ABOUT ECHO
ECHO is a global Christian agricultural networking, training, and resourcing organization. Our mission is to strengthen the capacity of a diverse global network to defeat hunger and improve lives through sustainable food and agroecosystem strategies. ECHO has a significant network of over 20,000 individuals and organizations built over 45 years working in more than 190 countries. These partners serve as the primary multiplier for ECHO tested options, strategies, and research.

WHY JOIN ECHO
At ECHO, you will join a global Christian network committed to defeating hunger and restoring hope through sustainable agriculture. Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and deeply committed to equipping leaders around the world with practical tools that create lasting impact. If you are passionate about faith-integrated service and sustainable solutions, you will find meaningful purpose in this role.

SUMMARY:
The Experiential Learning Program Lead will lead ECHO's organization-wide internship program as a strategic pathway for identifying, developing, and engaging emerging professionals in ECHO's global mission. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, this position recruits qualified, mission-aligned candidates from universities, churches, professional networks, and other communities; coordinates paid and unpaid internship opportunities across ECHO departments; and ensures every intern receives strong orientation, meaningful work, consistent supervision, professional development, and spiritual formation. The Experiential Learning Program Lead will develop and steward a robust program in which interns contribute throughout the organization, including Advancement, Communications, Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, Research, Seed Bank, Hospitality, and agricultural operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Internship Strategy and Program Leadership:

• Develop and implement an organization-wide internship strategy aligned with ECHO's mission, strategic framework, workforce needs, and commitment to developing emerging leaders who are value-driven and can deliver lasting impact for ECHO’s partners.
• Build and manage a balanced portfolio of paid and unpaid internships across departments, disciplines, educational levels, and seasons.
• Establish annual goals for recruitment, placement, retention, completion, program quality, and future engagement based upon the needs of ECHO’s global network.
• Create clear program standards, timelines, policies, supervisor expectations, and consistent practices for all internship placements.
• Work with Human Resources and organizational leaders to identify future talent needs and develop internships that may create pathways to employment, service, or long-term partnership with ECHO.
• Monitor program outcomes and use participant and supervisor feedback to evaluate effectiveness and recommend improvements to the internship program.

Recruitment and External Relationships:

• Conduct market research to understand the needs of ECHO’s RICs, global network, missions agencies, NGOs, etc. to ensure ECHO creates interns with strategic skills and experiences.
• Develop and lead a targeted recruitment strategy to attract qualified, mission-aligned candidates from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds.
• Represent ECHO at universities, colleges, seminaries, career fairs, conferences, churches, mission networks, and professional gatherings.
• Build and maintain relationships with faculty, career services offices, campus ministries, academic departments, alumni, churches, and partner organizations that can connect strong candidates to ECHO.
• Create compelling recruitment materials, presentations, digital content, and outreach campaigns in collaboration with Communications and Advancement.
• Expand recruitment beyond agriculture so candidates understand the breadth of professional opportunities available throughout ECHO.
• Maintain a recruitment calendar and candidate pipeline for year-round, summer, semester, and specialized internship opportunities.

Candidate Selection and Placement:

• Coordinate the internship application, screening, interview, reference-checking, selection, and placement processes in partnership with Human Resources and department supervisors.
• Assess candidates for mission alignment, character, professional potential, skills, learning goals, and fit with available placements.
• Develop accurate internship descriptions with department leaders, including responsibilities, learning outcomes, supervision plans, schedules, and compensation or benefit information.
• Match interns with departments where their skills can contribute meaningfully while supporting clear professional growth.
• Coordinate with Human Resources to ensure paid and unpaid internships follow applicable employment laws, academic requirements, organizational policies, and documentation standards.

Onboarding, Training, and Professional Development:

• Design and facilitate a consistent onboarding experience that introduces interns to ECHO's mission, history, global network, Statement of Faith, core values, workplace expectations, safety practices, and organizational culture.
• Develop a professional development curriculum that may include leadership, communication, teamwork, cross-cultural engagement, project management, vocational discernment, nonprofit service, spiritual formation, and career preparation.
• Coordinate regular cohort gatherings, learning sessions, reflections, site experiences, and opportunities to engage with ECHO leaders and global staff.
• Help interns connect their departmental assignments to ECHO's global mission and understand how different functions contribute to defeating hunger and improving lives.
• Create opportunities for interns to present their work, share lessons learned, and receive constructive feedback.

Supervisor Support and Program Quality:

• Prepare and support staff supervisors to provide meaningful assignments, clear expectations, regular coaching, appropriate accountability, and a healthy learning environment.
• Conduct regular check-ins with interns and supervisors to address concerns, clarify expectations, and support successful placements.
• Partner with Human Resources to respond appropriately to performance, conduct, safety, housing, or interpersonal concerns.
• Develop evaluation tools for interns and supervisors and use feedback to improve recruitment, orientation, training, supervision, and program design.
• Maintain accurate records related to applications, placements, agreements, evaluations, academic credit, compensation, and program outcomes.

