Director of Program Operations & Impact

About UNAGB

Since 1974, the United Nations Association of Greater Boston (UNAGB) has ignited a powerful vision: a Greater Boston where individuals, of every age, take globally-informed local action, collaboratively shaping a future abundant in sustainability and peace. A locally funded and locally governed 501(c)3, UNAGB engages over 5,000 global citizens a year through our multigenerational programs that strengthen global understanding and build durable leadership skills. We are best known for our excellent and accessible Model UN programs which engage students in grades 5-12 through year-round programs, including our interscholastic conferences, our Summer Institute in Global Leadership, and our in-class units of study. Additionally, we provide skill-based volunteer opportunities and internships to over 100 university students in the greater Boston area! UNAGB has a long-time focus on equity and a strong commitment to co-refining our curriculum with input from our teachers and students. We continuously adapt to ever-evolving best education practices for engaging all learners, changes in technology, and dynamic current events. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2024 and are excited for the next 50 years of impact. We believe that our work is more critical than ever.

Position Overview

Job Title: Director of Program Operations & Impact

Reports to: Executive Director

Manages: 3 (variable) full time employees and numerous consultants, volunteers, and interns

Position Status: Full-time, exempt, year-round

Salary Range: $80,000 - $85,000, commensurate with experience

Location: In-person at our Boston office and on-site at programs around Greater Boston

Anticipated Start Date: October 2025 (tentative) 

Benefits: Generous time off (see details here) and 80% employer covered health coverage 

Position Description:  

UNAGB seeks a mission-driven leader responsible for overseeing the development, execution, and evaluation of all UNAGB programming. This role will include supervising program staff, managing program logistics and budgets, aligning activities with strategic goals, grant writing and alignment to programs, and ensuring operational excellence. This role is ideal for someone with deep program and event management experience, a passion for global education, and a strong ability to lead people and processes. A successful candidate will have excellent management skills and be a consummate real-time problem solver. They will find joy and success in executing excellent programs and helping others do the same. This position will be most rewarding for someone who can be both self-directed and collaborative, systems thinking and flexible, with a strong awareness of their own working style and that of others. An internal passion for UNAGB’s mission and work is required. Alumni of UNAGB Programs, Model UN, or similar programs are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Responsibilities

Program Management (~40% of the time) 

• Ensure quality, consistency, and impact across all programmatic work.
• Build and maintain relationships with schools, funders, and community organizations.
• Represent UNAGB at events, partner meetings, and education coalitions as needed.
• Track and report key program metrics and outcomes to internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee the overall budget for UNAGB’s Summer Institute and Community Programs.
• Specifically responsible for the year-round planning, student recruitment, staffing, and delivery of an exceptional Summer Institute Program (see below for more details).

Leadership of UNAGB’s Summer Institute is a key part of this role. Applicants are encouraged to visit the UNAGB institute webpage to learn more. As this is such a crucial element of this role, a bit more description is provided here:

While the most visible part of the job is the eight-week summer program, this is a year-round role that involves strategic planning, curriculum development, marketing and outreach, and operational preparation during the academic year, followed by daily in-person program delivery during the summer months. In the lead-up to the program season, the Director builds partnerships with host institutions, develops engaging content, recruits and trains seasonal staff, and manages registration and participant communications.

During the summer itself, the Director acts as the face of the program—welcoming students from Greater Boston and around the globe, facilitating discussions and simulations, overseeing daily operations, and troubleshooting issues with a calm and solution-focused approach. This work requires cultural sensitivity, adaptability, and a keen ability to make every participant feel valued, challenged, and inspired.

People Management (~30% of the time)

• Provide direct management and leadership to program staff, ensuring clear roles and responsibilities are defined for program implementation. 
• Lead staff meetings, manage team workload, and coach team members for performance and growth.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• As needed to support the Programs Team, step into various aspects of program leadership and direct delivery (day-of-event management; teaching), or promptly mobilize resources within constraints during program surges or staff shortages to ensure our participants always receive the highest quality of program experience.
• Monitor, analyze, and report impact and budget metrics related to all programs, to inform strategic decision-making and support people management.

Fundraising & Communications (~20% of the time) 

• Responsible for foundation/grant fundraising, including all aspects of the grant application process, including preparing reports, submitting applications, outreach efforts, writing proposals, budget development, and submission.
• Foster alignment between grant and foundation commitments and program delivery, by creatively partnering with program leaders to enhance impact.
• Contribute to other organization-wide fundraising and communications efforts as required.

Operations & Other (~10% of the time) 

• Other Duties as Assigned: On a small but mighty team, all staff members take on administrative tasks that support the organization as a whole. These tasks vary (i.e., checking the mail, answering phone calls, ordering supplies, cleaning up after events…) and require a “no task too small” mindset from all staff.

Qualifications:

• BA or BS required; advanced education or certifications in government, international relations, education, business, and/or nonprofit leadership preferred.
• 5 years of increasing responsibility in successful program & people management required
• Experience with Model UN, Model Congress, Debate, Mock Trial, Science Fairs (or similar experience-based programs) preferred.
• Experience with camp/summer program leadership preferred.
• Strong attention to detail, comfort with budget creation and management.
• Adept at small-team work: ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, as well as have an exceptional ability to work in a collaborative, team dynamic with other staff, volunteers, and interns.
• Solutions-oriented problem solver who takes initiative to identify and respond to problems and opportunities, including building systems to address organizational needs and gaps.
• Enthusiastic learner: curious, reflective, open to feedback, excellent listener and innovator.
• A strong commitment to the United Nations Association of Greater Boston’s mission, values, and impact.                     

Logistics:

• This requires significant in-person work at numerous locations, including: 
• The ability to work in person at K-12 schools and universities throughout the Greater Boston area. During the summer, June - August, the Director will need to be on-site at Institute locations (various), every day, 7:30am - 4pm. Weekend and evening work required throughout the year.
• Ability to move heavy program materials back and forth to different locations.
• Ability to work in the US (no visa support provided).
• A valid driver's license and comfort driving (car not required).

Application Process

• To apply for this position, please complete the short form linked here or at the top of this job description.
• Both a resume and cover letter are required for a complete application. 
• Complete applications received before September 15th will be reviewed and responded to within two weeks. Response is not guaranteed for incomplete applications or applications submitted after that date. 
• The job will remain posted and the application form open until the role is filled. 
• We do not provide feedback on applications that do not move forward.
• The ideal start date for this position is October 2025. 

UNAGB’s Commitment to Diversity & Equal Opportunity 

UNAGB is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and is committed to making an inclusive and a welcoming environment for all. UNAGB provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Read UNAGB’s diversity commitment statement here.