Program and Communications Officer

World Affairs Council; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 49,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Generous paid time off

Volunteer time off

Floating holidays

Orca pass

Phone stipend

Job summary

The World Affairs Council in Seattle is seeking a Program and Communications Officer to plan, market, and execute engaging public programs and broaden the Council's visibility across the Pacific Northwest.

You will craft compelling content, manage events and communications, and help tell our story during the Council's 75th anniversary year. This role reports to the Director of Community Programs and Operations and collaborates with Development and senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in international relations, communications, public affairs, journalism, marketing, or related field.
• At least two years of full‑time experience in event planning, communications, marketing, nonprofit programs, or a related field.
• Strong research, writing, and editing skills.
• Experience using Mailchimp, Salesforce, WordPress, Zoom, and social media management tools.
• Detail oriented with ability to manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Create and deliver discussions on international issues for members and the broader community.
• Promote events across multiple channels and maintain the Council's brand.
• Develop engaging content for emails, social media, website, and digital platforms.
• Coordinate with speakers and staff to ensure a successful event experience.
• Support internship program and coordinate bi‑weekly Communications & Development meetings.

Skills

Communication skills

Writing and editing

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in international relations, communications, public affairs, journalism, marketing, or related field

Equivalent experience considered

Tools

Mailchimp

Salesforce

WordPress

Zoom

Canva

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

What We Need

The World Affairs Council is hiring a Program and Communications Officer to join our team. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys bringing people together, developing engaging public programs, and helping grow the Council's visibility and impact throughout the region. This is a unique opportunity to help build out a relatively new role for the Council, so we need someone who is excited to help shape the position.

We're looking for a highly organized, creative, and detail-oriented team member who can successfully plan, market, and execute multiple events each month and who can help tell our story, especially as we're celebrating our 75th anniversary. You'll report to the Director of Community Programs and Operations, supporting a wide range of initiatives while collaborating closely with colleagues across the organization, primarily the Development team and the President/CEO.

We value flexibility, creativity, and a willingness to suggest and embrace new ideas in programming and communications. This position offers an exciting opportunity to help shape how the Council engages existing audiences while reaching new communities throughout the Pacific Northwest.

If you're passionate about global affairs, lifelong learning, and connecting people through meaningful conversations, we'd love to hear from you.

Who We Are

We envision an inclusive and informed community inspired to create a just and equitable world. Our work advances global understanding and cultivates enduring relationships within our local community and with the world.

For 75 years, the Council has built a local community of globally engaged citizens. Through international exchanges, public programs, and education initiatives, we bring the world to Seattle—making global citizenship accessible to everyone.

What You'll Do

Duties and Responsibilities: In this role, you will create and deliver discussions on international issues for our members and the broader community while also playing an important role in strengthening the Council's communications and public presence. You will develop compelling content, promote events across multiple channels, and help ensure the Council's brand remains visible, dynamic, professional, and relevant.

Program Development – crafting conversations on global issues

• Develop topics and speaker suggestions for all Community Programs (CP) and Fellows events.
• Manage speaker invitations and liaise with speakers (and their staff when necessary) to ensure everyone has what they need for a successful experience.
• Manage outside requests for events and shape these events to best suit the goals of the Council.

Program Management – assuring lively and relevant conversations

• Oversee logistics related to successful CP events.
• Maintain internal and external events calendars and work with colleagues to ensure all events are appropriately staffed.
• Support senior staff by providing moderator preparation as needed as well as a detailed run‑of‑show and attendee list.
• Manage post‑event follow‑up, evaluation, and documentation to inform future programming.
• Support the Director of Community Programs and Operations in managing the Community Programs internship program.

