(Senior) Program Officer (m/f/d) – Leadership Programs

(Full-time (40 hours/week) | Berlin | 01.01.2027 – 31.12.2028 (with intention to extend)

Leadership is about more than making good decisions—it begins with the willingness to understand different perspectives and take responsibility for society.

At Aspen Institute Germany, we bring together leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society to reflect on the fundamental questions of leadership, democracy, and civic responsibility. At the heart of our work is the renowned Aspen Leadership Seminar, which provides senior decision-makers with a unique opportunity to step away from the demands of everyday life and engage in thoughtful dialogue on values, responsibility, and the defining challenges of our time. These conversations create a network that extends far beyond the seminar itself.
We are looking for an engaged and entrepreneurial (Senior) Program Officer to help shape our Leadership Programs, further develop our alumni network, and support the work of our Management Board and Board of Trustees. Working closely with senior leaders from across sectors, you will accompany participants before, during, and after the seminars while contributing to the strategic, organizational, and financial development of one of Aspen Institute Germany’s flagship programs.
Your responsibilities

Shape our Leadership Programs 

• Develop, plan, and deliver the Aspen Leadership Seminars and additional leadership initiatives. 
• Identify, recruit, and engage outstanding participants from government, business, academia, public administration, culture, and civil society. 
• Guide participants throughout their entire seminar journey and ensure an outstanding participant experience. 
• Continuously develop and strengthen our Leadership Programs by introducing new ideas and innovative formats. 
• Contribute to communications surrounding the Leadership Program, including website content, publications, newsletters, and other outreach activities. 

Grow our Leadership Community

• Manage and strategically expand our Leadership Alumni Network. 
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with alumni, seminar moderators, donors, partners, and supporters. 
• Develop new alumni engagement opportunities and strengthen connections across our leadership community. 
• Identify new funding opportunities and strategic partnerships while further developing existing relationships. 
• Contribute to fundraising efforts by supporting grant proposals, sponsorship concepts, donor engagement, and long-term funding strategies for the Leadership Program. 

Support the Institute’s Governance 

• Serve as the primary contact for Aspen Institute Germany’s Management Board and Board of Trustees. 
• Organize board and trustee meetings, prepare briefing materials, draft minutes, and support elections and board appointments. 
• Coordinate governance-related processes and work closely with the Institute’s leadership on board affairs. 

Improve Processes and Operations  

• Oversee budgeting, financial administration, and operational processes for the Leadership Program. 
• Maintain and further develop our CRM system and alumni and participant databases. 
• Analyze key performance indicators, prepare reports, and support reporting requirements for donors and funding partners. 
• Identify opportunities to improve internal processes through digital solutions and the thoughtful use of AI-supported tools. 

Your Profile

• A completed university degree (preferably a Master’s degree) in Philosophy, Political Science, International Relations, the Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, or a related field. 
• A strong interest in leadership, democratic values, civic responsibility, and public dialogue. 
• Experience in project or event management, ideally within a think tank, foundation, international organization, university, or similar institution. 
• A talent for building trusted, long-term relationships with senior decision-makers and stakeholders. 
• Ideally, experience in alumni relations, community building, stakeholder engagement, partnership development, or fundraising. 
• An entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to identify opportunities for growth, partnerships, and resource development. 
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities independently. 
• An affinity for working with budgets and numbers, ideally including experience with financial administration, budgeting, invoicing, project accounting, or controlling. 
• Experience working with CRM systems and databases and an interest in improving processes through digital tools and AI-supported applications. 
• Experience supporting boards, trustees, or comparable governance structures is an advantage. 
• Excellent written and spoken German and English. 

What We Offer

• A responsible position with significant scope for initiative in an internationally active public policy organization. 
• The opportunity to shape and further develop one of Germany’s most distinguished leadership programs together with alumni, partners, and supporters. 
• A diverse role that combines program development, alumni engagement, fundraising, governance, and strategic organizational development. 
• Close collaboration with leading figures from government, business, academia, and civil society in Germany, Europe, and the United States. 
• An engaged international team, short decision-making processes, and a collaborative working culture. 
• Flexible working hours and hybrid working arrangements by agreement. 
• A modern office in the heart of Berlin. 
• A competitive salary commensurate with your qualifications and experience. 

How to Apply

Please submit your complete application (cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, and relevant employment references) as well as your earliest possible start date and salary expectations by email only as one PDF document with the subject line “Application – Leadership Program” by September 4, 2026 to bewerbung@aspeninstitute.de.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. As we aim to fill the position as soon as possible, we reserve the right to close the recruitment process before the application deadline.
Interviews will be conducted either in Berlin or virtually. Please note that we are unable to reimburse travel expenses and kindly ask applicants to refrain from making telephone inquiries.

» See all Jobs