Associate Program Officer - Gulf Integration, Development and Education

National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Pasadena (CA); Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Retirement benefits

Paid holidays

Paid personal leave

Transportation subsidies

Education assistance

Job summary

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine seeks an Associate Program Officer to support GUIDE’s higher education and workforce development portfolio, including Gulf Scholars and related initiatives. You will steward grantees, coordinate with partners, and help deliver alumni engagement and communications across the portfolio.

Under supervision, you will develop processes, track deliverables, and support program officers with grant management and evaluation activities, while

Qualifications

• Knowledge of grant and program administration and grantee management.
• Experience developing higher education student engagement and workforce development programs is a plus.
• Strong project management, communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Knowledge of program performance and participant outcome measurement.

Responsibilities

• Manages day‑to‑day operations of higher education and workforce development programs.
• Coordinates partnerships with colleges, public agencies, professional societies, and employers.
• Identifies and supports alumni engagement and communications across GUIDE’s portfolio.
• Develops written materials, publication coordination, and dissemination activities.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder engagement

Grant administration

Communication/presentation

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Job Description Summary: JOB SUMMARY In 2013, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established the Gulf Research Program (GRP) to enhance energy system safety and protect human health and the environment in the Gulf states and other U.S. outer continental shelf areas. The Program seeks to improve understanding of the region’s interconnecting human, environmental, and energy systems and foster application of these insights to benefit communities and ecosystems in the Gulf states and other regions with offshore energy production or potential in the outer continental shelf of the United States. This position is for an Associate Program Officer (APO) in the Gulf Integration, Development and Education unit (GUIDE). Under the general supervision of the Sr. Program Officer, the APO provides programmatic and operational support for GUIDE’s higher education and workforce development portfolio, including the Gulf Scholars Program, Gulf Futures Design Studios Work, and related student and workforce initiatives. The APO will support the next phase of GUIDE's higher education programs with the Sr. Program Officer and relevant Program Officers to steward grantees and operationalize integrated engagements with institutions, employers, alumni, and other partners. In consultation with the Sr. Program Officer, who will provide oversight, the APO will identify and manage day-to-day alumni engagement needs and activities across the portfolio, including communications, participation opportunities, relationship management, and connections among alumni, students, grantees, employers, and other partners. The APO will also provide programmatic support to Program Officers for grantee management and solicitation processes. Applies specific professional-level knowledge to solve problems requiring the identification and analysis of moderately complex variables. Incumbent takes action to solve routine problems in areas of assigned responsibility but receives guidance or expertise from higher-level staff on more complex problems. Incumbent establishes processes and procedures to ensure the effective and efficient operation of a program/project.

Job Description

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Program and Portfolio Execution
  • Manages the day‑to‑day operations of assigned higher education and workforce development programs, student engagement opportunities, and related portfolio activities.
  • Coordinates partnerships with higher education institutions, public agencies, professional societies, community organizations, employers, and other partners.
  • Identifies and manages day‑to‑day alumni engagement needs and activities across GUIDE’s higher education and workforce development portfolio, including communications, outreach, participation opportunities, relationship management, tracking, and connections with students, grantees, employers, and other partners, in consultation with the Sr. Program Officer for oversight and strategic alignment.
  • Facilitates coordinated support for grantees, including onboarding, communications, convenings, peer learning, technical assistance logistics, and connections to relevant resources.
  • Provides programmatic support to Program Officers for grantee management and solicitation processes, including communications, meetings, award and deliverable tracking, records, solicitation materials, applicant communications, review logistics, and selection documentation.
  • Works with evaluation staff and/or consultants to assess assigned higher education and workforce development programs, career‑focused student engagement, and grantee support activities.
  • Coordinates administrative facets of programs/projects, including identifying workflow needs, developing procedures and record‑keeping systems, and ensuring activities are executed and tracked.
  • Develops written materials and coordinates publication and dissemination activities.
  • May edit reports, facilitate responses to review, engage external organizations, prepare dissemination materials, and conduct dissemination meetings.
  • Compiles and summarizes information for documents and correspondence and creates and maintains program records and databases.
  • Coordinates with communications staff to maintain web content and may prepare newsletters and other promotional materials.
  • Collects, organizes, and maintains program and grantee data for reporting, evaluation, and portfolio planning.
• Student Engagement: Career Exploration, Readiness, and Opportunities
  • Identifies career roles and pathways for students in the next phase of GUIDE's higher education programs and works with Sr. Program Officer, Program Officers, and partners to develop related engagement opportunities.
  • Career exploration: Creates activities that expose students to Gulf region sectors, occupations, employers, alumni, grantees, and career pathways.
  • Career readiness: Coordinates training and resources in professional communication, applications, interviewing, networking, workplace expectations, and articulation of program‑acquired skills.
  • Career opportunities: Identifies and communicates internships, applied learning, research, community projects, employer connections, and employment opportunities across the portfolio.
  • Manages outreach, selection, orientation, communications, implementation, follow‑up, assessment, and connections among students, alumni, grantees, employers, and other partners.
• NONESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES: Related duties and special projects as assigned.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of grant and program administration, including grantee management and solicitation processes.
• Experience developing higher education student engagement across career exploration, readiness, and opportunities preferred.
• Strong project management, communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Knowledge of program performance and participant outcome measurement.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, manage competing priorities, solve problems, work effectively in teams, and build relationships with grantees, students, alumni, employers, and other stakeholders.

Minimum Education/Training Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent knowledge.

Preferred Education and Experience

Master’s degree in Higher Education, Education, Public Administration, Workforce Development, or a related field preferred. Experience in student engagement, career programming, employer engagement, workforce development, grantee support, solicitation administration, or evaluation preferred.

Physical Capabilities

Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time. Ability to travel.

Required Licenses, Certification or Registration

None.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Controls

Reports to the GUIDE Sr. Program Officer. Sets objectives with supervisor, who assists with problem resolution as needed.

Compensation & Benefits

An estimated compensation range for this position is $73,760 - $92,190. Compensation offered to the selected candidate will be based on the candidate’s relevant knowledge, skills, and work experience, commensurate with compensation of current employees in comparable positions with similar knowledge, skills and work experience, and subject to budget parameters. Note it is not typical for a candidate to be hired at the higher end of the range. This is a benefits‑eligible position. Our Benefits Plan offers competitive and comprehensive benefit options, including medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement and savings benefits, leave benefits such as paid holidays and paid personal leave, transportation subsidies, and education assistance.

Work Environment

Hybrid Office/Telecommute environment, expected onsite percentage 60%, with occasional travel between National Academies' facilities and to off-site meeting/sponsor locations.

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the National Academies to recruit, hire, transfer, compensate, and promote people in all job categories and to administer all other personnel actions, terms and conditions of employment in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. It is also the institution's policy to recruit, hire, promote, and provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and covered veterans who are otherwise qualified. Any qualification to be considered equivalent, in lieu of stated minimum, requires the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Some functions in this description may be specific to a particular unit of the National Academies and not applicable to other units.

Job Family

PROG Employee Type: Employee Scheduled Weekly Hours: 37.5 City/State: Washington, District of Columbia

Welcome! The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Medicine work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. View our Publications: The National Academies Press