Program Associate | Sharing Sacred Space

Accepting Applications

Program Associate - Interreligious Community-Building and Online Course Manager

Sharing Sacred Spaces, Inc. is a start-up non-profit with a strong track record of success in our beginning years as an organization. We are in a growth phase and are looking for a few key people to join our small, creative, forward-thinking, and action-oriented staff.

The Program Associate will primarily focus on implementing, managing, and co-facilitating or facilitating our hallmark program, the Interreligious Communities Project (ICP) in cities across the continent, as well as providing the administrative support for our developing program, “ICP Online.” This position also involves further development of the ICP with an eye toward building out its accessibility to a broader spectrum of communities.

The Program Associate may also be engaged in managing one or more of Sharing Sacred Spaces’ other programs which include webinars on sacred architecture and bridge building, an annual Summit, and our youth leadership training called CommunityIQ. As different programs are prominent at different times of the year, the Program Associate may expect to shift focus depending on the time of year and/or the evolving needs of the organization.

At Sharing Sacred Spaces, Inc., we collaborate with those across religions, but even more specifically, we collaborate with people across the very wide spectrum of differences of belief in general— religious or not, and spanning social identities, etc. It is essential to our mission and to our goals that we are radically hospitable and inclusive. And that you are, too. The Program Associate will be expected to reflect on their interactions and facilitative work, to identify areas of strength and challenge, and continue to grow into the role.

The practical responsibilities of the Program Associate may vary from project to project. As a start-up, we do require a great deal of ability to flex as needed. However, here are the responsibilities generally defined.

General responsibilities of the position:

Local program cultivation, recruitment, implementation, and support
Program management, facilitation or co-facilitation, and evaluation
Development of instruction/facilitator manuals
Creative input on program topics, design, and delivery
Program-related administrative support

Responsibilities specific to the ICP Online will include:

outreach to Seminaries and other institutions for student cultivation
support students through admissions and enrollment processes
ensure smooth access to the Learning Management System (LMS), access to all course materials, and supports adjunct faculty session scheduling
answers students questions
sends transcripts and grants certificates for completion
liaison with schools for granting of credits

Required Skills:

Ability to network and build positive working relationships with people from a broad spectrum of backgrounds
Highly organized and able to juggle multiple program schedules
Ability to keep program participants on task and on time
Ability to facilitate groups from divergent cultural and religious backgrounds
Superior written and verbal communications
Flexibility, openness, positivity, and graceful persistence
Ability to work collaboratively while also highly independent and self-motivated
Ease with technology (we will be using online platforms such as Zoom, Thinkific, Google Workspace, etc.)

Preferred Experience/Background:

Sharing Sacred Spaces does not discriminate on any basis in its hiring practice and is ADA and EEOC compliant. Though not formal requirements, individuals with any of the following experience or characteristics are encouraged to apply: degree in a related area of religious, architectural, or humanities studies, working knowledge of complex religious, racial, and cultural landscape in the U.S., any community organizing experience, previous nonprofit experience, a multilingual/multicultural background, or a demonstrated interest in advancing pluralism.

Job Type: Approximately 20-25 hours per week, flexible work schedule, remote except for required presence at in-person local meetings and events. Some evening hours will be required approximately 2 to 3 times monthly for programs and events. Some travel may be required.

Salary is $30,000/year, part-time. No health benefits are included with this position.

To Apply:

Please send resume; short cover letter outlining qualifications and position to:

Executive Director, Vanessa J. Avery, PhD, vanessa@sharingsacredspaces.org.

Include the words “Program Associate Search” in the email subject line.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Target date for hiring is January 2023.