Program Manager

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Position description

United Planet is an international nonprofit organization headquartered in Boston, USA, dedicated to building a more peaceful, cohesive, and sustainable world through volunteer service, experiential learning, and cross‑cultural exchange. For more than 25 years, United Planet has partnered with community organizations in over 40 countries to support locally driven initiatives while fostering global understanding and cooperation.

Position Overview

The Program Manager leads the development, coordination, and implementation of United Planet’s global programs with a special focus on groups. This role strategizes partner development, program budgeting, Virtual Group Quest coordination, and participant support to ensure high‑quality, mission‑aligned experiences for volunteers and host communities. The Program Manager will supervise a small team: International Groups Coordinator, Partnerships Coordinator, International Program Coordinator.

Ideal Candidate

Our ideal Program Manager is likely an experienced international program professional looking to level up into their first or early-stage managerial role. While they bring hands-on experience in global exchange, international development, or non-profit programs, they are eager for the opportunity to step into leadership, guide a dedicated team, and build operational stability. They bring an empathetic, supportive coaching style to our growing team and excel at translating mission-driven goals into structured, high-impact programs. A natural mentor, they are excited to build team confidence, establish clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and empower early-career staff to work with autonomy. Beyond internal team leadership, they are a decisive communicator and thoughtful strategist capable of managing cross-cultural partnerships, overseeing program budgets, and ensuring rigorous safety and risk management protocols across international and virtual offerings.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Program Leadership & Innovation

• Vision & Strategy: Define and execute a cohesive strategic vision for international and virtual programs that moves the organization from operational survival to sustainable growth and excellence.
• Program Alignment & Impact: Lead overall program design and curriculum development to ensure strong alignment with United Planet’s mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Growth & Optimization: Identify market opportunities, evaluate existing program models, and drive continuous improvement across all program offerings to enhance participant outcomes and global impact.

Team Leadership, Empowerment & Coaching

• Direct Supervision: Lead, mentor, and supervise the program team, including the International Groups Coordinator, Partnerships Coordinator, and International Program Coordinator.
• Team Empowerment & Capacity Building: Build team confidence and autonomy through clear goal setting, ongoing feedback, professional development, and supportive coaching.
• Process & Workflow Improvement: Establish clear framework standard operating procedures (SOPs) and decision-making guidelines to reduce operational insecurity and foster an environment of ownership and accountability.

Strategic Partnership Development & Oversight

• Partnership Strategy: Oversee the expansion and sustainability of United Planet’s global partner network, guiding the Partnerships Coordinator in target region selection and relationship management.
• High-Level Relationship Management: Drive senior-level outreach and establish strategic alliances with international partners, host organizations, and ICYE networks.
• Vetting & Quality Assurance: Establish rigorous partner evaluation frameworks to assess capacity, program quality, risk, and safety considerations.

Financial Management & Operational Quality

• Budget Strategy & Pricing: Develop and manage overarching program operational budgets, pricing models, and financial forecasts particularly in collaboration with the International Groups Coordinator.
• Logistics & Risk Management: Refine existing protocols for participant communications, background checks, logistics, and emergency response, delegating day-to-day execution while retaining executive oversight.
• Virtual Quest Leadership: Oversee the strategy and delivery of Virtual Group Quests (VQ), ensuring seamless cross-functional delivery between staff, host country partners, and volunteers.

Qualifications

Required

• Mission Alignment: Deep passion for United Planet’s mission of global community building and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Program & Strategic Oversight: Demonstrated understanding of scaling, designing, and evaluating international or virtual exchange programs with measurable social impact.
• Cross-Cultural & Global Operations: Hands-on experience establishing and managing international partner relationships, navigating cross-cultural communication, and ensuring participant safety/risk management abroad.
• Strategic Vision & Change Management: Ability to step into a growing department, assess current workflows, and implement structured systems and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that build operational stability.
• Empathetic & Decisive Communication: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to provide constructive feedback, set clear expectations, and inspire confidence across a remote or hybrid team.

Ideal

• Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Non-Profit Management, Global Studies, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.
• Proven Management Experience: 2+ years of progressive management experience in non-profit, international development, higher education, or global exchange programs.
• Team Leadership & Mentorship: 2+ years of direct supervisory experience managing and developing staff. A proven track record of coaching early-career team members, building trust, and driving staff autonomy.
• Budgeting & Financial Acumen: Strong experience developing multi-project budgets, pricing structures, and financial forecasting in collaboration with team members.
• Crisis & Risk Management: Experience creating and executing protocols for risk mitigation, emergency response, and participant support in international travel or virtual program environments.

Application instructions

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