Vermont

Remote Eligible: Remote OR Hybrid

World Learning seeks a Senior Program Officer to serve as overall lead for the U.S. Department of State–funded Youth Ambassadors – Western Hemisphere (YA-WHA) program, which brings high school youth and adult mentors from across North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean to the United States alongside American peers for a leadership exchange that blends virtual programming, a U.S. exchange, and a structured follow-on period.

The Senior Program Officer will lead program design and delivery, manage the day-to-day relationship with the Department of State program office and U.S. Embassies in participating countries, oversee the award budget and compliance, and drive funder reporting. This person will also supervise and develop the YA-WHA program staff, onboard new team members to the award, and serve as a senior member of the on-call team during program season.

The specific programs and countries in this role's portfolio may shift over time based on funding and U.S. Government priorities.

ABOUT GLOBAL PROGRAMS

This position will be a part of the Global Programs unit of World Learning which designs, implements, monitors and evaluates global exchange and education programs. We work with various donors, including the U.S. Department of State, 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 and proven in practice.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Award Leadership and Funder Relations

• Serve as overall lead for the YA-WHA award, accountable for program quality, deliverables, timelines, and budget across the full program cycle.
• Manage the day-to-day relationship with the U.S. Department of State program office, keeping the Director of Youth Programming informed and escalating higher-level matters as needed.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with U.S. Embassies and consulates in participating Western Hemisphere countries, coordinating on recruitment, selection, pre-departure orientations, and alumni engagement.
• Ensure all required Department of State approvals are secured, including selection criteria, recruitment and promotional materials, participant and alternate lists, activity calendars, virtual exchange components, and key personnel changes.
• Ensure the program is implemented in full compliance with the award, Department of State requirements, and World Learning policies, and establish consistent processes for program staff to follow.
• Drive the preparation and timely submission of high-quality funder reports, coordinating staff contributions and submitting drafts to the Director of Youth Programming for final review.
• Maintain working knowledge of current issues, risks, and emerging trends across participating countries and share that context with the program team.

Program Design and Delivery

• Lead the design and delivery of the full YA-WHA program cycle, including virtual engagement, pre-departure orientations, welcome orientation, host community segments, the Washington DC synthesis segment, and follow-on.
• Oversee curriculum development for youth and adult mentor participants, aligned with the program's youth leadership theme and its entrepreneurship, digital citizenship, and AI-driven problem-solving sub-themes.
• Oversee virtual programming, follow-on support, and alumni engagement on the Kolab platform in coordination with the Program Officer and the…