Community, Care, and Ongoing Engagement:

• Cultivate a welcoming, Christ-centered internship community in which participants are known, supported, challenged, and connected to ECHO staff and one another.
• Coordinate with appropriate ECHO departments (including virtual) and site leadership to ensure interns receive clear information and appropriate support regarding housing, transportation, meals, schedules, events, and other practical needs associated with internship participation.
• Develop alumni engagement practices that keep former interns connected to ECHO through employment, volunteering, prayer, giving, advocacy, referrals, and future service.
• Track internship alumni and help ECHO understand the long-term impact of the program on participants, the organization, and the global network.

Collaboration and Organizational Support:

• Collaborate with leaders across all ECHO departments and Regional Impact Centers to identify meaningful projects and learning opportunities for interns.
• Coordinate with Advancement and Communications to share appropriate intern stories and demonstrate the program's impact to donors, partners, universities, and prospective applicants.
• Builds and sustain ECHO's Intern Network, connecting current and former interns to one another and to ongoing learning opportunities.
• Contribute to annual budget planning, program reporting, and resource development for the internship program.
• Stay informed about trends and good practices in internships, early-career development, experiential learning, and nonprofit talent development.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Director of Human Resources.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Must adhere to the ECHO Statement of Faith and possess character traits consistent with ECHO's Core Values.
• Strong commitment to developing emerging professionals and helping people connect their gifts, education, and vocational goals to meaningful service.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, engage, assess, and build relationships with college students, recent graduates, universities, churches, and professional networks.
• Excellent public speaking, written communication, interpersonal, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple recruitment cycles, placements, schedules, relationships, and administrative details with consistency and good judgment.
• Ability to collaborate across departments and influence program quality without directly supervising every internship host.
• Cultural humility and the ability to work effectively with people from varied backgrounds, disciplines, generations, and life experiences.
• Ability to handle sensitive personnel information with discretion and maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
• Working knowledge of applicant tracking, database, spreadsheet, presentation, communication, and virtual meeting tools.
• Ability to work independently, establish priorities, and manage a developing program with a high degree of initiative, sound judgment, and follow-through.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, education, organizational leadership, nonprofit management, communications, ministry, student development, or a related field required. Equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Three or more years of experience in recruiting, internship or student program management, career development, campus ministry, human resources, higher education, training, or a related field.
• Experience designing and facilitating orientation, training, professional development, or cohort-based learning experiences.
• Experience building external partnerships and representing an organization at recruitment events or in public settings.
• Experience working in a Christian ministry, nonprofit, international, cross-cultural, or mission-driven organization is preferred.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
Positions Directly Supervised:
Interns may be administratively coordinated by this position for purposes of program participation, orientation, professional development, and general support while receiving day-to-day work direction, assignments, and technical supervision from their assigned departmental supervisors. The position may also supervise temporary program support staff or volunteers as assigned.

Others to Work Closely With:
Director of Human Resources, department leaders and internship supervisors, Florida Site leadership, Regional Impact Center staff, Communications, Advancement, Finance, Information Technology, hospitality, volunteers, university and college representatives, churches, partner organizations, and internship alumni.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed primarily in an office and campus environment, with regular interaction across ECHO departments and with interns, staff, visitors, and external partners. The role includes travel to recruitment events and may involve occasional outdoor activities, tours, conferences, and work in hot and humid Florida conditions.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The employee must be able to sit and work at a computer for extended periods, communicate effectively in person and through virtual platforms, and regularly walk throughout the Florida campus. The position may require standing for extended periods at recruitment events, transporting presentation materials, and occasionally lifting or carrying up to 30 pounds.

POSITION TYPE AND EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK:
This is a full-time position. Regular hours are generally Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work is required for recruitment events, intern programming, arrivals, departures, and organizational activities.

TRAVEL:
Regular domestic travel is expected for university visits, career fairs, conferences, church engagement, and recruitment partnerships. Occasional international travel may be available based on organizational needs and program opportunities to strengthen professional development or connection with ECHO's global network.

OTHER DUTIES:
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• Compensation commensurate with experience
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, and life insurance)
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Company-matched 401(k) retirement plan
• Generous paid time off, 12 paid holidays, 5 wellness days, plus paid birthday leave

AAP/EEO STATEMENT:
ECHO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner.

In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal and state statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status, genetic information, or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes.  It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job.

ECHO is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. ECHO’s hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law. Federal law creates an exception to the “religion” component of the employment discrimination laws for religious organizations and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.




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