Program Operations Director Jobs in Geneva, IL (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Senior Coordinator, Program Operations

Team: Chicago

Location: Hybrid in Chicago, IL (CHI)

Employment Type: Full-time

FLSA Classification: Non-exempt

Start Date: Jun 23, 2026

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students, followed by support that lasts through graduation.

Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Jobs Report.

To achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Senior Coordinator, Program Operations, who will support the Chicago team in successfully running Braven’s Leadership & Career Accelerator course (the Accelerator). In this role, you will be part of the engine behind our work with at least one of our Higher Education Partners. This role will help ensure smooth program logistics and provide other administrative support as assigned.

This role is part of the Chicago regional team and reports directly to a Senior Director.

Coordinate Logistics for the Accelerator (80%)

• Prepare weekly Fellow communications using the Weekly Email Fellow Templates, ensuring accurate links and inclusion of all region-specific announcements
• Prepare weekly Leadership Coach (LC) communications using the Weekly Email LC Templates, ensuring accurate links and inclusion of all region-specific announcements
• Prepare cohort discussion board threads in the course
• Support discussion board management in the course
• Manage site inbox (using regional inbox templates as needed)
• Student Support and Intervention - Assist in the process by reviewing case note completion weekly and data analysis to identify trends
• Review the grader playbook data weekly to identify trends at the site
• Assign weekly LC subs and share the weekly coverage report
• Serve as a Substitute LC as needed (last option)
• Coordinate in-person Learning Lab logistics, including space, materials, food, and other logistics
• Support with weekly Learning Lab execution and breakout room management
• Ensure Learning Lab (LL) decks are accessible (i.e., creating PDFs, utilizing software like Grackle)
• Reconcile weekly Learning Lab attendance for Fellows and publish in the course
• Maintain Google Calendar for the site
• Support with the weekly Learning Lab observation schedule and observations
• Project management of the Jira Accelerator Execution Project

Support Fellow Events and Regional Team Activities (20%)

• Provide planning, execution, and on-site support for virtual and in-person Fellow recruitment events, including but not limited to information sessions, tabling, and relationship-building with recruitment partners
• Execute and/or assist with ad-hoc program-related projects and tasks
• Provide planning, execution, and on-site support for partner engagements (i.e., summer engagements with partners, etc.)
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree

Preferred Qualifications

• 1-3 years of administrative experience
• Extraordinary organization skills and attention to detail
• Strong customer service ethic with the ability to proactively anticipate questions and concerns
• Strong critical thinking, written, and interpersonal communication skills are necessary
• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and independently
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), G-Suite (Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Forms, Google Sheets, and Gmail)
• Experience in Salesforce, Canva, Jira, Zoom, and Expensify
• Exemplification of Braven’s core values.
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population.

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in the Chicago area and at our HEP campus or other college campuses as needed, at least 3 days per week

• Travel to 2-3 events per semester in the surrounding Chicago area
• Travel 2-3 times per year for Braven-wide trainings and convenings
• Some nights and weekends are scheduled to accommodate Learning Labs and other campus-related activities as needed. Learning Lab schedules may vary from semester to semester.
• Physical requirements include lifting and carrying up to 20-50 pounds for various events (tabling, presentations, etc.)

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Braven doesn’t offer employment visa sponsorship

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

• Phone Screen with Talent
• Performance Task & Interview with Hiring Manager
• Panel Interview with Key Partners
• Reference Checks

Benefits

Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead, each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking.

Starting salary within the range is determined by role scope and qualifications, with new hires starting at the lower end to allow for growth with performance. Braven does not base compensation on individual candidate salary expectations and is committed to maintaining internal equity. The salary for this position will be between $47,000-$58,700. This is based on a 50-hour work week at an hourly rate. This is a full-time, regular, non-exempt, and benefits-eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity.

Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include:

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and three team-wide, week-long shutdowns in Spring, Summer, and Winter (this is a minimum of 24 days per year)
• Braven supports your path to parenthood and beyond with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting in your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of the health insurance premium for employees and dependents
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

Location

We gather in the office 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday) and work remotely 2 days a week (Monday and Friday). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of Chicago. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face, and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor. We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.