Program Coordinator

Program Coordinator

About Spark the Journey

Spark the Journey is a nonprofit organization that provides mentorship and a community of support for young adults to chart their own paths to achieving college and career success. Formerly known as Capital Partners for Education (CPE), Spark has been working with talented young adults in the Washington, DC metro region for over 30 years and currently serves over 400 mentees annually. Spark the Journey’s unique mentorship approach fosters long-lasting relationships between mentors and mentees as young adults choose to pursue the education, career path, or personal goals they want to achieve—with a community of support behind them.

About the Role

As a Program Coordinator on Spark’s High School team, you will play a critical role in delivering our mentorship model. You’ll directly support a caseload of student-mentor pairs, helping them navigate their relationships, access educational and career resources, and achieve key milestones on the path to college and/or career readiness. You’ll also help bring Spark’s programming to life through events, workshops, and community partnerships. This is a full-time, hybrid role requiring residence in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

We are looking for energetic, people-centered individuals who thrive in front of a room, know how to engage and inspire others, and bring genuine enthusiasm to youth development. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building community, facilitating groups, and connecting with people from a wide range of backgrounds to support the growth of young adults in under-resourced communities across the Washington, DC metro area.

Key Responsibilities

Case Management & Mentoring Support

• Support a caseload of mentee-mentor pairs with regular communication, relationship-building, and tailored coaching.
• Adapt and deliver Spark’s curriculum through individual check-ins and group sessions focused on program completion, college and career readiness.
• Maintain high levels of mentor-mentee engagement, participation, and satisfaction.
• Other duties as assigned to promote case management, program execution, and professional development

Event Planning & Facilitation

• Plan, execute and facilitate engaging in-person and virtual events for students and mentors, including, but not limited to college prep workshops, career exploration panels, and community-building activities.
• Assist with recruitment and volunteer mentor events throughout the year.

Communications & Relationship Management

• Proactively manage and enhance relationships with existing and potential partners from which participants and resourced are sourced
• Develop and deliver clear, concise, and tailored communications across various platforms to participants, volunteer mentors, guardians, and external points of contact
• Communicate effectively with students, mentors, families, and partners across platforms (email, phone, text, video).
• Promote external resources and Spark’s support network to remove barriers to student success.

Data & Programs Operations

• Document efforts and maintain current and accurate records in Salesforce, analyze recorded data and actively engage in informed and meaningful touchpoints with participants and volunteer mentors
• Identify trends and share findings that contribute to programmatic process improvements and systems updates
• Demonstrate fiscal and financial responsibility by following Spark policies and ensuring that expenses do not exceed annual budget

Job Qualifications

• Education & Experience
  • Associate or Bachelor's degree preferred OR
  • At least 1+ years of relevant experience supporting youth from underserved communities, especially those navigating barriers to postsecondary education
  • Backgrounds may include mentoring, coaching, non-profit work, student advising, teaching, youth development, or college access programs
• Skills & Attributes
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills—able to build trust across diverse stakeholders
  • Ability to facilitate large groups focused on building a positive environment, engaging participants, and delivering key content.
  • Organized and detail-oriented with strong time management
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality
  • Adaptability and resourceful, especially in dynamic or evolving environments
  • Ability to manage relationships and consistently apply strengths-based and youth-focused interventions
• Technical Tools
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
  • Experience with Salesforce or another CRM is a plus
  • Spanish language proficiency is a bonus

We are not able to sponsor employment visas for this position. Applicants for this position should be legally able to work full time in the United States for 12 months.

Work Environment & Requirements

• Hybrid work environment; local travel within the DC area is required for events and specific program sites
• Occasional evening and weekend availability for programming
• “Ability to lift and transport up to 40 lbs of supplies between the office and program sites.”

Compensation & Benefits

The starting salary range for this position is $47,000-$55,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

Spark provides a comprehensive compensation and benefits package, which includes:

• 100% of medical and dental premiums for employees paid by Spark.
• 100% of employees’ short and long-term disability and life insurance plans paid by Spark.
• A minimum of six weeks family leave at 100% pay, up to twelve weeks, at 100% pay.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching up to 3%
• 15 days of paid vacation in each of the first two years; 20 days in subsequent years
• Office closed on national and state holidays and last week of the year.
• Flexible hybrid/remote work policies

Ready to Apply

If you’re passionate about youth development, mentoring, and building equitable pathways to success, we’d love to hear from you. Apply via our Careers Page and join a team that believes in the power of community and connection.