Description

What We Need

The World Affairs Council is seeking a detail-oriented, relationship-driven, and globally curious Program Officer to help design and deliver high-quality international exchange programs through our Global Leadership Exchange (GLX) department. This role shapes meaningful, people-centered experiences for emerging and established international leaders visiting Seattle.

As a Program Officer, you will manage the full lifecycle of exchange programs—from program design and itinerary development to on-the-ground execution and evaluation. You will partner with local professional resources, national programming agencies, and federal stakeholders to ensure each delegation’s experience reflects excellence, hospitality, and the Council’s mission of advancing global understanding, one conversation at a time.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a dynamic, mission-driven environment; enjoys relationship building; and values the power of international engagement to create more informed and connected communities.

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

Program Management

• Design and implement innovative, thematically aligned international visitor programs, primarily through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
• Develop itineraries, manage schedules, and ensure seamless program execution from arrival to departure.
• Coordinate volunteer hosts, professional resources, and host families to foster meaningful cross-cultural engagement.
• Manage program budgets, track expenses, and ensure responsible financial stewardship.
• Anticipate and troubleshoot real-time program challenges with professionalism, empathy, and sound judgment.

Program Development

• Contribute to the development of proposals for professional and youth-focused exchange programs—primarily State Department programs but also new opportunities with non-U.S. government exchanges.
• Participate in program design discussions, identifying objectives, themes, and community resources.
• Support improvements to GLX programming, tools, and workflows.

External Relations

• Cultivate and steward strong relationships with Seattle-area professional resources to ensure program relevance and long-term engagement.
• Collaborate with national programming agencies and federal stakeholders to support high-quality program delivery.
• Represent the Council professionally at meetings, briefings, and community events.

Administration

• Maintain accurate Salesforce records to support data integrity and reporting.
• Support GLX communications, including social media content, web updates, and newsletters.
• Conduct program evaluation, gather impact stories, and support grant reporting.
• Assist with financial processes, including invoicing, reconciliation, and vendor coordination.

What We’re Looking For

• Global: Globally minded and curious about international issues.
• Relational: Relationship-oriented and able to build trust with partners, colleagues, and visitors.
• Organized: Organized with strong attention to detail and comfort managing logistics.
• Adaptable: Flexible and steady under pressure, with a solutions-focused mindset.
• Communicative: A clear and respectful communicator, both verbally and in writing.
• Collaborative: Collaborative and comfortable working in a mission-driven team.
• Innovative: A builder who sees opportunities to improve systems and processes.
• Motivated: The mission matters.
• Growth and grace: You remain adaptable and flexible amid change and extend grace for colleagues and yourself.

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 GLX colleagues but everyone on the team will be committed to your success.
• Perks: Medical, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance; short- 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’re not into micromanaging. 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’ve embraced a hybrid work schedule.

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 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

Our compensation philosophy aligns with our values and supports the strategic initiatives guiding the Council’s work. The key principles that guide our approach to compensation:

• Attract and retain: We strive to offer a total compensation program that attracts and retains talent and is competitive for similar organizations.
• Motivate: We reward performance that drives the organization’s mission forward.
• Understand the market: Benchmark base pay levels and practices against peer organizations (like-size/budget non-profits in King County) and pay within industry norms.
• Equity in the workplace: We are committed to providing equal pay for equal work within the Council, with allowable pay differences based on factors not prohibited by law. While fairness is fundamental, individuals bring different experience levels and skills to roles that are themselves sometimes different. Compensation reflects these meaningful differences and varies accordingly.

The salary range for this position is $49,000-$53,000, depending on experience. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, generous paid time off, and an ORCA pass and phone stipend.

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 GLX team, and how this opportunity aligns with your professional goals. This position will remain open until filled.

Not sure you meet every single qualification? 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.