Senior Program Specialist, Healthy Aging

Join Our Mission. Shape the Future.

At NCOA, we are on a mission to create the conditions for all to age well in America—today and into the future. Every day, we work to improve the lives of millions of older adults through innovative programs, trusted advocacy, and meaningful partnerships that advance health, economic security, and equity.

We are seeking a dynamic and collaborative SeniorProgram Specialist, Healthy Agingto bring their expertise, vision, and passion to help drive our mission forward. The Senior Program Specialist will play a pivotal role in advancing healthy aging and falls prevention initiatives by managing project activities, strengthening funded partner capacity through technical assistance, and supporting data-informed program improvement and the dissemination of promising practices.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized and resourceful program professional who thrives on managing complex projects, building collaborative relationships, and translating implementation experiences and data into practical resources and solutions that strengthen programs and partner success. They will embrace and exemplify NCOA's core values of Caring for All, Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity, and Respect, fostering a culture of excellence while helping ensure that every older adult has the opportunity to age with dignity, purpose, and security.

If you are ready to make a lasting difference while leading with purpose, we invite you to join our team.

POSITION SUMMARY

The SeniorProgram Specialist, Healthy Aging leads and supports the day-to-day activities, operations, documentation, resource development and logistics of multiple health promotion projects with a focus on fall prevention, clinical-community linkages, and evidence-based programs. With guidance from the project team, the Senior Program Specialist leads a variety of project activities, including funded partner onboarding, individual and group technical assistance, facilitating webinars, hosting office hours, meeting coordination, resource development, relationship building and logistics and making relevant connections across the aging network.

The Senior Program Specialist uses well-developed organizational skills, resourcefulness, and an interest in community building and cross-sector collaboration to advance this work.

This role works closely with NCOA’s Research & Evaluation team to support rapid-cycle evaluation and use of data to strengthen program implementation. The Senior Program Specialist helps coordinate data collection and evaluation activities with funded agencies, supports data collection and evaluation trainings, and assists with preparing funded agencies to meet project and external evaluation requirements. The Senior Program Specialist works with the Research & Evaluation team to help identify and document implementation challenges and trends, support quarterly analyses and performance reporting, coordinate activities related to the external evaluation, and help ensure evaluation findings and funded agency needs inform ongoing technical assistance and continuous quality improvement.

The Senior Program Specialist also takes a leadership role in project communications, reporting, and dissemination activities and works with project staff and NCOA’s Communications team to support the sharing of project information, findings, resources, and promising practices. This role works collaboratively within the Center for Healthy Aging, with NCOA’s Research & Evaluation team and other cross-functional teams, and with external project partners. The Senior Program Specialist uses strong relationship management, communication, organizational, resourcefulness, and problem-solving skills to support successful project implementation and advance falls prevention efforts for older adults.

