Graduate Program Coordinator Jobs in Portland, OR

Help Create Lifelong Connections That Empower Thriving Young Adults.

As Friends of the Children expands its innovative Pathways for Young Adults Program, we are seeking a passionate, relationship-centered, and organized professional to serve as our Alumni Coordinator. This role is instrumental in ensuring that program graduates and alumni remain connected, supported, and empowered as they navigate adulthood, higher education, career pathways, and long-term success.

This is a unique opportunity for a Friends of the Children program graduate to turn their lived experience into leadership, helping build a vibrant national alumni network, amplify alumni voices, and create pathways for future generations of youth to thrive.

Why This Role Matters

The Pathways for Young Adults Program supports youth and program graduates ages 18–22 as they transition into postsecondary education, workforce training, employment, and independent adulthood. A critical component of this strategy is maintaining lifelong relationships with program graduates and alumni while creating opportunities for connection, mentorship, leadership, and advocacy.

As the National Alumni Coordinator, you will serve as a bridge between Friends of the Children and program graduates nationwide. You will help ensure alumni voices shape organizational decision-making, strengthen alumni engagement, track long-term outcomes, and foster a thriving network of leaders who give back to future generations.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to help operationalize and grow an innovative national program focused on postsecondary, career, and life success.
• Meaningful work that supports young people during a critical life transition.
• A talented and passionate team committed to achieving lasting impact.
• Respect for work-life harmony and employee well-being.
• Competitive salary of $75,000–$85,000, commensurate with experience.
• Up to $10,000 relocation assistance for candidates relocating to Portland, Oregon.

Curious to learn more? The job description is below:

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Basic Function / Position Objective:

The National Alumni Coordinator at Friends of the Children plays a critical role in building lifelong relationships with program graduates ages 18-22 and alumni ages 22+ across the country. This position is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to engage program graduates and alumni, managing a national program graduate and alumni network database, building peer mentorship and partnership opportunities for program graduates and alumni, coordinating with programming and the chapter level, gathering and elevating program graduate and alumni voice and feedback, supporting the National Speakers’ Bureau, and tracking long-term outcomes. The Alumni Coordinator also leads the National Youth Leadership Council and supports program graduate and alumni-driven initiatives that strengthen community, inform program improvement, and advance organizational impact.

This position reports to the Associate Director of the Pathways for Young Adults program, with a dotted line to the Director of the Friends of the Children Duncan and Cindy Campbell National Center of Excellence, within the National Strategy and Innovation Team. They will work with national staff, with chapters, with program graduates and alumni, as well as with external research partners.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Program Graduate and Alumni Engagement and Activation

• Develop and execute a comprehensive program graduate (ages 18-22) and alumni (ages 22+) engagement strategy that fosters lifelong connection to Friends of the Children and that advances the aims of the Pathways for Young Adults program
• Create meaningful opportunities for program graduates ages 18-22 and alumni ages 22+ to stay involved, partnering with the Pathways for Young Adults team and chapters to develop program graduate and alumni programming both nationally and locally
• Facilitate peer mentorship and leadership opportunities among program graduates, alumni and Friends of the Children program youth
• Build and maintain strong, trusting relationships with program graduates and alumni across chapters
• Partner with chapter staff to ensure smooth transitions from active program youth to program graduate and alumni status

Program Graduate and Alumni Voice and Feedback

• Design and implement systems to regularly gather program graduate and alumni feedback (surveys, focus groups, interviews)
• Elevate program graduate and alumni perspectives to inform program design, policy, and strategic priorities at the National Center of Excellence
• Collaborate with National Chapter Success Team to integrate program graduate and alumni insights into continuous program improvement efforts
• Contribute to strategic initiatives related to post-program support and program graduate/alumni success, sharing accountability to advance the aims of the Pathways for Young Adults program

Outcomes Tracking and Program Graduate/Alumni Database

• Build and manage alumni database, maintaining accurate program graduate/alumni data in organizational systems and ensure data integrity
• Track and support the analysis of program graduate and alumni outcomes, including enlistment, postsecondary education and training, employment, holistic well-being and independence, and other key indicators
• Support the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from program graduates and alumni
• Partner with Pathways for Young Adults team to measure program impact and produce reports for internal and external stakeholders

