Program Assistant

SIT Study Abroad: Environmental Studies & Marine Ecosystems

Reports to: Center Director

Salary: €18, 000 - €20,000 (gross)

Anticipated Start Date: August 2026

Term of Employment: 1 year, full time

Apply by: 15 July, 2026

Location: Palermo, Italy

To apply: Submit Cover Letter andCV to https://worldlearning.applicantpro.com/jobs/4141926 .

World Learning Italy seeks a full-time Program Assistant to provide ongoing administrative, programmatic and logistical support to the Center Director (CD).for all programs at, or affiliated with, the Center including, but not limited to Customs, summer, EIL, and IHP programs. The Program Assistant will work closely with the CD and other members of the staff to facilitate the flow of information, appropriate documentation, and the smooth functioning of program activities.

• Collaborate with the CD and other staff in the planning of programs;
• Assist CD as needed throughout the semester to ensure the smooth running of the programs;
• Serve as a point of contact for student in relation to programmatic matters, under guidance of CD;
• Assist with maintaining communication with program partners and service providers to ensure site visits, meals, housing, and other program activities are finalized and run smoothly;
• Maintain student files;
• Assist with the maintenance of the list of homestay families with corresponding contact information alongside the CD;
• Maintain contact list for students during the ISP period and keep contact with students;
• Keep library and office inventory up-to-date;
• Compile and prepare appropriate program materials per CD instructions;
• Assist with financial transactions up to date on financial reporting system; keep track of receipts and other documentation related to program finances;
• Proactively update, edit and disseminate program materials for reference by other staff, students, and/or participants;
• Maintain program calendars throughout each semester;
• When necessary, accompany students to medical appointments and assist with the provision of overall student support services;
• Organize receptions and other special events (reserve space, negotiate prices and menus, issue invitations, etc.) in consultation with the Center Director;
• Serve as a point-of-contact for the students in regards to visa renewal and reimbursement, student stipends, phone and locker deposits, and manage visa registration process;
• Create and maintain system of organization (including an electronic and physical filing system) for all paperwork for the SIT Study Abroad program, and maintain confidentiality and security of company, student and employee documents at all times;
• Assist in organization and operation of site visits as well as other program logistics;
• Participate in site visits, field projects, and excursions;
• Be available to travel with the program including long term;
• Provide guidance and information on local culture. Serve as a point-of-contact for students throughout the scheduled program;
• Participate in training as assigned;
• Other relevant tasks, as assigned.

Must be willing and able to travel on program excursions as determined by the Center Director. Excursions may range from one day up to several weeks in duration.

SIT programs are situated in urban as well as remote locations where accommodations may be rudimentary, and accessibility limited. Some aspects of the program may require physical exertion such as, but not limited to, occasionally driving, walking, as well as remaining stationary for long periods. Depending on the theme of the program there may be excursions in rugged terrain which may require, but are not limited to, activities such as hiking, climbing and/or water-based sports.

Required Experience/Education:

• Bachelor's degree in environmental science, marine biology, conservation biology, earth sciences, sustainability, or related field;
• 1 - 3 years of administrative and programmatic experience in an educational or non-profit setting or equivalent;
• Applicants must be authorized to work in Italy;
• Applicants must be authorized to travel outside the Schengen Area;
• Experience with youth;
• Familiarity with/understanding of with age demographic and American youth/culture (where possible);
• Experience working with cross-cultural issues and cultural adaptation.

Required Skills:

• Experience in office administration and program support;
• Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy in preparing and entering information;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Italian and English;
• Excellent organizational skills - must be able to manage multiple assignments simultaneously;
• Excellent social skills to easily build rapport with students and, other staff,
• Good level of proficiency with Microsoft Office and other computer applications.
• Financial skills to account for program petty cash and other related tasks as assigned.

Required Behaviors/Competencies:

• Excellent interpersonal and team building skills;
• Strong analytic skills, strategic thinking, and problem-solving ability;
• Ability to provide emotional and practical support to students individually or in a group;
• Ability to work independently as well as with a team;
• Possesses cultural awareness and sensitivity;
• Flexible and demonstrates sound work ethics;
• Demonstrates a strong attention to detail and high level of accuracy;
• Demonstrates the capacity to manage changing priorities and ambiguity while remaining calm and controlled;
• Communicates a "can do" attitude and positive outlook, minimizing negative behaviors;
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, including the ability to interact with a culturally and ethnically diverse population of students, faculty, and staff from around the world, and to understand and support different lived experiences including but not limited to first generation and non-traditional students, international students, veterans, students with disabilities, and low-income families.

For more than 90 years, World Learning Inc. has been a thriving global organization made up of The Experiment in International Living, the nation's most experienced provider of international education through exchanges for high school students; School for International Training, offering accredited undergraduate study abroad programs through SIT Study Abroad and internationally focused master's degrees through SIT Graduate Institute; and World Learning, a global development and exchange nonprofit organization.

School for International Training (SIT) was founded in the early 1960s as a training center for the first Peace Corps volunteers. For nearly 60 years, SIT has prepared students to be effective changemakers and global citizens through experiential education focused on the world's most critical global issues. SIT Study Abroad offers accredited summer and semester undergraduate programs in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs on multiple continents. SIT Graduate Institute offers global and hybrid certificates, master's, and doctoral degrees.

World Learning has worked to create a more sustainable, peaceful, and just world. World Learning's education, development, and exchange programs help people find their voices, connect with their communities, strengthen the institutions that form the backbone of a democratic society, and build relationships across cultures. With World Learning's support, these emerging leaders tackle critical global issues like poverty, conflict, and inequality.

The Experiment in International Living is the nation's most experienced provider of international education through exchanges for high school students. For more than 90 years, The Experiment has empowered young people to step off the beaten path, experience the world as a classroom, immerse themselves fully in another culture, and build the knowledge and skills needed to confront critical global issues.

A Commitment to Our Values

We are a global community of staff, faculty, board members, alumni, students, and participants who use our core values -– community, intercultural understanding, sustainability, and social inclusion & justice – to inform our programs and how we operate as an organization. We are committed to acting with accountability, transparency, reciprocity, authenticity, and empathy.