Positions at this level typically report to a director or senior director and require advanced knowledge and experience as well as strong project management capabilities. Incumbents are required to make independent judgements within their scope of work and require minimal oversight. Incumbents generally have three or more years of experience in their discipline and a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent combination of education and experience.Graduate level degrees may be considered in lieu of experience.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in implementing strategies to advance NCOA’s mission to create the conditions for all to age well and achieve its goal of helping create 100 million happier, healthier birthdays by 2040.
• Facilitate clinical-community linkages to increase access and referrals to evidence-based fall prevention screenings and interventions.
• Develop standard operating procedures, guides, templates, and other project resources.
• Serve as project manager for assigned projects and initiatives, including developing timelines, coordinating activities, monitoring milestones, and managing deliverables.
• Work closely with the Center for Healthy Aging team and other staff to implement a comprehensive strategy to expand the reach and sustainability of healthy aging programs and services.
• Provide technical assistance, guidance, and subject-matter support to funded partners to strengthen project implementation.
• Facilitate opportunities for NCOA staff and funded agencies to share implementation experiences, challenges, promising practices, and lessons learned.
• Support data collection and evaluation trainings for funded agencies, including coordinating logistics and materials, communicating requirements, and providing follow-up support in collaboration with the Research & Evaluation team.
• Work across teams to support evaluation activities, including coordinating data collection and evaluation activities with funded agencies and helping ensure timely and complete participation.
• Maintain the project resource hub, including organizing and posting existing tools, resources, training materials, webinar recordings, and other relevant content for funded agencies and project partners.
• Develop project reports, presentations, summaries and other project deliverables.
• Coordinate with NCOA's Communications team to support dissemination of project information, findings, resources, and promising practices through NCOA's website, webinars, presentations, conferences, and other communications channels.
• Maintain accurate and organized project files and information using Asana, Zengine, Microsoft Teams, and other project management and collaboration systems.
• Distill complex information into simple and compelling messages for maximum clarity, understanding, and impact.
• Contribute to routine reports, such as issue briefs, community partner surveys, and Administration for Community Living (ACL) semi-annual grant progress reports.
• Support and contribute to healthy aging pilot projects and initiatives and meet deadlines.
• Participate in occasional speaking engagements and conference presentations.
• In collaboration with NCOA colleagues, contribute to planning, promoting, facilitating, and coordinating a Falls Impact Forum and NCOA’s annual conference, Age+Action.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, gerontology, social science, health administration, communications, research, evaluation, or related field with 3-5 years of relevant work experience. Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience supporting the implementation of projects or programs involving multiple activities, deliverables, internal teams, and external partners.
• Experience providing or supporting technical assistance, facilitating webinars, trainings, learning communities, communities of practice, or other capacity-building activities.
• Experience supporting data collection, program monitoring, evaluation, performance measurement, or continuous quality improvement activities.
• Ability to coordinate data collection, monitor information needs, follow up on reporting requirements, and support evaluation activities.
• Self-initiative and solution-focused orientation to learn new technical skills, resolve problems, and seek help when needed.
• Excellent organizational, administrative, and analytical skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with demonstrated ability to effectively multitask, prioritize competing responsibilities, adhere to timelines, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment and achieve high performance goals
• Experience supporting grant administration, including maintaining documentation, tracking submissions and deliverables, and communicating with grantees, preferred.
• Familiarity with community-based organizations serving older adults and passion about NCOA’s mission to create the conditions for all to age well is a plus.
• Experience with customer relationship management; experience working with community-based organizations, health care organizations, aging services organizations, or other external partners preferred.
• Familiarity with grants management a plus.
• Demonstrated technical skills with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and webinar platforms; familiarity with Asana or similar project management tools and Zengine, Salesforce, or other grants management and database systems is a plus.
• Strong writing, editing, and document formatting skills.
• Demonstrated initiative, resourcefulness, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to independently address routine issues and appropriately elevate more complex matters.
• Ability to synthesize information from meetings, technical assistance interactions, evaluation activities, and project implementation into clear summaries, action items, and other documentation.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment and coordinate effectively across program, Research & Evaluation, Communications, and other teams and partner organizations.
• Ability to interface with a variety of stakeholders and contribute positively to the team.
• Willingness and ability to participate in anticipated in-state and out-of-state travel, including overnight travel, as requested (10-15%).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Frequently required to sit or use a standing desk.

Occasionally required to walk.

Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms.

Frequently required to talk or listen.

Occasionally required to bend, lift or climb stairs.

Occasionally required to lift light weights (less than 25 pounds).

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Primarily office-based in Arlington, VA, with a hybrid schedule.

Occasional travel is required for partner meetings, conferences, and other partner engagements.

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you are a collaborative, mission-driven professional with a passion for healthy aging, falls prevention, and strengthening programs that help older adults live healthier lives, we encourage you to apply.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume through the application link provided. Applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered. Please note that we are unable to accept phone calls regarding this position.

NCOA is committed to providing competitive and equitable compensation. The salary range published in this job posting reflects the market range for positions based in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region. Because NCOA employs staff in multiple states, compensation may vary based on an employee's primary work location through our geographic pay structure. Geographic differentials are established using regional labor market data to ensure competitive and equitable pay across locations. Final starting salary will be determined based on the employee's work location, relevant experience, education, qualifications, and internal equity.

NCOA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an equitable, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.