Manager, Programs

Title: Manager, Programs
Position: Full-Time 
Reports To: VP of Programs 
FLSA Status: Exempt 
Salary: $83,500–$86,500
Start Date: Mid-February or as soon as filled
Work Location: Remote with option to work out of L.A. office. Candidates based in California or New York are preferred 
Required Travel: Approximately 30% for programs and staff retreats 

Overview of Role 

HARNESS is looking for an experienced program manager and community builder to join our team as Programs Manager.

This role is central to operationalizing HARNESS’ program calendar and bringing our strategic vision to life. Supporting the VP of Programs, you will oversee program workflows, run-of-shows, virtual gatherings, budgets, and cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact programs and experiences for our diverse community of changemakers. We are looking for someone with deep roots in social justice and cultural change work who excels at organizing complex moving parts, managing a range of relationships, and building effective and accessible systems.

If you are a proactive project manager and leader who loves turning big creative ideas into well-oiled, well-organized community programs, this role offers a front-row seat to a diverse and exciting group of culture changemakers. You’ll be part of a close-knit, supportive remote team with access to a dedicated workspace in Downtown L.A.

Core Responsibilities 

Programs and Implementation

  • Support VP of Programs in bringing HARNESS’ program strategy and calendar to life. This includes:
    • Building work plans in partnership with Programs team members as they create timelines and deliverables for HARNESS events and programs.
      • Maintain the Programs Asana board, the Programs department meeting board, and update Asana/Drive on each programmatic pivot.
    • Develop initial budgets for HARNESS events and programs in partnership with the VP of Programs; oversee the Lead Producer’s management of production budgets, including tracking expenses against approved budgets and coordinating vendor payments. 
    • Review reconciled actuals from Lead Producer against the broader Programs budget, assess variances, and report to the VP of Programs.
    • Monitor spending across the broader programs budget and proactively flag potential overages or resource constraints.
    • Work in partnership with Program Operations to list build / define lists for each program
    • Create Zoom registration, landing pages, pre-event surveys as needed, and draft initial invitation copy and follow-up copy for programs.
      • For virtual events: Manage day-of Zoom rooms, in-call polls, entrance approvals, and other technical needs as required.
      • As needed, create invitations using Canva templates for HARNESS events.
    • Manage RSVP tracking for both in-person and virtual events, providing the team regular updates leading up to the events.
    • Download and upload video recordings to Vimeo; handling link requests as needed.  
    • Create and archive program-specific Slack channels.   
    • Develop draft run of shows, including scripts and talking points, for VP review and finalization.
    • Develop communications schedules (invites, follow ups, travel stipend information) for each program in partnership with Comms. 
    • Track any applicable travel stipends as needed (collecting payment info/receipts, and maintaining the record of who’s been paid for budget reconciliation).
  • Lead post-program debriefs and synthesize key learnings, and translate insights into recommendations for improving future programs.
  • Provide additional coordination and implementation support when needed, while ensuring program responsibilities are appropriately delegated across the team and production resources.
  • Oversee program production timelines and work with the Lead Producer to prioritize and sequence production activities when timelines overlap, proactively addressing competing demands on capacity and resources.
  • Oversee the maintenance of operational systems, templates, and SOPs that make programs repeatable and more efficient. Contribute to ongoing development and evolution with Program Operations.
  • Maintain the master program calendar across all program areas, flagging conflicts or resource issues proactively.
  • Maintain operational systems–run-of-show templates, debrief processes, vendor trackers–that make production repeatable and consistent across buckets.
  • Ensure data collection (attendance, qualitative capture) for each gathering, in partnership with Learning & Eval Consultant and VP of Programs.

Community Design and Stewardship

  • Manage and nurture the various community groups across HARNESS program areas. This includes maintaining ongoing communications, developing meeting agendas, and supporting the design and production of gatherings as needed.
  • Support the implementation of communication tactics across platforms as needed, including but not limited to doing community outreach for content and supporting copywriting and/or editing for the monthly newsletter.

Impact

  • Support VP of Programs and the Learning and Evaluation consultant with impact measurement for HARNESS programs in alignment with the theory of change and yearly strategic goals. 
  • Support in the building and execution of processes to solicit and respond to feedback from internal and external stakeholders.
  • Support VP of Programs, L&E Consultant, and development team in shaping and telling the narrative of HARNESS’ impact to the team, board, community, and funders as needed.

Ops/ Finance and Development

  • Collaborate with the Lead Producer and Program Operations to ensure the timely submission and payment of all vendor and contractor invoices, honoraria, and any other applicable transactions.
  • Partner with the VP of Programs and Development team on fundraising efforts by ensuring clear communication on programs, calendars, outcomes, and impact. 
  • Provide guidance to program contractors to help them carry out their responsibilities. 
  • Supervise the Lead Producer and support in overseeing relationships with consultants and vendors. 
  • Partner with Program Operations to ensure NationBuilder (CRM) remains updated and accurate. 

Skills and Qualifications 

The Programs Manager will be committed to HARNESS’ mission and strategic vision. Candidates should have at least 5-8 years of experience. All candidates should be excited to be in a continuous posture of learning and co-creation as they bring to life programs with the HARNESS team and community. 

Candidates should have demonstrated expertise in program and project management along with budget management. They should also have some experience working:

  • within and across social justice movements
  • working with artists
  • working with the entertainment industry
  • in community building

Preferred candidates will have: 

  • Experience managing programs of various scopes and scales that advance social change. Event/ experiential production experience is highly desirable.
  • Experience designing programs and activities that bring organizational and program strategies to life.
  • A high attention to detail with a passion for organization and cross-collaboration; experience using project management tools to plan and communicate work progress and potential potholes. 
  • Strong copywriting skills, including the ability to see and tell a story from complex bodies of work and perspectives.
  • Demonstrated success building trusted relationships with diverse groups of people, building on skills of empathy, compassion, listening, and connection.
  • A passion for social justice, arts, culture change, and the role that storytelling plays in building more just futures. 
  • Demonstrated alignment with HARNESS mission.

Other desired skills and experiences include: 

  • Comfort with remote-first environments and using virtual collaboration tools like Zoom, NationBuilder, G-Suite, Asana, and Slack 

What we offer you in return and why you would love being a part of our team! 

  • Generous virtual office budget, which includes support for home office equipment, cell phone, and an internet monthly stipend 
  • Office space available in Downtown Los Angeles 
  • Competitive paid time-off and benefits, including 100% paid Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance 
  • 401k with a 4% match
  • Learning opportunities and an annual professional development budget
  • Fun and collaborative team environment 

Compensation and Benefits 

This is a full-time, non-exempt position. The annual salary starts at $83,500. Provided they meet all eligibility requirements under the applicable plan documents, employees will be offered medical, dental, and vision insurance. Employees will also be able to enroll in our company’s 401k plan, provided they meet plan requirements. Employees will also have 20 days of vacation leave and 10 days of paid sick leave each year. Employees will also observe 10 paid federal holidays throughout the calendar year, plus annual summer and winter office closures. Eligibility requirements for these benefits will be controlled by applicable plan documents and organization policies. 

This is intended to provide a general description of benefits and other compensation and is not a substitute for applicable plan documents or company policies. 

HARNESS is committed to fostering and maintaining a work environment where diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are fully integrated into everything we do. HARNESS provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. 

How to Apply 

Please send a resumé and cover letter to talent@iwillharness.com with the subject line “Programs Manager.”

Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis until it is filled, but preference will be given to those who apply by December 11, 2026.