External Relations, Communications, and Brand Awareness – expanding our reach and impact

• In partnership with senior staff, implement communications strategies that support organizational priorities.
• Help strengthen the Council's voice across programs and initiatives by maintaining a consistent organizational voice and visual identity across communications.
• Create engaging content for email campaigns, social media, the Council website, and digital event platforms that increases engagement and expands our audience.
• Monitor communications metrics—including email performance, website traffic, and social media analytics—and use data to improve outreach strategies.
• Identify opportunities to promote Council programming through community calendars, media outlets, partner organizations, and cross‑promotional campaigns.
• Represent the World Affairs Council at meetings, networking events, and community functions to strengthen partnerships and increase organizational visibility.
• Participate in and help coordinate bi‑weekly Communications & Development meetings, with opportunities to take increasing leadership responsibility over time.

What We're Looking For

• Globally minded and curious about international issues.
• Motivated: the mission matters.
• Collaborative and comfortable working in a mission‑driven team.
• Organized with strong attention to detail and comfort managing logistics.
• Communicative: a clear and respectful communicator, both verbally and in writing.
• Relationship builder: able to build trust with partners, colleagues, and members.
• Independent and adaptable: takes initiative, communicates proactively, and adjusts quickly when priorities shift.
• Creative problem solver: approaches challenges with a positive attitude, flexibility, and a willingness to find solutions.

What you might be looking for

• Colleagues: a small staff focused on the mission and on creating a supportive place to work.
• Support: you'll work most closely with Community Programs and Operations Director, but everyone on the team will be committed to your success.
• Perks: medical, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance; short‑term and long‑term disability coverage; and generous paid time off, including volunteer time off and floating holidays so you can celebrate what's important to you.
• Trust: we do not micromanage. You have autonomy to manage your time, programs, and working relationships with external partners.
• Opportunities: you'll have a supportive environment to build something that will help shape the future of the World Affairs Council.
• Recognition: we will celebrate your successes and respect your contributions and value to the organization.
• Flexibility: we enjoy a hybrid work schedule.

Preffered Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in international relations, communications, public affairs, journalism, marketing, or a related field—or equivalent experience—with a genuine curiosity about world affairs and current events.
• At least two years of full‑time experience in event planning, communications, marketing, nonprofit programs, or a related field. Additional education may substitute for experience. Exceptional entry‑level and more experienced candidates are encouraged to apply; compensation will vary with experience and achievement.
• Strong research, writing, and editing skills.
• Comfortable using communications and CRM platforms such as Mailchimp, Salesforce, WordPress, Zoom, and social media management tools.
• Detail oriented.
• Experience creating engaging content for newsletters, websites, email campaigns, and social media. Basic graphic design experience (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar) and familiarity with photography or video content are a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Comfortable working occasional evenings for events.

A Globally Welcoming Workplace

We bring the world to Seattle; we want you to bring your world to work with us. The World Affairs Council is committed to building an organization that reflects the global cultures and traditions of our staff, visitors, and community. We believe our mission is strengthened by the perspectives, experiences, and voices of people from diverse backgrounds and identities.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, and organizational needs—not on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and are committed to a fair, accessible hiring process.

Compensation

The salary range for this position at the officer level is $49,000–$53,000, depending on experience and past achievement. Benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance; short‑term and long‑term disability coverage; generous paid time off; Orca pass and phone stipend included.

The World Affairs Council is unable to sponsor employment visas for this position. Candidates must already have authorization to work in the United States.

How to Apply

Please submit your résumé and a thoughtful cover letter telling us why this role resonates with you, what you'll bring to the team, and how this opportunity aligns with your professional goals. This position will remain open until filled.

Not sure you meet all of the qualifications? Please apply anyway. We recognize that great candidates come from a variety of backgrounds and may bring strengths we haven't listed here. If you're excited about this role and have relevant experience, we encourage you to apply even if your background doesn't align perfectly with every qualification. You may be the right person for this position.

We are open to considering this role at different levels depending on experience. Exceptionally strong and experienced candidates may be considered for a Senior Program Officer position, while early‑career applicants may be considered for a Program Coordinator role. Compensation would vary based on level and experience.