Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities that are striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in more than 20 countries - across Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States - and together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the opportunity - as Helen did - to reach their true potential.
Helen Keller is seeking a Program Officer to join the dynamic Vision Program team in New York to manage program activities in and around the five boroughs.
Background
Recognizing a lack of accessible, adequate vision care among low-income adults and children in the US, Helen Keller International established the US Vision Program (formerly known as ChildSight). Since 1994, Helen Keller has provided free vision screenings for more than 2.2 million individuals in the United States and provided more than 375,000 of them with prescription eyeglasses to solve common vision problems.
Scope of the Position
The Program Officer will provide on-site supervision of the implementation teams, develop and nurture relationships with key school and community partners, and participate in the development of work plans, schedules and budgets. As a member of the program management team, s/he will assist in the development and integration of new policies, procedures, and initiatives, support long-range planning and local fundraising efforts, lead data collection for donor reports, and capture success stories from the program.
Specific Responsibilities
Program Development
- Participate in the design, testing, and implementation of the program materials, including, but not limited to, impact surveys, program participants and families/guardians outreach, and educational materials
- Provide program data, impact survey results, and success stories for marketing purposes and grant proposals and to support local advocacy efforts focused on improving access to eye health services.
Program Management
- Work with the NY Program Management Team to develop implementation plans to meet program goals and deliverables.
- Research targeted communities to determine the potential need;
- Forecast the projected number of service days, staffing, consultant time, and inventory needed to serve targeted communities;
- Participate in developing budgets based on projected activities.
- Create and maintain relationships with key program partners where program services will be provided.
- Provide on-site supervision to program teams conducting vision screening, refraction assessment, and eyeglass selection.
- Assist in hiring new staff by reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, and completing reference checks.
- Train new staff and contractors on program protocols and provide guidance and correction as needed.
- Ensure that the program team is prepared to provide families/guardians with information about their student's vision needs, gather relevant health insurance information, and request consent to bill insurance as needed.
- Provide support and supervision to multiple Program Specialists to ensure successful program execution across the five boroughs and proper management of program assistants and team activities.
- Engage in regular performance conversations and annual performance reviews for assigned staff.
- Collaborate with other team leads in coordination of services, ordering eyeglasses, completing all program paperwork, and submitting invoices.
- Conduct educational information sessions for program participants and families, parents/guardians regarding the screening assessment, vision health, potential vision difficulties, and treatments.
- Manage the collection of impact surveys with program implementation teams.
- Work with team to report the progress of activities against program goals:
- Monitor and evaluate program activities, identify areas of improvement, and work with the team to make modifications to enhance program quality and efficiency.
- Ensure quality data is collected and submitted for processing of invoices as well as reports.
Administrative Duties
- Assure understanding of the HIPAA policy and procedures by implementation team and community partners. Monitor adherence to the procedure during onsite visits.
- Follow the proper maintenance procedure of all files, records and documents relating to Helen Keller program activities based on developed HIPAA protocol and compliance.
Required Skills/Abilities
- Solid organizational skills and reliable attention to detail.
- Professional communication and writing skills. Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate effectively across cultures.
- Demonstrated ability to liase effectively with community partners, troubleshoot issues, propose solutions, and take proactive approaches to improve programmatic management processes including:
- asking for information in a way that is clear and specific
- interacting with internal colleagues and community partners with diplomacy and tact
- Oral proficiency in Spanish highly preferred but not mandatory.
- Ability to work independently and prioritize workload, assume responsibility for work, and follow through to completion.
- Ability and willingness to work under pressure with a positive attitude as a part of a team.
- Collaborative, flexible and solution-oriented.
- Willingness to travel within the targeted communities, potentially using own personal vehicle, with supplemental business insurance to be reimbursed by Helen Keller.
- Demonstrable respect for all persons regardless of religion, ethnicity, class, or gender, with a high comfort level working in a diverse environment with a demonstrated commitment to high professional, ethical standards.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the application of information technology to Helen Keller program areas. Knowledge of software used for database and other work documents (e.g. Microsoft Office Suite).
- Helen Keller International requires all staff who work in our offices and/or who provide services to beneficiaries of our US programs to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, whether or not they have had COVID.
- When community transmission rates are high, Helen Keller also requires all staff to wear masks while providing program services and when in any open or public space in the office and to observe social distancing.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in related field and a minimum of 5 years' directly relevant experience in program management, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Proven experience as an effective supervisor resulting in the meeting of program goals/deliverables.
- Experience working in community settings such as schools and/or community service organizations and with adolescents preferred.
Compensation
The midpoint of the salary range for this position is $76,000 with a minimum of $60,800 and a maximum of $91,200. Actual salary will be based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, salary of internal peers, and business sector.
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Helen Keller International
$60,800-$91,200
Jun 19, 2025 