Program Associate

The Job: Program Associate, Member Engagement – Senior Service

Join Lutheran Services in America (LSA) and work at the intersection of strategy, relationships, and real-world impact. In this role, you will collaborate directly with leaders from some of the nation’s largest and most respected nonprofit organizations, helping translate ideas into programs that strengthen health, access, and independence for older adults across the country. 

The Program Associate is a core member of LSA’s Member Engagement team, which designs and delivers high-value programs, partnerships, and learning opportunities for a national network serving one in 50 people in the United States. This is a hands-on, highly collaborative role for someone who enjoys bringing structure to complex work, coordinating across stakeholders, and keeping momentum moving in fast-paced environments.

You will play a central role in advancing LSA’s Senior Services portfolio, supporting initiatives that connect nonprofit providers, funders, and partners around innovative approaches to aging, health, and community-based care.

Benefits:

LSA offers an excellent benefits package and a salary that is commensurate with education and related work experience. The position is full-time, exempt, and hybrid, with eligible candidates residing in the greater Washington, DC area. LSA provides a 401k matching program, generous PTO, and full federal holidays.

What You’ll Do:

• Coordinate projects, convenings, and communications that engage senior leaders across LSA’s national member network. 
• Support the design and delivery of member programs, learning communities, and partnerships focused on aging and senior services. 
• Manage timelines, materials, and follow-through across multiple initiatives—ensuring ideas move from planning to execution. 
• Serve as a key connector between internal teams, external partners, and member organizations. 
• Contribute to a team that is shaping how large-scale nonprofit networks collaborate, learn, and drive impact. 

Core Responsibilities:

• Support Director of Aging Initiatives in stakeholder engagement — drafting concept notes, maintaining outreach trackers, and helping prepare materials for proposals and reporting with funders and partners.
• Provide coordination and administrative support across LSA’s programs team, including for the Vice President of Program Planning and Growth. 
• Liaise with LSA member organizations, supporting communication, meeting logistics, and follow-up on collaborative initiatives and learning events. 
• Contribute to drafting and editing materials such as talking points, briefings, newsletters, and impact summaries. 
• Write program related content and messaging and share via email blasts, website posting, social media and special event promotions. 
• Track progress and outcomes across projects to support deliverables, internal reporting, storytelling, and funder updates. 
• Support special programming including member outreach, preparing agendas, program notes and other meeting material. 
• Provide logistical and IT support for virtual and/or in-person convenings. 

Qualifications

Who Thrives in This Role 

This role is well-suited for someone with professional experience in a nonprofit, corporate, consulting, association, or mission-driven organization who enjoys being close to both strategy and execution. 

You are likely to thrive if you: 

• Are highly organized and comfortable managing multiple workstreams at once with highly-aligned skills as noted below. 
• Take pride in clear, polished, and professional communication. 
• Enjoy building relationships and supporting leaders and partners. 
• Like solving coordination challenges and improving how work gets done. 
• Are motivated by work that has visible social impact. 

Prior experience in aging services or the nonprofit sector is not required. We value strong skills, curiosity, adaptability, and alignment with our mission above all. 

Skills and Prior Experience:  

• Mission-aligned and values-driven, demonstrating interest in health, aging, equity, and the role of faith-based organizations in community well-being.  
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with exceptional attention to detail. 
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability and desire to juggle several tasks simultaneously.  
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database experience.  
• Strong profiency and experience with Excel and budget management. 
• Demonstrated relationship management skills working with a diverse group of stakeholders a plus.   
• Excellence in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.), familiar with collaborative tools (SharePoint, Teams, Asana, Zoom, etc.) 
• Collaborative communicator with strong team spirit. 
• 1-4 years’ relevant experience in nonprofit, healthcare, foundation, research institute, membership organization or equivalent experience.  

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education required. 

Application Process

Please send a cover letter, salary requirements and resume to Regan McManus, Director of Aging Initiatives, at rmcmanus@lutheranservices.org with the position’s title in the subject line. No calls, please. 

Date Posted

01/20/2026

Closing Date

02/20/2026

About Lutheran Services in America:

With over $26 billion in annual revenue, over 250,000 employees and over 300 member organizations nationwide, Lutheran Services in America is one of the largest and most broad-based nonprofit networks of health and social services providers in the United States.  Collectively, we serve one in 50 Americans every year—providing services to older adults, caregivers, children, youth and families, refugees, people with disabilities, veterans and those affected by disasters.    

Our national network model catalyzes policy and systems change. Headquartered in Washington, DC with offices in the heart of Capitol Hill, Lutheran Services in America is a national nonprofit organization that brings together a network of leaders, partners and funders to tackle issues that are critical to our communities. 

Contact

Regan McManus <rmcmanus@lutheranservices.org>
no phone calls please