Program & Operations Coordinator in New York, New York at The Aspen Institute

ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners.

BUSINESS & SOCIETY PROGRAM

The Aspen Institute Business & Society Program (BSP) works to align business decisions with the long-term health of society. Through convenings and communities of business leaders committed to values-based leadership, BSP advances a vision of business as a force for good. Our team is small, fast-moving, and deeply invested in doing this work with excellence and intention.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

BSP is seeking a Program & Operations Coordinator to join our New York City-based team. This is a role for someone who gets genuine satisfaction from making things run well, and who understands that a team working smoothly together or exceptional execution of external-facing projects is not a backdrop to the work, but a direct expression of it.

The Program & Operations Coordinator supports the entire BSP team in keeping the program running smoothly. This is not a narrowly defined role. It is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience across the full range of skills needed to run a mission-driven nonprofit, from managing the data infrastructure that connects our work to supporting the logistics of high-impact convenings, to helping BSP communicate with and track its network.

The Program & Operations Coordinator reports to the Senior Program Manager, Operations and works closely with colleagues across the BSP team. This position is based in New York City, with an expectation to work from the office 2-3 days per week. The role also requires attendance at select BSP events and convenings, including the annual Business & Society Summit in Aspen in July, some Fellowship seminars, and all BSP NYC dinners throughout the year. Some evening and weekend hours will be required during events and convenings. The salary range for this position is $55,000 - $62,000.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Systems & Data

• Serve as a go-to resource and thought partner for colleagues navigating Airtable (BSP’s central database and CRM) providing technical assistance, supporting team-wide adoption, and helping identify and implement new features as our needs evolve.
• Build and update Airtable pages and fields as requested across BSP programs, maintaining data quality and integrity: updating contact information, removing duplicates, and inputting constituent data from other sources.
• Support change management as we build and refine team-wide systems and workflows
• Use Airtable and other platforms to track Fellows, nominees, and alumni through their journey with BSP, keeping records current and useful across recruitment and program cycles.
• Support the Senior Manager, Operations in working with Aspen Institute technological systems like Ironclad, Concur, and Salesforce, AI tools, and coordinating between Airtable and the Institute’s new CRM+ systems as they evolve.

Operations & Administration

• Process invoices, reimbursements, and vendor/consultant payments.
• Manage BSP’s shared inboxes, respond to and route inquiries, and serve as a first point of contact for outside requests.
• Maintain inventory of event materials and office supplies; coordinate ordering and shipping for office storage and events.
• Support the Senior Program Manager, Operations in liaising with internal teams (legal, IT, office services, accounting) to support programmatic needs.
• Support the Senior Program Manager, Operations in identifying and implementing improvements to team processes and workflows.
• Serve as a thought partner and logistical manager on internal team meetings and retreats, helping with food orders, liaising with venues, creating materials, and providing feedback and thinking on pieces of the agenda.
• Pitch in on special projects, research, and cross-functional initiatives as needed.

Events & Convenings

• Own end-to-end logistics for all BSP NYC dinners: venue research, on-site execution, printing and materials, and follow-up.
• Oversee the end-to-end materials production process for events: including handouts, signage, tent cards, nametags, participant lists, and sometimes post-event summary reports for internal and external audiences.
• Support on-site staffing and logistics for the Aspen Institute Business & Society Summit, and some other BSP Fellowship seminars and convenings alongside senior team members.
• Work as part of the Business & Society Summit logistics team, helping to manage participant communications, certain event logistics, and Airtable updates to keep the entire BSP team informed of program developments.
• Collect and track participant travel and hotel arrangements for certain events; assist in coordinating speaker and consultant needs leading up to certain events, including A/V and travel logistics.
• Work with our events lead and program staff to manage event registration platforms and post-event surveys (Cvent, Airtable, SurveyMonkey).

Program Support

• Support logistics for the Economic Mobility and First Movers Fellowship recruitment processes: carefully track and update candidate information and communications in Airtable, manage online nomination forms, prepare candidate materials for review, and help ensure timely follow-up with relevant stakeholders.
• Assist with logistics on Fellowship onboarding and announcements, including website and materials updates, public communications, and backend tracking of Fellows’ submission of travel, bios, and other onboarding information.
• Provide general coordination support for all BSP programs as needed (e.g. Aspen Leaders Forum, roundtable dialogues, Fellowships, etc.), including tracking attendance, data updates, logistics support on virtual and in-person meetings, and updating session and marketing materials.
• Update and refresh BSP program materials, decks, and website content in advance of annual Fellowship recruitment, during busy fundraising seasons, and at other key moments throughout the year.

Communications

• Support BSP’s LinkedIn presence: draft and schedule select posts, engage with the network, track job updates and career moves across the Fellows’ community.
• Help surface network news and Fellow updates for use in BSP publications like Inside View.
• Produce and update event and program materials including presentations, one-pagers, and decks for internal and external audiences.
• Support maintenance of infrastructure for internal team communication, like Slack and shared Outlook calendars.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO THRIVE

• Bachelor’s degree and 1–3 years of relevant experience.
• Genuine curiosity about how organizations work, and enthusiasm for the operational and systems work that keeps them running well.
• Strong organizational skills and an instinct for follow-through; someone who doesn’t let things fall through the cracks, manages multiple priorities with care, and keeps colleagues informed.
• Experience and strong interest in event logistics and materials production, including nametags, handouts, signage, and details that make an event feel polished.
• Excellent writing and editing skills and strong attention to detail; clear, professional communicator across contexts and with a variety of audiences.
• Strong time management skills and ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.
• Comfort with digital tools and an eagerness to learn new systems quickly; knowledge of Microsoft Office required, and familiarity with Airtable, Cvent, Constant Contact, Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, or similar platforms is a plus.
• Flexible, adaptable, and good-humored in the face of shifting priorities; a creative problem-solver with a strong sense of initiative, discretion, and professionalism.
• Interest in business, leadership, and the role of large corporations in society.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

The Aspen Institute welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs, including the interview process. If you would like to request accommodations or hav questions about accessibility, please email hrsupport@aspeninstitute.org or call 202-736-2127 in advance of your visit. Requests for ASL or CART services should be made at least two weeks in advance when possible. We will make every effort to fulfill requests, subject to availability.