Program Manager

PALS is a growing nonprofit that creates inclusive camp experiences for individuals with and without Down syndrome. Our programs are led by young, inspiring volunteers and have been designed to change attitudes, transform lives, and inspire a world of belonging. As an organization committed to a more inclusive world, we recognize the importance of having our community reflect the areas we serve. The urgency of our mission—the need for young people both with and without Down syndrome to find connection and purpose—requires us to build a community beyond that of the typical camp world.

The Program Manager will lead a small team in ensuring the execution of a high quality, safe, inclusive, and diverse program for all PALS participants. This person will both work to ensure the current state of affairs at PALS is thriving, and to pursue new opportunities in locations, age groups, and communities where PALS is most needed. The Program Manager will hold all institutional partnerships related to executing our programs including all of our host Colleges & Universities. This person will have responsibility for overseeing the program budget across all programs (currently about $1 million annually in expenses) including assessment of current fee structure, earned revenue and expenses related to program activities, and an eye for the financial sustainability of PALS future as we expand and diversify our community. With a tremendous opportunity to effect PALS’ vision of “a world of belonging for all people,” the Program Manager will lead all organizational efforts to establish a safe, inclusive, intentional, and high quality program for everyone, including outreach to historically underrepresented communities within PALS. 

Responsibilities & Desired Outcomes

• Design and coordinate the execution of annual programming serving all ten (10) of PALS hubs.
• Lead recruitment efforts to establish sustainable and diverse pipelines for participants into PALS programs.
• Manage the Program Coordinators, supporting their goals to align efforts to further develop PALS’ reach.
• Maintain the programmatic budget for all program related events including assessment of rates, earned revenue, and annual expenses to ensure a sustainable and thriving organization.
• Working closely with staff and volunteers to ensure all policies and procedures are in line with both ACA (American Camping Association) accreditation and promotion of PALS’ mission of building a world of belonging through inclusive and fun experiences.
• Engage the PALS community in working to implement and assess practices that maintain a safe, inclusive, and diverse environment within all of PALS.
• Report to and work with Executive Director, prepare streamlined reports on team progress, problem-solve as needed and lead other administrative projects
• Participate on staff leadership team with other department heads and contribute to organizational wide strategic thinking 

   

Skills & Experience we are looking for:

• Passion for being a team player. You are part of a small staff team, and a large PALS community. We need someone who can communicate and collaborate with all of the PALS network.
• We need someone with staff supervision and leadership experience.
• Communicate effectively in person, via email, on video chat, and at public events.
• Bring professionalism and confidence. PALS is at a critical stage of development and we are looking for a leader who can set and meet clear timelines, manage simultaneous projects, and react appropriately and thoughtfully when new situations arise.
• We need someone who is self-motivated and proactive, who can be flexible, adjusting their schedule to meet with our volunteers.
• A strong belief in PALS’ mission. Working for PALS requires a connection to our mission. This might be experience in the Down syndrome or disability community or a strong passion for inclusive communities. PALS is personal for so many of us, and we refer to that motivation as our “Why PALS.” We want you to bring that “Why PALS” to work with you every day, and we will ensure you have lots of opportunities to get to know our community and find your personal connection in the work.
• Be structured and creative. Working for PALS at this stage in our life cycle requires someone who is able to build and execute within strong processes and structures, and someone who is willing and able to think creatively and experiment with new ways of engaging our community.
• We need someone comfortable with technology needed to do this job including, but not limited to: the Google suite, Salesforce, Asana, and SquareSpace. 

Equal Opportunity Employer

PALS is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workspace. We recognize that this takes consistent work and are committed to continual improvement. We believe that diverse ideas, cultures, and traditions reflect the broad diversity of the U.S. and are essential to building our vision of a community of belonging. PALS encourages applicants to describe in their cover letter the unique contributions they, as individuals with diverse experiences, would bring to the organization. We particularly encourage BIPOC (Black people, Indigenous peoples, and People of Color) to apply

Terms & Compensation

This is an exempt, full-time position according to the FLSA, with an expectation of approximately 40 hours/week with a salary range of $60,000 - $75,000. Your work day may shift depending on the time and season but generally PALS office hours are 9 am - 5 pm ET. Occasionally our young volunteer leaders meet with staff in the evening, or we host weekend events, and employees are encouraged to flex their time to meet these accommodations. The employee will work remotely and will need an appropriate work space where they can make phone calls, participate in video conferences, and work independently every day. PALS is a fully remote team and this position may live anywhere in the country, with a preference for residing in or near one of PALS Hubs (CA, WA, OH, IL, and the east coast from ME to NC). This position will require travel to program locations during the summer months and also to expand partnership opportunities and engage the full PALS community in our mission when it is safe and appropriate to do so. PALS will provide the employee with a laptop, generous PTO policy, a monthly reimbursement for internet/phone, and a monthly reimbursement for health care premium.

COVID-19 Policy

As a condition of employment, PALS will require all employees who will be on-site at programs to be fully vaccinated including the COVID-19 vaccine. 

To Apply: 

• Submit a resume and cover letter to hiring@palsprograms.org  
  • In your cover letter, please include not only your experiences and skills, but also specifics about this job that you are excited by. This role requires strong initiative and resilience. If you have a specific example in your life that illustrates these qualities, we would love to read about it in your cover letter. 
  Optional: In lieu of a cover letter, you may submit a 2-4 minute self-recorded video telling us a bit about yourself and why you are interested specifically in this job.
• In addition to the resume & cover letter, complete an application here