Senior Program Associate

Position Summary

Mountaintop is seeking a Senior Program Associate to:

1. Lead implementation of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Network Builder grant; and

2. Provide programmatic support to Mountaintop’s core fellowships (Emerging Leaders, Nonprofit Executive, and Business Executive).

The YLAI Fellowship, run by IREX and funded by the U.S. Department of State, empowers entrepreneurs from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada to drive economic prosperity. Mountaintop has been awarded YLAI’s Network Builder grant (Sept 2025–July 2026) to strengthen ties among Fellows, alumni, and U.S. entrepreneurs through events, mentorship, and ecosystem-building. The Senior Program Associate will manage all aspects of the grant, including travel to and co-hosting in-person events in major U.S. cities.

Beyond YLAI, the Associate will support Mountaintop fellowships by coordinating mentorship programs, speaker series, Fellow onboarding, check-ins, application review, logistics (including travel booking), and other core operations.

This is a fast-paced, growth-oriented role with opportunities to travel to the U.S. and collaborate with global leaders in the Mountaintop network, including Harvard professors and Nobel laureates. Candidates should be outstanding operations-minded generalists based in lower-income countries. Mountaintop covers all U.S. travel expenses and will assist with a B1 visa if needed.

The role reports to the Program Manager (who oversees fellowships and the YLAI grant), with close collaboration with the CEO, Program Officer, and Administrative Assistant.

This is a full-time, remote contractor position (40 hrs/week), starting in September, with potential to convert to permanent employment. The position is expected to continue beyond the YLAI grant term.

 

Essential Functions

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills and other characteristics. This list of tasks is illustrative ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by individuals in this role.  It does not imply that all positions within the class perform all the duties listed, nor does it necessarily list all possible duties that may be assigned.

All duties listed below will be introduced gradually, following a period of shadowing and training to prepare the Senior Program Associate to manage them independently. New hires can also take advantage of a “peer buddy” system to help them adjust to the new role.

 

Event Management

• Identify and attend key conferences, networking events, and entrepreneurial gatherings across US cities as part of the YLAI grant.

• Coordinate and co-host eight major alumni networking events as part of ~3 trips to the US (Oct–Nov 2025 & Jan–Mar 2026), featuring panels, fireside chats, and mentorship sessions. The events will at first be led by the Program Manager, CEO, or Program Officer, with shadowing and gradual on-boarding of the Senior Program Associate.

• Facilitate monthly virtual coffee chats (15 participants) and alumni-led masterclasses (90 min).

• Lead a Mentor Matching program, connecting 25+ alumni mentors with current Fellows.

• Support major YLAI gatherings (Orientation, Closing Forum, and other cohort events), requiring ~3 US business trips. The events will at first be led by the Program Manager, CEO, or Program Officer, with shadowing and gradual on-boarding of the Senior Program Associate.

Network Building & Engagement

• Share biweekly lists of curated opportunities (conferences, speaker slots, investments).

• Oversee integration of YLAI alumni with Mountaintop’s network (including Mentor Office Hours and Peak Perspectives).
  Manage alumni engagement tools: regional WhatsApp groups, annual alumni survey, and monthly newsletter for Fellowship Placement Organizations.

• Identify speakers for major YLAI events and advise on Fellow placement locations.

 

Media & Communications

• Support YLAI media strategy, including press kit development and media placements.

• Create a Storybank of alumni impact, culminating in a final “Impact Digest” with 5–7 stories.

 

Fellowship Support

• Support the recruitment of candidates via outreach, LinkedIn, and partnerships.

• Assist with application review and interviews.

• Coordinate Mountaintop programming (including Mentor Office Hours, Peak Perspectives, and quarterly workshops).

• Maintain relationships with speakers and host regular Fellow/alumni check-ins.

• Manage Fellow administration: contracts, payments, logistics (flights, lodging, catering, IT, visas).

 

Other

• Support additional grants/programs as needed.
  Take on other duties in a fast-paced startup environment.
  
  

Qualifications

Education

Master’s degree preferred.

Experience

• 5-7 years of full-time professional experience working in business operations, management, project management, event planning, and/or talent management required.

• 10+ years of experience living or working in lower income countries strongly preferred.

• 2+ years experience working full-time with international organizations in the for-profit, non-profit, or government sector preferred.

• Experience working in Latin America or demonstrated proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

• Demonstrated proficiency in French, Portuguese, or Arabic is also a plus.

Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes

• Mission-Driven: You are motivated by Mountaintop’s mission, vision, and values, and are enthusiastic about activating transformational leadership in lower-income communities. Your colleagues can count on you to do your best work for Mountaintop.

• Clear Verbal and Written Communication: You can clearly communicate in English with stakeholders from various backgrounds, ranging from Fellows to hosts to event speakers. Fluency in French, Spanish, Portuguese is a plus.

• Detail-Orientedness: You pride yourself in your project management skills and ability to pay close attention to detail while not losing sight of the broader project.

• Efficient: You are able to balance many competing priorities at once, meet deadlines, and complete tasks at a high quality in a timely manner.

Benefits

$1,400 USD/month

Paid each month (Mountaintop covers fees). Due to Mountaintop’s budget, this compensation is non-negotiable. Mountaintop cannot sponsor work visas to the United States at this time.

Flexible work hours assuming at least 2.5 hours/day of overlap with a 8:30am-5pm EST schedule. 11 accrued paid holidays per year. 18 additional accrued paid time off days per year.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

This position requires:

• Normal periods of sitting, standing and walking, typically in a home office environment.

• Typing/data entry on keyboard.

• Normal vision and hearing (with or without correction).

• Speaking one-on-one and in a group setting.

• Travel to conferences, trainings, and events via airplane or car (approximately annually). 

Majority of work will be performed remotely from a home office. Home office must have a stable, fast Internet connection and be a moderately quiet space. Must be able to participate in events in various geographic locations and weather conditions.

Selection Process

Apply here. (https://airtable.com/appKYIOMltE2VpJqU/pagqeICbjFzJrJdpq/form) Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Those who submit an application will be contacted within a few weeks about next steps. The top candidates will be invited to complete a paid trial task (we offer a $30 electronic payment for a 90 minute task to compensate candidates for their time). Top candidates will then complete two 1:1 interviews, one with our Program Officer and one with our CEO. Top candidates will then be asked for three references. After references, Mountaintop will make an offer to the top candidate.