Program Operations Associate

About Lead For America

Lead For America (LFA)  is dedicated to providing place-based service opportunities to local individuals to help mission-driven organizations advance solutions that are informed by place and responsive to community. The American Connection Corps (ACC), launched by LFA in 2021, is an  AmeriCorps service program focused on closing the digital divide in digitally disconnected communities. Supported by a broad coalition of partners including AmeriCorps and major corporations, ACC has members serving in 30+ states across the country. 

Department Context:

The Programs Department at Lead For America is dedicated to designing, implementing, and evaluating impactful programs that align with the organization's mission. Our department plays a pivotal role in ensuring that Lead for America’s programs are thoughtfully developed, executed with excellence, and evaluated for long-term impact. Through our work, we focus on staying committed to our core values of Connection, Innovation, Service, Stewardship, and Trust.

The Programs Department is responsible for aligning each initiative with Lead For America’s mission. Through the thoughtful management of program budgets, oversight of execution, and rigorous evaluation, we measure the effectiveness of our work, ensuring that it meets both the immediate needs of the communities we serve and long-term goals.

Role Expectations:

The Program Operations Associate is responsible for researching, developing, and supporting the implementation of Lead for America programs from start to completion throughout each Program Year. This role requires a deep understanding of organizational workflows, multi-sectoral project management, in-person and virtual convening logistics, and program operations.

The Program Operations Associate gathers and curates key Member and Host Site resources, training materials, events, and opportunities to support their service experience. This role reports to the Director of Program Operations and partners closely with the Program Coordinators (PCs), who serve as critical feedback conduits between program design and on-the-ground realities. This role requires occasional travel within the U.S. and its territories.

What You’ll Do:
Process Improvement & Project Tracking Throughout Program Year Calendar (40%):

• Build and update templates and project tracking tools in core systems (Asana, Google Sheets, Google Forms, Campground) to establish, refine or revise Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and regular analysis of critical workstreams.
• Document processes, regulations, and resources for all LFA Program operations to increase efficiency, consistency, and program implementation.
• Conduct needs assessments of existing programs, support feedback loops, and gather data to identify implementation improvement opportunities (especially regarding workflows and SOPs).
• Assist with Program Operations Feasibility Tests for LFA’s programmatic growth and expansion.
• Provide "retro" (retrospective) support for the Program Implementation and Program Operations-specific retros following program milestones by creating templates, supporting notetaking, and tracking team commitments via project management platforms.
• Coordinate task assignments in Campground (Program CRM and LMS platform).
• Ensure the task completion of Host Site Supervisor and Member transitions—from recruiting to onboarding, orientation, and throughout their service term.
• Support program wrap-up activities, including building out "Member Exit" project boards and reviewing and organizing final files (e.g., Member SOS content).
• Stay current on tools and best practices for process improvements, including automation and AI.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Compliance (25%)

• Collaborate with Monitoring & Evaluation and Program Coordinators on tasks and logistics associated with data collection, data quality, data monitoring, and grant compliance.
• Understand and support compliance with evaluation and audit needs, as well as programmatic requirements, in support of the Director of Program Operations and the Compliance and Grant Manager.
• Coordinate with Marketing & Communications, Program Coordinators, and Team Leads to collect member service highlights and pipeline via internal platforms (Slack, site visits) for internal Member communication and external communication to stakeholders (e.g. Host Sites, marketing).
• Partner with Recruitment and Grant Management/Compliance teams to problem-solve and ensure the details of requirements are met in an effective and streamlined manner.

Convening Logistics and Member Community Building (15%):

• Serve as a core team member to organize and support logistics related to the development and execution of virtual and in-person convenings, tr