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Company Overview | The Close Up Foundation is the nation’s leading nonprofit, nonpartisan civic education organization. Our mission is to inform, inspire, and empower young people to exercise their rights and accept the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy. Leading the way in civic education since 1971, we believe that a strong democracy requires active and informed participation by all citizens regardless of community, socioeconomic level, and academic standing. For over 50 years, we have fulfilled this mission through experiential programs for students, professional development for educators, and classroom resources designed to empower young people for a lifetime of active citizenship. 

Position Overview | Close Up serves nearly 20,000 students and teachers each year through immersive civic education programs in and around Washington, D.C. We also serve a growing number of participants through programs in various locations across the country. The program services coordinator (custom programs) is responsible for booking, scheduling, and maintaining the reservations for Close Up student programs. These reservations include cultural activities, meals, and attraction tickets for academic components, both in Washington and out-of-town locations. The coordinator must be able to build and maintain positive vendor and internal relations. The person in this role is organized and flexible, possesses strong written and oral communication skills, and is willing to work nights and weekends as deemed necessary to support the Program Services Department.  

Essential Duties & Responsibilities 

• Secure, update, and maintain bookings for attractions and cultural activities, restaurant reservations, and food court vouchers for our Washington programs, ensuring strict adherence to program requirements. 

• Schedule and maintain reservations for restaurants, attractions, and theaters for out-of-town programs in diverse destinations. 

• Secure and maintain bookings (including restaurants, attractions, theaters, and social evenings) for select special and developmental programs. 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors and program staff to facilitate seamless collaboration. 

• Pay and reconcile invoices promptly with all vendors, generating purchase orders for finance reconciliation.  

• Maintain payment records and receipts. 

• Collaborate with managers to keep within budget for all components. 

• Work closely with the Outreach, Curriculum, and Development Departments to ensure the effective delivery of program services to both internal and external clients. 

• Provide on-site support for program staff as needed to ensure the smooth execution of events.  

• Assist in the management of registration services, including serving as manager on duty for certain weekends and serving as registrar for certain special programs. 

• Additional duties may be assigned based on the growth and development of the Foundation. 

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university. 

• One to two years of experience in hospitality, event planning, or project management (preferred). 

• Based in or willing to move to the Washington, D.C., area. 

• Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail. 

• Ability to manage multiple programs/responsibilities simultaneously and meet strict deadlines. 

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with vendors, clients, and staff members across multiple levels. 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  

• Proven track record of taking initiative in a professional setting. 

• Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to identifying and addressing challenges. 

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel as well as the ability to learn web-based programs. 

• A record of success working across departments and as part of a team. 

• Passion for and commitment to the organization’s mission. 

Other Qualifications 

• Experience managing concurrent events and reservations for groups of over 100 people is a plus. 

• Knowledge of the Washington, D.C., area is a plus. 

• Use of a personal car for onsite inspections with Foundation reimbursement is helpful. 

 Benefits | Close Up provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes robust medical, dental, and vision coverage, with more than 90 percent of premiums company-paid. Close Up pays 100 percent of the premiums for life/AD&D insurance and short- and long-term disability insurance, and offers flexible spending and dependent care accounts, a 403(b) retirement savings program, paid vacation/sick days/holidays, paid parental leave, a Metro subsidy or free garage parking, free gym access, and a positive work environment. 

Work Environment | While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, talk, hear, and utilize standard office equipment. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Vision abilities are required in this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. Also, the employee will receive phone calls, text messages, and emails outside of normal work hours. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 

To apply, please upload a brief statement or cover letter describing why this position is the right fit for your skills and experience. 

 No phone calls or recruiters, please. 

Close Up Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Company Overview |  Close Up is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, civic education organization that aims to inform, inspire, and empower young people to become active participants in our democracy. We believe a strong democracy requires engagement by all citizens. Therefore, we seek to reach youth from all communities and all backgrounds, regardless of race, religion, gender, socioeconomic level, or academic standing. Since 1971, we have partnered with schools nationwide to serve more than one million students and educators through experiential programs in our nation’s capital and in local communities, professional development for educators, and curriculum and resource design. 

Position Overview | Civic program instructors are passionate about history, politics, government, current public policy issues, and experiential education for diverse students in grades 6-12. They lead daily program components for groups of students from across the United States, using our nation’s capital as a living classroom.  

Note: This is an in-person position.   

Responsibilities | Each week, Close Up’s civic program instructors are a catalyst for engaging middle and high school students from across the country in experiential programs in Washington, D.C. (with opportunities to travel to New York City, Philadelphia, and other historical sites for day trips or local programs). Throughout each day, they hop on and off buses, guiding students through all program lessons and site visits in the D.C. area and other program locations. They lead an assigned “workshop” of 25 students over the course of the week as they have issue-centered discussions and deliberations; visit historical sites, monuments, museums, and government institutions; and attend meetings with policy experts and elected officials with the goal of empowering students for a life of active citizenship. Some weeks, an instructor may take on a support role for a program to help care for students who aren’t feeling well or help the program leader with other tasks. Instructors are responsible for fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where students can explore multiple perspectives and engage in respectful discourse across ideological differences.  

