Join Advocates for Youth as Abortion Care Network Program Manager: Empowering Young Leaders in Abortion Access

Are you passionate about youth advocacy and dedicated to ensuring abortion access for all young people? Advocates for Youth is seeking a dynamic and experienced Abortion Care Network Program Manager to lead our efforts in building a nationwide network of youth leaders. This pivotal role will empower young individuals to become agents of change, providing informational, emotional, and practical support for their peers navigating abortion access. If you are a seasoned program manager with a background in reproductive rights, youth engagement, and a commitment to social justice, we encourage you to apply and become a driving force in expanding youth abortion access across the United States.

Advocates for Youth stands at the forefront of championing youth access to abortion through comprehensive strategies that encompass culture shift initiatives and impactful policy advocacy. Our approach is multifaceted, focusing on campus and state-level organizing to galvanize action, providing crucial practical support to overcome logistical barriers, and amplifying abortion storytelling to destigmatize and humanize the experience. We believe in the power of young voices to shape the narrative and create meaningful change in their communities.

As the Abortion Care Network Program Manager, you will be instrumental in managing the Youth Abortion Support Collective (YouthASC), a vibrant network of approximately 1,500 young individuals nationwide. This network serves as a critical resource, equipping young people with the knowledge and tools to connect individuals with essential abortion care services. You will guide and mentor 16 passionate lead activists within YouthASC, supporting them in establishing and nurturing local networks across eight designated regions within the United States. These regional co-leads will forge vital connections with practical support networks and doula/support collectives, strengthening the infrastructure of abortion access at the grassroots level.

Beyond network management, this role extends to providing essential technical assistance and resources to state-level initiatives. You will act as a conduit, linking storytellers to platforms, connecting youth activists to collaborative opportunities, and channeling resources to national and state partners to collectively advance youth access to abortion care. Furthermore, you will represent Advocates for Youth in relevant coalitions, ensuring youth perspectives are integrated and youth practical support networks are expanded within broader movements.

Key Responsibilities of the Abortion Care Network Program Manager

This multifaceted role encompasses a range of responsibilities designed to strategically advance youth abortion access and empower young leaders. Here’s a deeper look at the core duties:

Organizational Abortion Access Work

Strategic Network Expansion: Collaborate closely with the Abortion Access team to devise and implement strategies aimed at engaging, mobilizing, and expanding our network of young people and state partner organizations. This involves leading culture-shifting campaigns, developing practical support systems, and advocating for policy changes at the local, state, and federal levels to enhance youth abortion access.
Effective Project Management: Ensure meticulous time and task management in the planning and execution of abortion access strategies. This requires aligning all activities with organizational goals and adhering to established timelines, ensuring projects are delivered efficiently and effectively.
Collaborative Teamwork: Foster a collaborative and inclusive environment by working closely with team members and external stakeholders. This promotes shared ownership of advocacy initiatives, leveraging diverse expertise and perspectives to maximize impact.
Clear Communication: Maintain transparent, timely, and effective communication channels with both internal and external partners. This is crucial for advancing youth advocacy efforts, shifting cultural norms, and driving policy changes related to abortion access.
Youth-Centered Advocacy: Champion and prioritize the rights of young people, with a particular focus on BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth, in all coalition engagements, activities, and media interactions. This demands accountability in representation and messaging, ensuring the voices and needs of marginalized youth are centered in our work.

Youth Abortion Support Collective (YouthASC) Management

Network Coordination: Spearhead the coordination of the Youth Abortion Support Collective (YouthASC), a nationwide network of nearly 1,500 young individuals. This involves ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the program, fostering a thriving and engaged community.
Workshop Facilitation and Training: Co-lead workshops and facilitate training sessions in partnership with young people. These sessions focus on practical support methodologies, in-depth knowledge of abortion access, and culture shift strategies such as effective storytelling. Time management skills are essential to balance diverse training needs and ensure impactful learning experiences.
Onboarding Enhancement: Oversee and continuously refine the YouthASC onboarding process. This includes ensuring the timely, structured, and supportive integration of new members into the network, fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment from the outset.
Technical Assistance and Support: Provide ongoing technical assistance and connections to YouthASC members. This requires timely and accountable responsiveness to member needs, ensuring they have the resources and support necessary to effectively engage in abortion access advocacy.

