Program Manager

About

The Program Manager leads CARE for the Cape & Islands sustainability and environmental stewardship initiatives: the Use Less Plastic Coalition and Take Care Cape Cod campaign. This position is responsible for small business and municipal technical assistance, sustainable event support, marketing and communications across multiple platforms, community education, and volunteer engagement.

The Program Manager will work closely with local communities, nonprofits, town departments, and businesses to:

Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance to reduce waste
• Support and create sustainability campaigns focused on community and business engagement
• Deliver consistent and compelling storytelling that aims to educate and create behavioral change toward more sustainable practices
• Cultivate impactful environmental stewardship across communities
• Recruit and activate volunteers through engaging programmatic support opportunities
• Effective management of program interns when applicable

Prerequisites

This position requires 2 years of hands-on experience, or a combination of education and real world experience, in the nonprofit, education, or marketing and communications fields.

Some nights and weekends are required, as well as reliable transportation.

Desired Experience

Degree in environmental stewardship, sustainability, grassroots advocacy, hospitality, and tourism are highly desired. 3 years of combined academic and hands-on experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.

Preference will be given to individuals who live or have strong networks in the Outer and Lower Cape communities, with a specific focus on the Town of Orleans.

Our ideal candidate demonstrates:

• Strategic thinking and systems orientation
• Relationship-centered leadership and influence
• Empathetic social, cultural, and economic awareness
• Ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity with sound judgement
• Action-orientation with a focus on implementation and results
• Commitment to equity, community voice, and regional collaboration

Wage and Benefits

$21 per hour. 20 hours per week part time for the remainder of 2026. This role has the potential of transitioning to full time in 2027.

The program manager has a hybrid schedule to accommodate community outreach activities outside of traditional business hours, ability to work from home, and work-life balance.

This position also offers mileage reimbursement, as well as membership to CCYP, Philanthropy Partners of the Cape & Islands, Leadership Cape Cod, and MassRecycles.

Disclosure

CARE staff positions are funded on an annual basis and are evaluated at the end of each program year. Positions are subject to changes dependent on shifts in programmatic focus or funding.

Program Manager Overview

This role is a mix of outreach, program development, and campaign execution. The Program Manager is responsible for building relationships with local businesses, coordinating regional initiatives, and translating sustainability goals into actions that are realistic and achievable for the hospitality sector.

Key responsibilities include managing and growing the Use Less Plastic Coalition and Take Care Cape Cod campaign, developing and running campaigns/initiatives, and supporting businesses in making operational changes. The role also involves creating outreach materials, giving presentations, and representing CARE at community events and meetings.

This position requires someone who is comfortable with in-person outreach, has strong communication skills, and the ability to balance multiple projects while working independently. Much of the work involves engaging directly with people, adapting to different perspectives, and finding solutions that meet both environmental goals and business needs.