Program and Communications Officer

World Affairs Council•Seattle, WA

7d•$49,000 - $53,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The World Affairs Council is seeking a Program and Communications Officer to join their team. This role is designed for an individual who enjoys organizing people, creating engaging public programs, and enhancing the Council's visibility and impact. The position offers a unique chance to help shape a relatively new role within the organization. The ideal candidate will be highly organized, creative, and detail-oriented, capable of planning, marketing, and executing multiple events monthly, while also contributing to the Council's narrative, especially during its 75th anniversary. Reporting to the Director of Community Programs and Operations, this role involves supporting various initiatives and collaborating with the Development team and the President/CEO. The Council values flexibility, creativity, and a proactive approach to new ideas in programming and communications. This position provides an exciting opportunity to influence how the Council connects with existing audiences and reaches new communities in the Pacific Northwest. The role is suited for individuals passionate about global affairs, continuous learning, and fostering meaningful conversations.

Requirements

Globally minded and curious about international issues.
Motivated by the mission.
Collaborative and comfortable working in a mission-driven team.
Organized with strong attention to detail and comfort managing logistics.
Clear and respectful communicator, both verbally and in writing.
Relationship oriented and able to build trust with partners, colleagues, and members.
Takes initiative, communicates proactively, and adjusts quickly when priorities shift.
Approaches challenges with a positive attitude, flexibility, and a willingness to find solutions.
Bachelor's degree in international relations, communications, public affairs, journalism, marketing, or a related field—or equivalent experience.
Genuine curiosity about world affairs and current events.
At least two years of full-time experience in event planning, communications, marketing, nonprofit programs, or a related field.
Strong research, writing, and editing skills.
Comfortable using communications and CRM platforms such as Mailchimp, Salesforce, WordPress, Zoom, and social media management tools.
Detail oriented.
Experience creating engaging content for newsletters, websites, email campaigns, and social media.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
Comfortable working occasional evenings for events.
Must have authorization to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Basic graphic design experience (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar).
Familiarity with photography or video content.

Responsibilities

Create and deliver discussions on international issues for members and the community.
Strengthen the Council's communications and public presence.
Develop compelling content for various channels.
Promote events across multiple platforms.
Ensure the Council's brand remains visible, dynamic, professional, and relevant.
Develop topics and speaker suggestions for Community Programs (CP) and Fellows events.
Manage speaker invitations and liaise with speakers and their staff.
Manage outside requests for events and align them with Council goals.
Oversee logistics for CP events.
Maintain internal and external events calendars and ensure appropriate staffing.
Provide moderator preparation, run-of-show, and attendee lists to senior staff.
Manage post-event follow-up, evaluation, and documentation.
Support the Director of Community Programs and Operations in managing the Community Programs internship program.
Implement communications strategies in partnership with senior staff to support organizational priorities.
Maintain a consistent organizational voice and visual identity across communications.
Create engaging content for email campaigns, social media, the Council website, and digital event platforms.
Monitor communications metrics (email performance, website traffic, social media analytics) and use data to refine outreach strategies.
Identify opportunities to promote Council programming through community calendars, media outlets, partner organizations, and cross-promotional campaigns.
Represent the World Affairs Council at meetings, networking events, and community functions.
Participate in and help coordinate bi-weekly Communications & Development meetings.