Programs Assistant

Join our small-but-growing, dynamic team! NJCH seeks a Programs Assistant to provide administrative and logistical support and to assist NJCH’s program applicants and participants. Such work is crucial to NJCH’s mission and vision, helping NJCH serve new and understaffed organizations effectively. We hope to bring on someone who is inspired by our shared purpose and is happy working both collaboratively and independently, who is self-motivated, deadline driven, attentive to detail, and has excellent interpersonal skills. We are committed to an inclusive workplace and actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply! 

Organization Overview 

At the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH), the nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities for the state of New Jersey, we explore, cultivate, and champion the public humanities in order to strengthen New Jersey’s diverse community. How do we do this? By enabling public programs and humanities experiences that deepen our understanding of ourselves and our world. NJCH is a program provider, partner, granter, convener, and innovator. We work with statewide and community organizations to bring exciting programming to the local level. 

NJCH’s mission, impact, and a listing of staff and board members can be found at https://njhumanities.org. 

Job Summary 

Under the direct supervision of the Director of Programs, this full-time, salaried position supports two or three specific programs as assigned. They regularly attend council-supported programs, and work with other staff to ensure that NJCH fulfills its mission to provide vibrant and thoughtful humanities opportunities to the people of New Jersey, and must be able to travel statewide in NJ on occasion, including some evenings and weekends. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday with the option to work remotely three or four days a week. Tuesdays are a core onsite (working in the office) day at NJCH offices in Camden, NJ. 

How You Will Contribute 

NJCH has developed several cohort-based learning programs (Community History and Humanities Lab) in recent years and is looking to add a family literacy program, Prime Time Family Reading, this year. These programs impact individuals and communities across the state, and they cannot run without speakers, space reservations for in-person meetings, sometimes catering, and without logistical support for participants. They require applications and screening interviews. And their content is always shifting as new interests bubble up from the community. The Programs Assistant supports the mission and vision of NJCH by filling these programmatic needs. Quite simply, that person helps us keep our programs running smoothly. The Programs Assistant must appreciate the value of the humanities in community life and its relevance to the various publics they address (such as scholars, museum and library professionals, and social service providers). 

A Successful Candidate Will Show: 

• 1-3 years of experience working in an organizational/institutional setting. 
• Strong organizational skills and command of details for tracking multiple assignments with different timelines. 
• Experience in project management, in humanities programs directly or in a related field a plus. 
• Familiarity with partnering with communities that have previously been unserved or underserved, particularly in but not limited to the humanities. 
• Demonstrated team orientation with the ability to collaborate and achieve actionable results with others. High degree of integrity and diplomacy. 
• Proven ability to work independently and proactively in overseeing logistics; ability to serve as a key administrative resource, including the ability to research inquiries and provide accurate and timely responses. 
• Creative mindset for thinking through problems and researching opportunities. 
• Previous experience (whether educational, personal, or professional) in the humanities and communications or marketing are desirable. 
• Commitment to the mission, values, goals, and programs of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and a sincere interest in working with nonprofits and communities around NJ to bring the public humanities into new spaces. 

AAP/EEO Statement 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. 

Other Duties 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities will depend on experience and may change from time to time based on business and organizational needs. 

Travel 

Some in-state travel is expected for this position, as are occasional evening and weekend hours. 

Supervisory Responsibility 

This position has no supervisory responsibilities. 

Compensation and Benefits 

This position is full-time, exempt, and 35 hours per week. The salary range is $43,000-$50,000, depending on the experience of the candidate. 

The position also includes benefits (health, dental, and disability insurance), generous paid time off and sick time, and a 403B retirement account. NJCH offers schedule flexibility and remote work opportunities. 

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and enthusiastic team, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with each qualification in the job description, please go ahead and apply anyway! You might be just the right candidate for this role. 

Consistent with our values and our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion as stated above, we are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a welcoming environment for all employees. 

How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume to careers@njhumanities.org. We will begin considering applications January 15 and hope to have the new staff member on board in this position by March 2025.