The Atlantic Council’s Millennium Leadership Program (MLP) seeks a high-performing Associate Director to own and drive the day-to-day strategy, design, and execution of MLP’s flagship initiatives, namely the Millennium Fellowship and Alumni Engagement Activities.
This isnot an entry-level role—the Associate Director will serve as a program owner, strategic partner, and operational lead, shaping the participant experience, strengthening alumni engagement, and ensuring high-quality execution across multiple workstreams. The ideal candidate brings strong judgment, exceptional communication, warmth, and initiative—anticipating needs, solving problems early, and managing relationships across a global stakeholder network.
This role requires a strategic executor who delivers consistently with a strong customer-service mindset and high professional standards. The Associate Director will report to the Deputy Director and collaborate closely with the Senior Director and the broader MLP team in a fast-paced, highly interactive environment.
This position is based in our Washington, DC, headquarters, requiring a minimum of 4 days per week in office. The Atlantic Council offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, education, and organizational equity, with offers from $72,000 to $80,000. Applications submitted by March 5, 2026, will be prioritized for consideration.
1) Lead and Manage the Millennium Fellowship (Flagship Program Ownership)
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Own full-cycle planning and execution for the Millennium Fellowship, ensuring an exceptional and consistent participant experience from recruitment through completion
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Drive program design and improvement, including curriculum refinement, session planning, speaker coordination, and participant engagement strategy
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Manage admissions and selection processes, including application review workflows, communication cadence, and enrollment/payment tracking
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Lead program communications across channels (primarily email and WhatsApp) ensuring clear, timely, and high-touch participant support
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Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to deliver smooth, high-quality program experience
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Facilitate virtual sessions and support logistical planning and execution for the annual international study tour, including international travel and on-site support
2) Alumni Strategy, Programming, and Community Engagement
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Lead alumni engagement strategy and execution, including communications, programming, relationship management, and community-building initiatives
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Plan and support virtual monthly alumni meetings and in-person alumni engagement activities in Washington, DC
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Strengthen alumni pathways for continued involvement and engagement with the Atlantic Council and MLP ecosystem
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Support the development of scalable alumni systems, tools, and processes that deepen engagement globally
3) Support the Global Leadership Forum (Annual Convening)
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Support planning and execution of the inaugural Global Leadership Forum, an annual convening for alumni and partners
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Assist with stakeholder coordination, logistics, communications, content curation, and event execution across internal and external partners
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Ensure a high-quality, detail-oriented experience for participants, speakers, and partners
4) Program Operations, Logistics, and Cross-Team Coordination
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Manage end-to-end program operations, including scheduling, run-of-show development, participant tracking, meeting coordination, and materials production
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Support budgets and financial workflows, including revenue tracking, payments, contracts, vendor coordination, and accurate record-keeping
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Maintain program data systems and reporting to inform planning, decision-making, and continuous improvement
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Strengthen internal systems and processes to improve efficiency and support program scaling
5) Communications, Marketing, and Visibility
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Develop social media strategy and protocol, including content development for MLP communications and social platforms (LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and WhatsApp)
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Support marketing and outreach efforts to strengthen recruitment, engagement, and program visibility internally and externally
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Ensure communications reflect MLP’s tone: warm, professional, timely, and high-quality
6) Business Development and Partner Support
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Assist with contracts, invoicing, CRM tracking (Salesforce), and partner stewardship materials
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Support fundraising and business development efforts through donor research, partner coordination, and proposal or briefing support
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Bachelor’s degree required (education, entrepreneurship, international relations, public policy, or related field preferred); master’s degree a plus
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4–7 years of relevant experience in international program management, ideally in fellowship, leadership development, and/or education
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Demonstrated ability to lead complex programs end-to-end, manage multiple moving pieces, and deliver under deadlines
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Strong strategic planning and operational execution skills; able to translate goals into clear plans, timelines, and deliverables
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to facilitate sessions, deliver presentations, and communicate effectively with stakeholders
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Strong judgment, professionalism, and discretion; culturally sensitive and globally minded
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Exceptional attention to detail, reliability, and follow-through
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Strong customer-service orientation and ability to build trust with fellows, alumni, partners, and senior leaders
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Proficiency in Microsoft Office; familiarity with project management and CRM tools (e.g., Monday.com, Salesforce) preferred
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Self-directed and proactive, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
Key Attributes for Success in This Role
This role is best suited for someone who is:
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Proactive and solutions-oriented, anticipating challenges and driving work forward with urgency
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A clear, consistent communicator, skilled at coordinating across stakeholders and delivering high-quality communications
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Warm, polished, and service-minded, with strong emotional intelligence and professionalism
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A strategic executor, able to plan, prioritize, and deliver across multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment
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A collaborative team player who also thrives working independently with ownership and accountability
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A globally minded relationship-builder, effective with diverse stakeholders across sectors and seniority levels
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Adaptable and resourceful, comfortable navigating ambiguity, tight timelines, and evolving priorities (including travel as needed)
To produce quality work and to successfully achieve our mission, we recognize the need for our staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a work/life balance. Our comprehensive benefits package helps to keep costs low for our staff and their families. Benefits include, but are not limited to comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, 403(b) plan, FSA options, pet insurance, Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility, and wellness benefits.