Program Officer, Sports

Meridian International Center•Washington, DC

6d•$68,000 - $93,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Meridian International Center is seeking a highly driven and detail-oriented Program Officer, Sports, in its Center for Culture & Sports Diplomacy. This position will primarily support the delivery of the Sports Envoys and Sports Diplomacy On-Demand programs, as well as support business development efforts for Meridian's sports diplomacy portfolio. This role is responsible for leading the end-to-end coordination and execution of participant engagement, including recruitment, contracting, travel logistics, honoraria, and on-site program delivery for high-profile grants, with multiple individual programs potentially taking place concurrently in multiple regions around the world. The Program Officer, Sports will oversee a Program Associate and manage a complex portfolio of sports envoys/participants, partners, and stakeholders, ensuring seamless and compliant implementation. This role requires a strong blend of operational excellence, stakeholder coordination, and real-time problem-solving, with the ability to manage high-volume logistics while maintaining a high-touch experience for participating program participants and partners. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable managing detailed administrative processes and executing large-scale, public-facing programming, and thrives in fast-paced environments requiring adaptability, sound judgment, cross-team collaboration, and coordinating across multiple time zones. This position is contingent upon Meridian successfully securing a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State. This position is located in Washington D.C. and Meridian requires MD, DC, or VA residence for all employees. The position may work partially remotely until further notice.

Requirements

Minimum 5-8 years of progressive program management experience
At least 2+ years of experience working in sports, athletics, or a related field, with a demonstrated understanding of the sports ecosystem and established relationships within the sector
Experience managing logistics for complex international programs
Prior experience supervising staff or managing junior team members
Familiarity with participant coordination, travel logistics, and program implementation
Experience working with federal programs or compliance frameworks preferred
Or any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position
Strong project management and organizational skills
Ability to oversee multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong interpersonal and team management skills
Ability to problem-solve and make decisions under pressure, particularly during live events
High attention to detail and accountability
Strong inter-cultural communication skills; maturity, cultural sensitivity, and tact suitable for working with individuals from around the world
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams is necessary for this role

Nice To Haves

Experience with Airtable, Google Workspace, Canva, Adobe Acrobat, Zoom, Squarespace, Salesforce and VendorRisk is helpful

Responsibilities

Support business development efforts for Meridian's sports diplomacy portfolio, including proposal development, fundraising, sponsorship outreach, and identifying new partnership opportunities
Build and manage the Sports Diplomacy Leadership Council, including cultivating relationships with athletes, sports executives, leagues, teams, and other key stakeholders
Cross-team collaboration on designing, developing, and managing sports-related programming, including convenings, salons, panel discussions, CultureFix events, Summit programming, and other thought leadership initiatives
Identify emerging trends, themes, and influential leaders across the sports industry to inform programming, content, and thought leadership, and strengthen Meridian's network
Represent Meridian with external stakeholders and help expand the organization's visibility and influence within the sports diplomacy and sports business communities
Other duties as assigned
Provide overall coordination and oversight of sports diplomacy programming logistics, content development (toolkits, podcasts, op-eds, etc.), an execution
Support development and management of grant timelines, deliverables, and budgets
Serve as a key point of contact for internal teams, ECA, partners, and stakeholders, including U.S. Embassies and high-profile envoys and program participants
Ensure alignment with program goals, requirements, and federal guidelines
Oversee execution of individual programs and ensure coordination across envoys/participants, U.S. Embassies, and partners
Troubleshoot issues in real time and ensure smooth program delivery
Oversee sports envoy/participant engagement processes, including contracting, onboarding, scheduling, and communications
Guide and support the Program Associate in managing envoy/participant schedules, needs, and expectations
Ensure all envoy/participant agreements, releases, and documentation are completed accurately and on time
Support management of envoy/participant needs, including supplies, hospitality, venues, and scheduling
Support resolution of envoy/participant-related issues and escalations
Oversee coordination of envoy/participant travel, lodging, and itineraries to ensure accuracy and compliance
Monitor and support the processing of honoraria and envoy/participant payments
Ensure financial tracking aligns with organizational and federal requirements
Review and approve logistics plans and troubleshoot challenges as needed
Supervise and provide guidance to the Program Associate
Delegate tasks and ensure timely completion of responsibilities
Provide mentorship, quality control, and performance feedback
Support coordination across additional staff, as needed
Participate in mandatory Meridian-wide supervisor trainings
Monitor program budgets, expenses, and financial tracking related to envoy/participant engagement
Ensure timely processing of payments and proper documentation
Complete administrative and reporting requirements in accordance with organizational standards