Program Associate

Reports to: Engagement Director

Location: Chicago (offering unique hybrid/remote options)

Start Date: January 6, 2026

Type: Full-time, exempt

About ALL

At the Academy for Local Leadership (ALL Chicago), we envision a democratically elected, anti-racist, and effective school board that works in partnership with community and district leadership to advance the educational goals of students—especially those who are furthest from opportunity. Through our Fellowship, Community Empowerment, and Alumni programs, we prepare emerging community leaders to step confidently into governance and advocacy roles in Chicago’s evolving district school board system.

Position Overview

The Program Associate is the heartbeat of ALL’s program delivery—making sure every session, event, and gathering reflects our values of hospitality, care, and excellence. This person ensures that each participant's experience is smooth, welcoming, and thoughtfully executed.

Working closely with the Director of Engagement, the Program Associate provides operational and logistical support across all of ALL’s programs, with the Fellowship currently serving as the largest and most active initiative. This role also supports the Community Empowerment and Alumni programs as they continue to grow.

The Program Associate will own and manage vendor relationships, ensuring that ALL’s partners—caterers, venues, and technical providers—deliver high-quality, mission-aligned service. The ideal candidate brings warmth, attention to detail, and a deep sense of care for creating spaces where people feel seen and supported.

Key Responsibilities

Program & Event Coordination (40%)

• Coordinate logistics for Fellowship, Community Empowerment, and Alumni sessions and events, including venue booking, catering, AV setup, and materials.
• Build and manage strong relationships with vendors to ensure excellent service and alignment with ALL’s values. We prioritize small, local businesses whenever possible.
• Create welcoming, accessible, and thoughtfully designed environments that foster learning and connection.
• Greet participants, anticipate needs, and troubleshoot issues during sessions and events with professionalism and warmth.
• Develop systems to organize logistics and improve coordination across the team.

Program Operations & Alumni Support (30%)

• Support the design and delivery of alumni programming (events, workshops, and networking opportunities).
• Prepare materials, supplies, and follow-ups for all programs.
• Track participation and engagement in Airtable/CRM and maintain accurate program records.
• Manage inventories of program supplies and coordinate orders and deliveries.

Data & Evaluation (20%)

• Track attendance, participation, and survey responses.
• Support data collection and reporting for staff, board, and funders.
• Help compile participant feedback and insights to inform ongoing program improvement.

General Team Support (10%)

• Provide flexible, “all hands on deck” support for programs and special events.
• Assist with scheduling, communications, and special projects as needed.
• This position requires attendance at program events on weekends and occasional evenings.

You Might Be a Great Fit If...

You’re eager to learn and grow with mentorship and a collaborative team. People often describe you as organized, detail-oriented, and reliable. You enjoy creating order and warmth in shared spaces and believe deeply that all young people deserve an excellent education—and that Chicago can be the best city in the country to receive a high-quality public education.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of professional experience in program coordination, event or operations management, or a related role (nonprofit, education, or hospitality experience preferred).
• Experience managing vendors or external partners with an eye toward quality and relationship-building.
• Strong organizational and communication skills with excellent attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to create welcoming, inclusive spaces and anticipate participant needs.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and comfortable working in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
• Familiarity with data tracking and CRM systems (Airtable experience a plus).
• Willingness to work evenings or weekends for events based on program calendars.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus.

Salary Range: $58,000–$68,000, commensurate with experience and aligned with ALL’s internal equity and compensation structure.

Comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees (and their families). Employees are able to enroll in 401k retirement plan and are eligible for a 3% automatic contribution and up to a 3% employer match on 401k contributions. Employees are also eligible for pre-tax transportation benefits. Employees will receive 200 hours of vacation time, 80 hours of health leave, up to 2 days of casual leave, and 20 hours of volunteer leave annually. Employees will also receive 13 paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Employees are eligible for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave after 90 days of employment.

Hiring Statement

Academy for Local Leadership is a project of Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. Hopewell Fund is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. Hopewell Fund’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

E-Verify Statement

Hopewell participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employees’ Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States. Job candidates and employees authorized to work may not be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.

Comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees (and their families). Employees are able to enroll in 401k retirement plan and are eligible for a 3% automatic contribution and up to a 3% employer match on 401k contributions. Employees are also eligible for pre-tax transportation benefits. Employees will receive 200 hours of vacation time, 80 hours of health leave, up to 2 days of casual leave, and 20 hours of volunteer leave annually. Employees will also receive 13 paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Employees are eligible for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave after 90 days of employment.