Associate Program Officer Jobs in Rockville, MD (NOW HIRING)

Description

Title: Program Officer, Sports

Employment Status:  EXEMPT

Salary: $68,000-$93,000, commensurate with experience

Supervisor Title: Sr. Director of Culture & Sports, Director of Culture & Sports

Date Revised:  September 2026

Summary of 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

Position Responsibilities:

General Job Duties

• 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

Program Oversight & Coordination

• 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             

Envoy/Participant Management Oversight

• 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 

Travel, Lodging & Honoraria Oversight

• 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 

Supervision & Team Management

• 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

Financial & Administrative Oversight

• 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 

Education/Experience:

• 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

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• 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

Technical Requirements:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams is necessary for this role
• Experience with Airtable, Google Workspace, Canva, Adobe Acrobat, Zoom, Squarespace, Salesforce and VendorRisk is helpful

Employer's Statement

Meridian is committed to empowering global leaders and amplifying voices from a wide variety of backgrounds to create pathways for greater understanding, shared values, and respect. Connecting people has been our foundation for more than 65 years. If you share our values and enthusiasm for promoting non-partisan collaboration to address global challenges and opportunities, you can find a home at Meridian.

As an equal opportunity employer, Meridian is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, personal appearance, family responsibilities, marital status, matriculation, political affiliation, veteran or military status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, District of Columbia, or local law. This commitment applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, discipline, layoff, recall, and termination.

Meridian provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities and to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, and for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, as required by applicable law. Applicants who require an accommodation during the application or interview process are encouraged to contact Human Resources.

Meridian offers a comprehensive benefits package, which may include medical, dental, retirement, life and disability insurance, voluntary benefits, paid leave, and paid holidays. Eligibility and coverage are subject to the applicable plan documents and Meridian policies.

How to Apply 

Please submit both a resume and a cover letter with your application; submissions missing either document will not be considered. 

Qualified candidates should apply here. Only candidates being considered for this position will be contacted. PLEASE DO NOT CALL or E-MAIL in reference to this position.