Speaker’s Bureau & Story Telling

• Collaborate cross-functionally with program, development, and communications teams to highlight alumni stories and impact
• Support program graduate and alumni involvement through the National Speaker’s Bureau, identifying and cultivating program graduate and alumni leaders who can serve as ambassadors for Friends of the Children

Youth Leadership Council

• Lead the planning, facilitation, and ongoing development of the Youth Leadership Council, developing relationships early with young people involved across the country in the Friends of the Children program
• Support youth, program graduates and alumni in building leadership, advocacy, and facilitation skills
• Guide youth-led projects and initiatives aligned with organizational priorities

Essential Skills and Abilities:

• Strong relationship-building skills with diverse populations
• Experience facilitating groups and developing leadership in young people
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Commitment to the mission of Friends of the Children
• Passionate about giving back to the community and supporting the next generation of youth
• Background in mentoring, youth leadership development, or advocacy

The ideal candidate will have the following Education and Experience:

• A graduate of the Friends of the Children program with lived experience and a deep understanding of the organization’s long-term impact
• Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience demonstrating career advancement and success
• 2+ years of experience in youth development, education, alumni relations, community engagement, or a related field

Preferred, Experience, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to use data to inform decisions
• Familiarity with Salesforce or data tracking systems
• Experience in program evaluation or outcomes measurement

Culture of Belonging:

Friends of the Children endeavors to create a culture where each and every staff knows they belong. From our policies to our procedures and practices, we aim to create an environment that is healthy, safe, accepting, supportive, and kind. Our benefits are one way to depict our value for work harmony, empowerment, health, and happiness.

Benefits:

Our competitive compensation, benefits package, and employee engagement demonstrate our values to families, children, healthy relationships, love, empowerment, goal achievement, and equity. We are continuously seeking feedback and researching best practices to meet the needs of staff and their families. Below are ways we actualize a culture of care for each and every staff member.

• Health: Friends of the Children covers 100% of employee only health premium for 2 of the 4 plans
• Dental: Friends of the Children covers 100% of employee only premium
• Vision: Friends of the Children covers 100% of employee only premium
• Basic Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment: 100% paid by Friends of the Children
• Short Term Disability and Long-Term Disability: 100% paid by Friends of the Children
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Employees may contribute to an FSA account: Healthcare FSA minimum of $100 maximum of $3,400.
• Employee Assistance Program
• Voluntary Benefits such as Critical Illness, Hospitalization, Legal, etc.
• 401(k) savings plan with a company match of up to the first 4% of earnings that the employee contributes.
• Cell phone and/or Internet Reimbursement: Employee is eligible for cell phone and/or internet business expenses up to $75/month ($37.50/pay period), maximum.
• Office reimbursement of $150 per year on anniversary date.
• Time off:
  • Vacation: Full-time employees of Friends are eligible for up to three weeks of paid vacation annually for the first 4 years. The first year the time is pro-rated and vacation increases to honor length of service.
  • Sick Time: Regular, full-time employees are awarded two weeks/80 hours of sick time on January 1 of each year. New employees are awarded prorated sick time, not less than 48 hours. Sick time can be used to care for your own physical and mental wellbeing or that of a family member.
  • Holidays: Eleven paid holidays. Three of which are Floating holidays to help honor how people choose to celebrate their cultural and religious holidays.
• Career Development and Wellness Reimbursement of up to $1000 after the first year of employment. Up to $200 can be used for Wellness.
• Summer hours and end of year holiday gift of time off. (Assessed annually by Executive Management.)
• Employee Perks and Discount Programs including savings on hotels, rental cars, travel, entertainment, streaming services, electronics, eCommerce, and so much more.

We aim to create an environment that is healthy, safe, accepting, supportive, and kind. Our benefits are one way to depict our value for work harmony, empowerment, health, and happiness.

Benefits start first of the month on or following employee start date.

Compensation: Range: $75,000 to $85,000. (Compensation commensurate with experience and geographical location)

Location: This role is based in Portland, Oregon.

Applications without cover letters will not be considered; please use this as an opportunity to convey why you want to be our National Alumni Coordinator at Friends of the Children!

Friends of the Children is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants. Friends of the Children hires and promotes individuals solely based on their qualifications for the job to be filled.

Friends of the Children is growing rapidly as communities across the country are experiencing the power of how “One” changes a child's story: One Friend. One Child. 12+ years. No matter what. #ThePowerOfOne.

To learn more about Friends of the Children go to: https://friendsofthechildren.org/about

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