Qualifications | Candidates must meet all criteria for this role.  

• Bachelor’s degree (preferably in political science, history, education, social science, or a related field).  

• Proven public speaking skills, showcased through a brief teaching sample during the interview.  

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and connect with diverse groups of students.  

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to adapt to dynamic program requirements.  

• Authorization to work in the United States for any employer.  

• Passage of a post-offer criminal background check according to federal regulations for working with students. 

Compensation and Benefits | The initial contract period is from February 1 until June 25, 2027. At the conclusion of the initial contract period, there may be an opportunity to join the Foundation in a full-time/full-year role. Compensation includes:  

• An annualized salary of $41,592. 

• All meals while working on student programs.   

• Mass transit subsidy or free garage parking.   

• Cell phone reimbursement (up to $50 per month).  

• Paid sick days.   

• Medical and dental insurance with low-cost premiums, vision coverage, and no-cost life/AD&D insurance.  

• Paid training (120 hours) in Close Up curriculum, methodology, and programming, followed by ongoing professional development.  

• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.  

• The opportunity to earn a free graduate credit upon completion of the contract with an accompanying research paper.  

Scheduled Hours | The civic program instructor schedule does not follow traditional working hours. Each week mirrors the student program schedule to which an instructor is assigned, generally a 50-hour week.   

• Program schedules typically run from 8am through 10pm, and programs usually start in the late afternoon on Sunday and conclude on Thursday night.  

• Most programs are based in Washington, D.C., but there are opportunities to travel to New York City, Philadelphia, and other cities in the United States. 

If you are excited about the prospect of empowering youth in civic engagement, we welcome you to apply on ADP and explore how you can join an amazing network of civic program instructors who have led more than one million students through the once-in-a-lifetime Close Up experience over 50+ years.  

No phone calls or recruiters, please.  

Close Up Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Company Overview | Close Up is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, civic education organization that aims to inform, inspire, and empower young people to become active participants in our democracy. We believe a strong democracy requires engagement by all citizens. Therefore, we seek to reach youth from all communities and all backgrounds, regardless of race, religion, gender, socioeconomic level, or academic standing. Since 1971, we have partnered with schools nationwide to serve more than one million students and educators through experiential programs in our nation’s capital and in local communities, professional development for educators, and curriculum and resource design.

Position Overview | We are seeking a dynamic, relationship-driven Educational Outreach Coordinator to join our team. In this role, you’ll be responsible for managing and growing relationships with educators, schools, and community leaders to drive participation in Close Up’s Washington, D.C. student programs.

You’ll work with assigned accounts—supporting existing partners, identifying new opportunities, and expanding Close Up’s presence across the K–12 education space, including public school districts, charter schools, private schools, and education associations. In addition to managing these accounts and assisting with recruitment efforts, you’ll help uncover new pathways to deliver Close Up’s civic education offerings, including teacher professional development and customized programs.

This is a fast-paced, mission-driven role where two days are not the same. You’ll engage with schools via phone, video calls, and in-person visits, while collaborating closely with internal teams to support your accounts and ensure success. Training and ongoing support are provided.

This position is based at Close Up’s office in Arlington, VA. 

Responsibilities

• Manage, maintain and grow a portfolio of existing school and district partners.
• Provide excellent customer service and ensure you are able to regularly follow up and are responsive to our customers’ needs.
• Cultivate and strengthen relationships with educators, administrators, and community leaders within the territories of your accounts.
• Identify and pursue new recruitment opportunities and partnerships in your region(s).
• Promote Close Up’s suite of civic education programs to increase student and teacher participation.
• Collaborate with internal departments to ensure alignment and high-quality program delivery.
• Achieve and exceed assigned goals and performance benchmarks.
• Represent Close Up at conferences, school visits, and regional events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university or six years of experience in sales, education or non-profit work.
• Exceptional relationship building skills both internally and externally.
• High level of ownership, accountability, and initiative.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Willingness to travel for meetings, trainings, and conferences.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) is a plus.
• Authorized to work in the U.S. for any employer.

Compensation and Benefits

In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, Close Up provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes two robust medical insurance plans, dental insurance (over 90 percent of premiums are company-paid), and vision coverage. Close Up pays 100 percent of the premiums for life/AD&D insurance and short- and long-term disability insurance, and offers flexible spending and dependent care accounts, a 403(b) retirement savings program, paid vacation/sick days/holidays, paid parental leave, a Metro subsidy or free garage parking, free gym access, and a positive work environment. Base salary plus potential bonus awarded based on performance and foundation goals.

Please apply by uploading a brief statement or cover letter describing why this position is the right fit for your skills and experience.

Close Up Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.

No phone calls or recruiters, please.