Senior Program Manager

Sesame Workshop is looking for a Senior Program Manager to lead the successful management of funded projects by coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that projects are delivered on time, on budget, on brand, and achieve the goals of Sesame Workshop. This position leads collaborative program design efforts to support new business development. The position also provides a leadership role in managing a network of implementation partners and supporting their ability to use Sesame Workshop content in communities.

This position requires an individual with knowledge of project management, attention to detail, and the ability to multi-task. It also requires a person with effective communication skills who can build the internal and external relationships required to keep projects on track. Successful candidates are highly collaborative, dynamic, and mission driven and able to work effectively to drive decision-making and problem-solve in a matrixed organization and with a wide variety of partner organizations. This role will independently manage projects and support management of multiple complex projects across regional and thematic priorities – including but not limited to the U.S., Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the Middle East including global/multi-country initiatives.

Reporting to the Director of Program Management, this position is based in New York, NY (Manhattan) requiring a minimum of 2-3 designated in-office days to meet our hybrid requirement.

Primary Responsibilities :

Program Management

• Lead department and cross-department strategic initiatives, as assigned. Partner with broader Impact Programs team to plan implementation strategy for new and existing initiatives and projects
• Manage a portfolio of projects and programs. Set and communicate project goals with team; develop workplans, timelines and budgets; write high-quality program progress reports with input from across project teams, and work collaboratively across project teams to meet deliverables and achieve results
• Manage program budgets to ensure alignment between effort and outcomes, monitoring cost reports, and partnering with stakeholders on invoicing, spending, and reporting
• Ensure compliance with Sesame Workshop and funder policies and procedures, including procurement and contracts, and proactive risk management, in coordination with Legal & Compliance teams
• Lead development and maintenance of key program planning documents such as Partnership Engagement and social media plans, Technology Roadmaps, Distribution Plan, Monitoring & Learning Plan, and Asset Management platforms; working collaboratively with internal stakeholders across departments
• Support management of a network of strategic implementing partners. Lead partner management, including tracking partners, identifying and screening new partners, negotiating MOUs, executing on a coordinated outreach strategy, and collecting data, working in collaboration with department members who own partner relationships and project outcomes
• Communicate success stories and key learnings across funded projects portfolio to highlight progress, outcomes, and key learnings to internal and external stakeholders through data analysis and compelling storytelling via reports, presentations, or learning meetings
• Support knowledge management system, ensuring project files are maintained in ways that promote departmental learning
• Support team members as needed across program activities

Program Development and New Business

• Lead the identification and advancement of new programmatic opportunities aligned with strategic priorities. Leverage Salesforce as a strategic tool for pipeline visibility, cross-team coordination, and institutional knowledge management
• Lead the development of compelling program pitch materials, executive level presentations, and strategic narratives
• Represent Sesame Workshop in partnership meetings and cultivate high-value partnerships
• Advance Impact Programs goal for growth through strategic partner mapping and developing a process to expand the partner network to reach more families and communities at scale
• Facilitate internal design discussions around collaboration with digital products and Joan Ganz Cooney Center for scalable EdTech and parent engagement models
• Manage the proposal development process for new project opportunities across the Programs portfolio, with an emphasis on effective project management throughout the proposal lifecycle, working in collaboration with the Corporate and Institutional Fundraising teams and other internal teams
• Support development of program models in line with the Global Programs strategy and organizational priorities, including development of presentations, budget templates, work plan templates, planning documents, fact sheets, internal and external reports, briefings

Engagement & Collaboration

• Foster collaboration across cross-department project teams including Education, Production, Research, Marketing, Communications, Finance, and applicable Regional and Country Offices. Monitor progress and ensuring appropriate prioritization and collaborative decision-making throughout the project lifecycle
• Partner with Fundraising teams to support and manage relationships with funding partners
• Coordinate with Compliance and Risk Management team to support compliance with internal policies and donor regulations and requirements
• Engage with ongoing reviews to ensure project management systems and tools are optimized for efficiency and effectiveness and to achieve program goals. Offer ideas and solutions to refine and improve existing processes to align with best practices
• Represent Sesame Workshop to partner organizations.

Minimum Qualifications :

• Master’s degree in relevant field, or equivalent work experience
• 5+ years of professional experience leading complex projects in matrixed organizational structure with multiple partner organizations
• Proven expertise in process and time management; excels in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments with strong attention to detail and initiative
• Experience designing and implementing community-based programs with measurable outcomes for children, families, and communities; success in supporting partner networks
• Demonstrated ability to design or manage scalable programs leveraging educational technology
• Highly organized and adept at managing multiple priorities; exercises sound judgment in balancing competing deadlines
• Extensive experience leading international initiatives and collaborating across cultures, languages, and time zones; strong interpersonal skills for cross-functional alignment
• Skilled in developing work plans, budgets, timelines, communication tools, and KPIs
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; professional presence in hybrid and cross-functional settings
• Commitment to Sesame Workshop’s mission and values; background or interest in children’s media and education preferred
• Willingness to travel up to 10% domestically and internationally.

Equal Opportunity Employment (EOE) Statement :

Sesame Workshop is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy-related condition, familial status, domestic violence victim status, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

PSEA Statement:

Sesame Workshop is an equal-opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on the business needs, job requirements & suitability of the candidate. Sesame Workshop strictly follows the Child Safeguarding Policy, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of program participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Sesame Workshop staff, consultants, visitors to the program and partner organization, and the standards of behavior expected from them.

Pay Transparency Policy Statement:

As a federal contractor, Sesame Workshop follows Pay Transparency and non-discrimination provisions as guided by the U.S. Department of Labor.