Program Manager, Youth Engagement

Plan USA; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 76,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Plan International USA seeks a Program Manager for Youth Engagement to lead domestic youth programming and to integrate youth voices from the YAB into research, advocacy and governance. You will work closely with young people aged 14–22 and coordinate partnerships with fundraising, policy and communications teams.

The role oversees the Youth Advisory Board, Youth Leadership Academy and new pathways of involvement, while providing admin support and event planning for a strong youth engagement

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant focus areas including youth development, international development, etc.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience with youth leadership and youth development.
• Experience facilitating high level remote youth networks.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and execution of domestic youth programming with safeguarding.
• Coordinate Youth Advisory Board governance and engagement across teams.
• Plan and manage Youth Leadership Academy activities and events.
• Support monitoring, evaluation and reports with YAB and MERL teams.
• Collaborate with Programs, Legal, Communications, Policy and Digital Marketing to advance youth engagement.

Skills

Independent work

Remote work

Project coordination

Youth facilitation

Gen Z engagement

Decision making

Cross-team collaboration

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Position Description:

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian nonprofit that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child, but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of challenges children face. We’re there from birth until adulthood, and we support children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity, while particularly focusing on the experiences of girls. We drive changes in practice and policy at the local, national and global levels using our reach, expertise and knowledge.

With more than 85 years of experience, we work to transform lives in over 80 countries.

Plan International USA is fully committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people from all forms of violence.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

The position:

The Program Manager, Youth Engagement will work as a member of the Programs team with a focus on managing our domestic youth engagement programming and providing support, as needed, to other positive youth development‑related funding opportunities. They will be responsible for working directly with young people (ages 14–22) from Plan’s youth network and Youth Advisory Board (YAB) to ensure youth voices and perspectives are integrated into Plan’s research, advocacy campaigns, programs and governance. The program manager will lead the execution of and support strategic planning and thinking around youth domestic programming including our Youth Advisory Board, Youth Leadership Academy and the development of new pathways of involvement. The position will serve as the liaison with fundraising, policy and communications teams to position and integrate youth engagement into domestic and global opportunities, the program manager will manage administrative, logistical and technical support for all activities associated with youth engagement.

Essential Functions

Program planning and implementation

• In compliance with Plan’s safeguarding policy and standards, facilitate proper planning and implementation of Plan’s domestic youth program, creating a safe environment for the Youth Advisory Board.
• Serve as main liaison for partnership with the Youth Advisory Board and Plan
• Promote improved collaboration and integration of youth voice through YAB members participation across the organization in governance, policy, advisory and engagement roles across teams.
• Partner with YAB co‑chairs on governance, management, expectation and culture setting, meeting on a regular basis
• Partner with senior leadership on the ongoing strengthening of our domestic youth engagement footprint in the US; support scenario planning, discussions with internal and external stakeholders and provide necessary analysis behind any proposal for refined or new programming
• Collaborate with internal teams including Partnerships, Communications, Policy, Digital Marketing and the Global Hub’s Youth Movements teams, ensuring meaningful youth engagement principles are present throughout
• Provide primary support on development of new domestic engagement opportunities for young people focused.
• Provide periodic support for development of new global youth programs.

Admin / logistics

• Provide cross‑cutting admin, management and logistical support as needed (e.g., research, work planning, technical design, travel booking, communications and reporting)
• Manage the contracting and payment of the Youth Advisory Board members

Event planning and management

• Serve as a mentor and chaperone for events involving young people, including tasks such as coordinating schedules, preparing them for speaking roles, networking and ensuring safeguarding protocols are followed
• Plan the annual YAB retreat (virtual or in‑person) with co‑chairs and other YAB members

Youth Leadership Academy (YLA)

Manage the overall Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) planning and implementation, ensuring key deliverables are completed on time and on budget, and all deliverables receive necessary internal approvals, etc.

• Manage the procurement process for a venue from list of D.C.-based Universities and serve as point person for the contract.
• Support the YAB in facilitating virtual calls and workshops leading up to the YLA and ensure the virtual aspects of the program are youth-friendly, exciting, participatory and relevant
• Support the YAB in coordinating monitoring and evaluation tools, like pre and post surveys
• Support YAB subcommittee planning groups to help move workshop design forward. Note: YAB meetings often are held in the evenings and weekends outside of normal school hours
• Collaborate with internal Plan teams including Programs, Legal, Communications, Policy, and Digital Marketing to advance the vision of the YLA
• Manage the process of onboarding guest speakers to attend the YLA
• Lead small group virtual and in‑person sessions before and during the YLA
• Assist participants in the design of their leadership project

Monitoring and evaluation

• Strengthen Plan’s domestic programming internal M&E systems
• In collaboration with the YAB, plan, analyze and compile reports for the outcomes of their engagements annually
• In collaboration with the YAB and Plan’s MERL team, measure and report on the outcomes of the 2026/2027 YLA for a variety of audiences

Skills and Competencies

• Must be able to work independently, remotely, in a fast‑paced environment
• Must be able to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously
• Must have experience working in participatory ways with high school and college age young people
• Must have exceptional facilitation skills, particularly with young people
• Must be a creative thinker that is attune to Gen Z attitudes and interests in social justice work
• Confident making decisions and leading assignments
• Must feel comfortable working with remote teams and regularly communicating through Outlook, Microsoft Teams and Slack.
• Must be proactive and able to manage relationships, activities and tasks with a variety of staff from across the organization
• Must have strong conflict resolution skills, committed to restorative justice principles
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically with youth participants

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant focus areas including youth development, international development, etc.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience with youth leadership and youth development
• Experience facilitating high level remote youth networks

Other Duties

This job description does not contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time.

Plan International USA offers a comprehensive total compensation package inclusive of health benefits, paid time off (PTO), sick leave, and retirement plan contributions. We take several factors into account when determining salary offers, including candidate qualifications and experience, and internal equity. The target range for this position is between $76,079 - $80,000 annually.

We hire in the following states: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Plan is an equal opportunity employer and follows all laws associated with the EEOC.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.