Program Officer, CBYX

Cultural Vistas•Washington, DC

17d

About The Position

The Program Officer implements and administers day-to-day CBYX programming for American and German participants under the supervision of the CBYX Senior Program Officer. The role supports participants throughout application, selection, arrival, academic, internship, re-entry, and program-year phases; coordinates participant placements and college admissions; administers program records, payments, insurance, travel approvals, surveys, and application systems; and organizes events and travel. The Program Officer also represents Cultural Vistas and CBYX with participants, partners, vendors, and stakeholders, and may supervise interns or temporary support depending on business needs and budget. The position is full-time, exempt, and eligible for benefits, and is dependent upon the availability of grant funds. Candidates based in the Washington, D.C., area are preferred; remote candidates within the U.S. who can work with significant overlap with East Coast hours will also be considered.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency, as required for designation as an Alternate Responsible Officer under 22 CFR Part 62.
Advanced intermediate proficiency in German, including the ability to translate academic transcripts and certificates.
Ability to manage multiple assignments and projects simultaneously, prioritize and organize workload, and make decisions in a deadline-driven environment.
Exceptional attention to detail, particularly with records, documents, and payments.
Demonstrated ability to anticipate outcomes and solve problems.
Proactive, flexible, and inventive approach.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to collaborate professionally with stakeholders across borders, time zones, and cultures.
Strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and critical thinking.
Comfort with event and travel logistics, including managing multiple vendors and deadlines.
Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
Ability to provide excellent internal and external customer service.
Collegial attitude and ability to excel in a collaborative working environment.
Effective written and verbal communication within a multicultural environment.
Commitment to professionalism and professional development.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, and Excel.
Interest in and commitment to the mission of Cultural Vistas.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a cultural exchange, educational, or international relations environment.
Working knowledge of SEVIS and DS-2019 issuance.
Experience with event planning, group travel, and logistics.
Experience with Salesforce or another CRM platform.
Knowledge of one or more LMS platforms.
Proficiency with Zoom or other virtual meeting tools.
Candidates based in the Washington, D.C., area are preferred; remote candidates within the U.S. with significant overlap with East Coast hours will also be considered.

Responsibilities

Serve as a first point of contact for German participants and college coordinators, and for American participants and applicants on routine matters, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
Support German participants through arrival, academic term, internship, and re-entry, including resolving placement, cultural adjustment, academic, and internship-search issues.
Support American participants through application, selection, pre-departure, and program-year phases in coordination with the Senior Program Officer and German partner organization.
Coordinate day-to-day placement logistics with the Housing Family Management Partner, transmit participant information and program requirements, track placement status, maintain related database records, and flag delays or gaps.
Oversee college placement with the Senior Program Officer, including preparing and submitting admissions applications, translating German certificates and transcripts into English, and tracking decisions and enrollment.
Immediately escalate participant health, safety, and welfare concerns and draft incident documentation for review.
Organize and deliver assigned presentations at inbound and outbound seminars.
Support administration of the Congressional Internship Program, including applicant processing, host family placement logistics, and orientation seminar delivery.
Maintain participant and alumni databases, records, applications, and confidential documents in an electronically accessible format for required sharing with the ECA Youth Programs Office.
Serve as a designated Alternate Responsible Officer under 22 CFR Part 62; prepare, print, and sign DS-2019 forms and maintain participant records in SEVIS under Senior Program Officer oversight.
Work with Accounting to process tuition, travel reimbursements, seminar payments, and vendor invoices; track budget lines and flag variances.
Prepare grant-funded housing remittances for approval and reconcile partner invoices, housing payment records, and the housing continuity reserve with Accounting.
Enroll participants in the Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) for the full program period.
Track participant travel and prepare international travel approval requests for review and Department of State submission.
Prepare documents, information packets, mailings, and letters, including CBYX pre-departure mailings.
Administer the CBYX application platform, including annual configuration and testing, applicant technical support, and application processing.
Administer participant surveys under the Performance Monitoring Plan, support MODE data collection, track response rates, and compile results.
Support marketing and recruitment, including social media, outreach materials, and alumni engagement; assemble content and images for program highlights.
Maintain and update program process documentation so recurring administrative procedures are repeatable and transferable.
Organize venues, transportation, lodging, and food for program activities, orientations, and seminars.
Book German participant travel to evaluation seminars and the Congressional Internship Program; arrange Congressional visits in Washington, D.C., and coordinate panelists and logistics for selection interviews.
Support CBBSX logistics as directed, including collecting biographical and travel information from selected Congressional staff, coordinating ticketing, and processing ASPE enrollment.
Represent Cultural Vistas and CBYX at conferences, fairs, and meetings; engage vendors, stakeholders, and participants proactively.
Support participants, host families, host colleges, and host companies as directed, and maintain regular communication with Cultural Vistas gGmbH and the German partner organization to support collaboration with the Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm (PPP).
Provide consistent customer service to internal and external parties.
Depending on business needs and budget, supervise program interns and temporary support, including recruitment participation, training, work assignment and review, and feedback.
Delegate assignments, monitor completion, provide feedback and appreciation, and support staff exposure to other programs and projects.
Support staff performance management through conflict resolution, mentorship, and respect for diverse work and learning styles.
Maintain working knowledge of J-1 visa regulations, Cultural Vistas policies, and current international education issues; continue professional learning through relevant educational and industry activities.
Support communication with appropriate staff regarding initiatives and business, proactively improve business functions and workflow, and work in alignment with Cultural Vistas' mission, goals, values, and strategic direction.
Perform other tasks as assigned by the Senior Program Officer.