Program Manager at Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico – Albuquerque, New Mexico

As a member of the Mission Delivery team, the Program Manager plays a vital role in creating a welcoming, supportive environment for families staying at Ronald McDonald House New Mexico. This position serves as the operational lead for family‑facing programming across both Houses as well as hospital‑based Family Rooms.

The Program Manager is responsible for the successful delivery and ongoing coordination of meal programming and guest activities across both Houses. They help ensure families receive a home‑cooked meal each evening and have access to meaningful activities that provide comfort, connection, and distraction during challenging times. This role oversees meal planning, inventory management, grocery purchasing, kitchen organization, and the development of activities for families. The Program Manager works collaboratively with internal teams, volunteers, and community partners to support high‑quality, mission‑driven programming.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Meal Program

• Coordinate all aspects of meal planning at both Houses, working closely with the Family Services team to ensure dinner is provided nightly by staff or volunteers.
• Conduct weekly inventory, place grocery orders, and manage pantry organization to maintain established food supply levels, maximize use of excess ingredients, ensure food quality, and dispose of items as needed in accordance with food safety guidelines.
• Creatively plan and schedule staff‑prepared meals serving up to 60+ guests using donated and purchased ingredients.
• Update menu calendars and recipes on a regular basis
• Maintain overall organization of kitchens and monitor the safety, cleanliness, and condition of kitchen equipment.

Guest Activities & Engagement

• Plan, create and implement monthly age‑appropriate activity calendars consistent across both Houses.
• Ensure consistency in quality and availability of activities across Houses.
• Coordinate group and individual activities designed to provide engagement, connection, and positive distraction for families.
• Organize and maintain craft areas and prepare grab‑and‑go activity kits for families to use on their own schedule
• Encourage guest participation in activities and events in a welcoming and inclusive manner.

Family Rooms

• Oversee the day‑to‑day operations of Ronald McDonald Family Rooms within hospital settings, ensuring a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for families.
• Maintain Family Room spaces—including kitchens, lounges, and storage areas—ensuring cleanliness, organization, and availability of food, supplies, and comfort items.
• Monitor inventory and coordinate ordering and restocking to support smooth daily operations.
• Ensure Family Room operations comply with Ronald McDonald House standards, hospital policies, and applicable food safety guidelines.
• Identify, address, and escalate facility, safety, or service concerns to the Chief Programs Officer as appropriate.

Collaboration & Resource Development

• Engage local food partners to provide donated meals and food resources that enhance the quality, consistency, and variety of meals offered to families.
• Work with internal staff to solicit food, restaurant, and craft donations that support family programming.
• Partner with the Volunteer & Outreach Manager to recruit, schedule and support volunteers for meals and guest activities.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications Manager to ensure families are informed about meals and activities.

ANCILLARY JOB FUNCTIONS

• Demonstrate cultural humility and collaborate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
• Build and maintain positive, cooperative relationships with staff, volunteers, donors, and community stakeholders.
• Protect the privacy and confidentiality of all guest, donor, and organizational information.
• Serve as an ambassador for Ronald McDonald House New Mexico, communicating the mission and values of the organization with professionalism and integrity.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of organizational needs.
• Occasionally work evenings or weekends to support events and mission‑critical activities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Ability to plan and prepare meals for groups of 30–60+ people using ingredients on hand.
• Knowledge of basic food safety practices and proper food storage.
• Experience in nonprofit, hospitality, healthcare or family-centered environments preferred.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to develop systems and processes that support efficiency and consistency.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse groups, including staff, volunteers, children, and adults.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while also managing tasks independently.
• Proven ability to build positive relationships with internal and external partners.
• Comfort proactively engaging with community resources and donors.
• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Experience with administrative tasks such as scheduling, maintaining records, and data management.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.