The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) is the nation’s leading American history organization dedicated to K–12 education. The Institute seeks a Program Coordinator to manage and produce our weekly book talk program, Book Breaks. This is an online interview program featuring eminent historians and authors discussing their recent publications, and has been watched live by an average of 650 people each week since its launch in 2020. Book Breaks guests have included John Barry, Eric Foner, Annette Gordon-Reed, and Peniel Joseph, among others. We are looking for someone who can help us continue to grow and refine this exciting program.

The Program Coordinator for Book Breaks is responsible for the general management and production of the program, including identifying and recruiting guests, managing the technical aspects of program delivery and data tracking, and responding to audience queries. The role requires collaborating closely within and across departments, and working with hosts/interviewers, scholars, and other external partners. The role also requires work on Sundays to deliver the program and support the program host and guest hosts. GLI offers a generous comp and flex time policy to account for this weekend work.

In addition to overseeing the production of Book Breaks, the Program Coordinator will also contribute to other projects within the Education Department, which may include managing professional development for teachers or student-facing programs.

The ideal candidate should be self-motivated with outstanding project management skills, communication skills (verbal and written), online presentation skills, and flexibility. A background in American history is not required, but is preferred. This role reports to the Senior Program Manager, Educational Programs Department, and is based in New York City.

Roles and Responsibilities (including, but not limited to)

Management of all day-to-day aspects of Book Breaks (50% of time)

• Researching, identifying, and recruiting a diverse group of guest authors
• Communicating with host, scholars, publishers, and external partners about the program
• Serving as Zoom moderator for the Sunday program, which includes selecting audience questions and posing them to the author
• Managing program budgets and tracking expenses
• Managing technical aspects of the program, including updating webpage content and data tracking of attendees
• Overseeing interns or other GLI staff supporting the program
• Working with marketing team to promote the program
• Planning for the program’s continued growth and sustainability
• Participating in the program evaluation, including data collection and tracking, and reflecting on areas for improvement

Management of other Educational Programs Department projects (50% of time)

• Planning and implementation of programs for teachers and students
• Working with scholars and master teachers to deliver high-quality education programs
• Managing budgets for programs
• Contributing to organizational processes to streamline and improve our work overall

Skills and Qualifications

This role requires availability on Sundays (in place of another traditional workday). GLI offers a generous comp and flex time policy.

• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Experience managing programs, preferably in non-profit, history, or education contexts.
• Experience and comfort presenting online to large audiences.
• Excellent writing skills and strong interpersonal and communication skills in person, by phone, and in writing.
• Experience working well under pressure, meeting deadlines, and developing short- and long-term strategies to meet objectives.
• Proficiency in Google Docs and Microsoft Office.

To Apply

Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume in a single file to hr@gilderlehrman.org. Please include “Program Coordinator” in the subject line of your email. Please also let us know how you heard about the role.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute offers a generous and inclusive benefits package and a paid winter recess (in 2022, this will be December 26-30).

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, sex, gender identity, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, or any other legally protected status.