Program Specialist

Job Description

The Program Specialist will provide general administrative support related to the Secretariat's work on racism, education-focused activities, and other related areas. The Program Specialist will provide support for website, communications systems, and databases; coordinate administrative support for the Secretariat; and provide general administrative support for the Executive Director.

Under the direction of the Associate Director, Education & Outreach, and in coordination with other education, outreach and social mission communications staff, contribute to education and outreach activities in the Secretariat of Justice and Peace.
• Contribute to development of educational materials.
• Contribute to outreach communications such as newsletters, webpages, etc.
• Help coordinate processes for internal collaboration with other offices, e.g. permissions processes, liturgical guidance/review, etc.
• Contribute to joint efforts to share Catholic social teaching within USCCB and with collaborators (e.g. Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul, CRS, etc.)
• Design and implement exhibits, including possible travel to local and U.S. conferences to represent work of the Secretariat.
• Contribute to design and formatting of departmental materials.
• Help create, maintain and monitor budgets.

Under the direction of the Associate Director, Racial Justice & Reconciliation, provide support for the Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation. This includes but is not limited to:
• Planning and logistics for Subcommittee meetings (two in-person per year). Requires travel to Baltimore and a rotating U.S. location).
• Compile documentation books (virtual and paper) for committee meetings.
• Help create, maintain and monitor Subcommittee budget.
• Contribute to and send Subcommittee communications.
• Administrative support including travel assistance, assistance with budgets, Microix requests and credit card statements.
• Contribute to Diversity Outreach Initiative, including materials, promotion, coordinating committee made up of collaborating organization representatives, facilitating evaluation and award of scholarship applications communicating with applicants, etc.

Primary responsibility for logistical coordination of Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, a biannual 500+ person, multi-day event. Responsibilities include:
• Work directly/interface with hotel event staff, AV staff, catering staff, security staff, and other vendors
• Place food/beverage orders
• Determine and communicate space and AV needs and set-up
• Work with registration company, monitor registration process; troubleshoot registration issues and respond to participant questions
• Provide instructions for staff and collaborating organization registration and involvement
• Coordinate roommate match process
• Monitor on-site set-up and meeting details
• Perform on-site trouble-shooting
• Instruct and monitor volunteers (staff and collaborating org representatives)
• Receive and respond to collaborator special event requests.
• Work with USCCB event planner to negotiate event contract
• Track meeting expenses
• Assist in selection of suitable future venues

General support for the Secretariat.
• Coordinates scheduling, setup, invitations, logistics for internal/external department meetings.
• Participate in and contribute to the activities of the Secretariat and the mission and priorities of the USCCB.

Education: Bachelor's degree, or a combination of education plus work experience

Major Field/Specialty: business, communications, conference management, or related field

Skill/experience: Computer including Word, PowerPoint, email, internet/web; website management, meeting planning/logistics, ability to work well with others under pressure with tight deadlines; well organized; multi-tasking capacity; knowledge of USCCB/Catholic Church/Social Ministry; people skills, ability to multi-task, attention to detail, time management; ability to work well with others under pressure

Other Specialized Training:
Familiarity with electronic communications systems such as Mailchimp, Voter Voice, and content management systems
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products, especially Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint
Familiarity with filing systems and retrieval of information

Professional Experience:
Event planning, administrative support staff experience, preferably in policy office or Church setting

Number of Years Required: 5 years related experience

About the Employer

Our mission is to support the ministry of bishops with an emphasis on evangelization, by which the bishops exercise in a communal and collegial manner certain pastoral functions entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus of sanctifying, teaching, and governing