Program Coordinator, Better Days and Club Kesem- REMOTE

POSITION: Program Coordinator, Better Days and Club Kesem

REPORTS TO: Manager, Programs

About Kesem:

We are a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer with innovative, fun-filled programs that foster a lasting community.

About the Programs

Kesem Better Days are day programs offered through partnerships with organizations such as cancer centers, hospital systems, nonprofits, and conferences. These collaborations allow Kesem to expand its reach to support more children affected by a parent's cancer and build stronger relationships within our communities. Kesem and its partners collaborate to design a tailored schedule of activities that align with the hosting organization's needs, drawing from Kesem's wide range of proven activities that embody the essence of "Kesem Magic".

Club Kesem brings the Kesem community to children’s homes through monthly virtual gatherings, where they can participate in interactive activities and discussions with other kids. It’s designed for children and youth ages 6-18 facing a parent’s cancer to meet with kids their age who are going through similar experiences. Club Kesem curriculum is rooted in fun, inclusion, support, and reflection.

About the Position:

The Program Coordinator, Better Days and Club Kesem is a remote, junior-level position responsible for coordinating Better Days and Club Kesem programs in collaboration with Kesem partners. This includes recruiting and managing local volunteers, organizing programming logistics, and ensuring the successful delivery of year-round activities and events. The role focuses on operational excellence, volunteer management, and relationship building to provide impactful experiences for children impacted by a parent’s cancer.

As part of Kesem’s team, the Program Coordinator works closely with the Manager, Programs, as well as Kesem’s operational staff and external partners to deliver equitable, inclusive, and high-quality programming aligned with Kesem’s mission and values.

Kesem’s Values

The PC must uphold and build a culture that continues to support and strengthen the following behaviors to help us realize our vision:

• Continuous Learning - We operate with curiosity and a willingness to try new things, and we see our successes and setbacks as opportunities for growth.
• Accountability - We are individually and collectively responsible for advancing our mission.
• Resilience - We empower and support each other through challenges while fostering a spirit of joy and hopefulness.
• Empathy - We seek to understand and appreciate other perspectives and experiences.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Other responsibilities and duties may be assigned.

Better Days Program Coordination and Volunteer Management (40%)

• In partnership with the Director of Partnerships and Manager, Programs, collaborate with Kesem partners to coordinate Better Days programming, including identifying venues, managing event logistics, and securing necessary resources.
• Recruit, train, and manage local volunteers and interns to deliver impactful programming.
• Coordinate the logistics of Better Days programming, including scheduling events, managing registrations, and ensuring adequate staffing and resources.
• Ensure all volunteers are background-checked and properly trained in program delivery, safety standards, and Kesem’s values.
• Establish and maintain relationships with local community partners, cancer support organizations, and other stakeholders to strengthen program impact.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with all safety standards, policies, and procedures during program delivery.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for local volunteers and community partners, providing ongoing support and problem-solving.
• Support the recruitment and management of professional volunteers, such as mental health professionals and nurses, as needed.

Club Kesem (25%)

• Coordinate all Club Kesem programming, including scheduling, volunteer coordination, partner programming, curriculum development, managing registrations, and ensuring adequate staffing and resources.
• Recruit, train, and manage Club Kesem volunteers to deliver impactful programming.
• Should be prepared to work on some evenings and weekends, outside of normal business hours when volunteers are unavailable to lead programming.
• Design and implement interactive activities and discussions for Club Kesem participants that are rooted in our core program pillars.
• Collaborate with the Manager of Programs to refine and improve the Club Kesem curriculum based on participant feedback and best practices.

Program Development and Execution (25%)

• Work collaboratively with Kesem staff and partners to develop program content that aligns with Kesem’s mission and priorities.
• Develop equitable outreach strategies and marketing to engage diverse populations of families and volunteers for Better Days and Club Kesem programming.
• Ensure programming reflects Kesem’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Administer and analyze program survey and monitor program quality and impact, implementing feedback to continuously improve experiences for children and families.
• In some instances, travel to the location of Better Days programming.

Administrative Work and Reporting (10%)

• Utilize Salesforce and other systems to track program metrics, maintain accurate records, and monitor volunteer engagement.
• Provide regular updates and reports to the Manager, Programs, Director of Programs, and COO regarding program progress, challenges, and successes.
• Coordinate volunteer reimbursements, donor acknowledgments, and other administrative needs.
• Manage data quality and perform regular reviews to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Collaborate with Kesem’s Operations Team to ensure seamless integration of systems and processes.
• Maintain program budgets and provide reporting to partners and funders where applicable.

Desired Qualifications

• Must be able to inspire, relate to, and lead volunteers.
• Strong written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience recruiting and retaining diverse teams of volunteers, conducting outreach and increasing diversity among program participants, and ensuring the delivery of equitable and inclusive programs.
• Experience working in teams with people from a variety of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, educational, religious, sexual, gender, and generational backgrounds.
• Highly organized, flexible, and creative. Excellent time management skills, with the ability to switch between administrative responsibilities and relationship-based interactions with ease.
• Strong technical skills including advanced use of Google Drive Suite. Ability to quickly learn and master new systems autonomously.
• An orientation towards learning and development; willing to learn from mistakes, receive feedback, and give feedback to others.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Preference given to individuals with at least 1 year out of school.
• Camp and/or youth development experience.
• Experience managing volunteers.
• Advanced team-building skills including conflict management, problem-solving, effective communication, organizational skills, developing others, motivating others, giving direction and managerial courage.
• Program development and project management experience, including experience working on large-scale projects from conception to completion. Leading remote volunteer teams is a strong plus.
• Experience using camp registration or donor database systems such as Salesforce is a strong plus.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish a plus.

Job Environment

• The Program Coordinator role is a full-time and remote position, with responsibilities that require 40-50 hours of work per week, and some weeks requiring more.
• It is expected that the Program Coordinator will be available for chapter and staff calls, meetings, donor events, and committee calls, which may occur outside of normal work hours.

Location & Travel

• This is a remote position. Location for this role is flexible. Candidates must live in an area with easy access to a major airport within the continental United States.
• Kesem will provide a laptop computer and cell phone.
• PCs should expect to travel extensively, all within the United States, between 10-20 times per year.
• All approved work-related travel expenses are covered by Kesem.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

Kesem’s mission of supporting children through and beyond a parent’s cancer, and our vision of ensuring that every child impacted by a parent’s cancer is never alone, can only be realized through an ongoing, steadfast commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in every part of our organization. To that end, Kesem makes the following commitments:

• To continually expand the communities we support and work with - our camper families, volunteers, staff, alumni, partners, donors, and boards - with attention to engaging communities we are not currently reaching.
• To strive for equity in delivering a transformative, fun, and empowering community that recognizes and embraces our differences.
• To aspire to create shared spaces that are safe for every member of the Kesem community to feel valued and respected.
• Kesem will engage in continued meaningful learning in order to better support our mission, and our growing Kesem community.

Kesem is an Equal Opportunity Employer.