Program Coordinator, Teacher Professional Development (Full-Time, Three-Year Term)

The Organization

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) is the nation’s leading nonprofit and nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of American history through educational programs and resources. We serve K–12 teachers and students, honor scholars, and welcome and inform the general public.

Since its founding in 1994, GLI has created powerful and meaningful ways to teach and learn history. Focusing on primary sources, the Institute offers teacher seminars, online courses, exhibitions, digital materials, and print publications that enable students of all ages and backgrounds to study the nation’s past.

The Institute brings the work of today’s leading historians into classrooms and homes worldwide. Through public events, publications, posters, videos, exhibitions, essays, and a dedicated website rich in primary sources, GLI brings every period of American history to life. Diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School network comprises millions of students and educators from more than 38,000 schools worldwide.

The Position

GLI is seeking a full-time Program Coordinator to support the Educational Programs Department. This is a three-year, grant-funded position. The Coordinator will manage GLI’s work on four federally funded teacher professional development partnerships serving K–12 educators in Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Each partnership serves a cohort of 75 teachers per year, totaling 300 teachers annually across all four programs. GLI contracts with historians for content seminars and webinars, leads multi-day summer field studies at historic sites, and supplies primary sources, online courses, and Affiliate School memberships to participating teachers. The Coordinator will be GLI’s day-to-day point of contact for the lead partner organizations, and will keep GLI’s deliverables on schedule for all four projects.

The ideal candidate will have experience planning educational programs or events for teachers or students that includes travel and on-site logistics. The Coordinator should feel confident working independently and managing multiple deadlines across the four programs without close supervision, all while communicating and collaborating effectively.

The Coordinator reports to the Program Manager. The position is hybrid and requires working at least 3 days per week at GLI’s midtown New York City office. The role includes some travel, including multi-day summer field studies, as well as some weekend and evening hours, not to exceed 20% of time.

Roles and Responsibilities

Partner and Project Management (25%)

• Serve as GLI’s main point of contact for the lead partner organizations and participating school districts on four federally funded projects
• Build and maintain a shared calendar of GLI deliverables across the four projects, track timelines, and flag issues proactively
• Attend partner planning calls and advisory team meetings, and share updates with the Program Manager and department leadership
• Track GLI’s grant-related expenses and contracts in coordination with the Finance Department

Seminars and Webinars (25%)

• Recruit, schedule, and contract GLI historians and scholars to lead in-person Saturday seminars and online webinars for teacher cohorts
• Coordinate scholar travel, honoraria, and materials
• Prepare primary source packets and readings with scholars and partner staff
• Provide on-site or virtual support for sessions as needed

Summer Field Studies (30%)

• Plan and manage logistics for multi-day summer field studies at historic sites, which may include Philadelphia, Gettysburg, and Washington, DC, for cohorts of up to 75 teachers each
• Build itineraries with scholars and site partners, and arrange lodging, group travel, meals, site visits, and guided tours
• Support GLI’s on-site lead during field studies as needed

Teacher Support, Data, and Reporting (20%)

• Enroll participating teachers in the Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School Program and GLI online courses, and answer participant questions
• Support the development and administration of teacher content assessments with scholars and partners
• Maintain accurate records of participants, attendance, and course completion in GLI’s internal systems, which include Salesforce
• Prepare data, summaries, and narrative updates for partner progress reports and grant reporting

Across All Programs

• Collaborate with members of the Educational Programs Department and other GLI colleagues regarding other needs as they arise
• Additional responsibilities as required

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; a background in history, education, or a related field preferred
• Demonstrated experience in program coordination, event or travel logistics, or educational program management; nonprofit experience preferred
• Experience working with K–12 teachers or in a school, museum, library, or other educational setting strongly preferred
• Ability to travel to multi-day summer field studies and approximately 15% of weekends during the year
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and partners simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to handle all situations with a calm and professional approach, and to problem-solve under pressure
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications, and productivity tools such as Asana; experience with Salesforce a plus
• Comfort working with budgets, spreadsheets, and basic data reporting
• Familiarity with AI tools preferred
• Connection to the Institute’s mission, American history, and/or K–12 education

The Gilder Lehrman Institute offers a generous and inclusive benefits package, including health, dental, disability, and life insurance, 401(k) employer contribution, Flexible Spending Account plans, donation matching, and paid time off in the first year of hire, including a paid winter recess from December 25 to January 1. The Gilder Lehrman Institute also offers generous tuition reimbursement for courses taken in the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History program. Staff members who complete the MA degree are eligible for full tuition reimbursement.