Youth Abortion Support Collective (YouthASC) Regional Leads Management

Regional Lead Oversight: Manage a cohort of 16 regional leads representing 8 regions across the country. This involves championing abortion access by actively recruiting, carefully selecting, comprehensively training, diligently supervising, and providing continuous support to these key network members.
Meeting and Check-in Leadership: Lead monthly cohort meetings and conduct regular one-on-one check-ins with regional leads. This fosters an accountable and transparent environment, ensuring effective progress in members’ abortion access work and providing opportunities for individualized support and guidance.
Partnership Development Support: Support regional leads in building strong and effective partnerships with local practical support organizations. This includes ensuring timely follow-ups and consistent communication to cultivate and maintain collaborative relationships that strengthen regional abortion access networks.
Regional Action Plan Guidance: Guide each pair of co-leads in the development and implementation of a comprehensive regional action plan. This plan should strategically grow support for abortion access through practical support initiatives, with clear goals and deadlines to ensure accountability and measurable progress.
Annual Training Coordination: Lead the planning and coordination of an annual in-person Youth Abortion Support Collective co-leads training event. This involves meticulous logistical planning, fostering effective teamwork among organizers, and efficient time management to maximize the impact and value of the training for participants.

YouthASC Abortion Support & Full-Spectrum Doula Support Curriculum

Curriculum Development Support: Support the coordination and development of an annual multi-week YouthASC Abortion Support Training Series. This requires ensuring efficient workflow, adhering to clear timelines, and structuring content delivery in a way that is engaging, accessible, and impactful for participants.

Consultant Supervision

Consultant Management: In partnership with the Director of Abortion Access, manage the YouthASC Consultant. This includes setting clear expectations, ensuring accountability in deliverables, and maintaining effective communication to foster a productive and collaborative working relationship.

General Responsibilities

Time and Task Management: Demonstrate exceptional time and task management skills. This involves effectively prioritizing and efficiently executing responsibilities, consistently meeting all deadlines, and managing multiple projects concurrently.
Teamwork and Collaboration: Foster a strong culture of teamwork and collective ownership across all projects. This includes ensuring seamless collaboration with internal teams, external partners, and young leaders, promoting a shared sense of purpose and responsibility.
Effective Communication: Maintain effective and timely communication in all facets of the role. This requires clarity, responsiveness, and proactive engagement with all stakeholders, ensuring information is shared effectively and relationships are nurtured.
Accountability and Integrity: Exhibit unwavering accountability in project execution. This means ensuring all commitments, deliverables, and strategic initiatives are meticulously aligned with the organization’s overarching mission and goals, upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in all endeavors.
Adaptability and Flexibility: Perform other tasks as assigned while consistently maintaining a high level of professionalism, efficiency, and integrity. This requires adaptability and a willingness to contribute to the team’s success in diverse ways as needed.

Qualifications for Success

To excel in the role of Abortion Care Network Program Manager, candidates should possess a blend of relevant experience, skills, and personal attributes. Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

Relevant Experience: One to three years of experience in direct service and/or practical support, ideally within the realm of reproductive/sexual health and rights. Experience coordinating large groups of volunteers is highly valued, showcasing an ability to manage and motivate diverse teams.
Youth Engagement Expertise: Proven experience in building strong and trusting relationships with young people aged 14-24. This demonstrates an understanding of youth development principles and effective strategies for engaging young people in advocacy and leadership roles.
Abortion Access Knowledge: A demonstrated interest in and knowledge of abortion access and practical support efforts. This includes understanding the landscape of abortion access in the US, barriers to care, and innovative approaches to practical support.
Reproductive Justice Commitment: Cultural responsiveness and a deep commitment to the principles of reproductive justice. This encompasses understanding the intersectionality of reproductive rights with other social justice issues and a dedication to centering the experiences of marginalized communities.
Diversity and Inclusion Competency: Demonstrated capacity to work effectively and respectfully with diverse communities. This includes cultural humility, awareness of systemic inequities, and a commitment to creating inclusive and equitable spaces.
Teamwork and Collaboration Skills: Ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with peers and supervisors, contributing positively to a team environment. This highlights strong interpersonal skills, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to shared success.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience as an abortion doula/support person and/or birth or full-spectrum doula/support person (formal or informal).
Experience as an abortion storyteller, demonstrating comfort and skill in sharing personal narratives to advance advocacy goals.
Experience building or working with an abortion practical support network, showcasing practical knowledge of network development and management.
Experience developing, implementing, or evaluating youth-centered programs, indicating expertise in program design, implementation, and assessment.

Compensation and Logistics

This is a full-time position (32 hours per week, four-day work week) offering a competitive salary range of $60,000 to $65,000 per year, commensurate with experience. The comprehensive benefits package includes health and dental insurance, professional development funds, life and short- and long-term disability insurance, a 403(b) retirement plan, and a student loan paydown benefit, reflecting Advocates for Youth’s commitment to employee well-being and professional growth.

The start date for this exciting opportunity is May 16, 2025. While Advocates for Youth’s offices are based in Washington, DC, candidates in or near the Washington, DC metro area are strongly preferred. However, the position can be hybrid or fully remote, offering flexibility while requiring availability during Eastern Time Zone working hours. Some travel to Washington, DC, and other states will be necessary for key program activities and events.

Ready to Apply?

If you are a passionate advocate for youth abortion access and possess the skills and experience to excel as the Abortion Care Network Program Manager, we encourage you to apply! Please submit your application here by the deadline of March 11, 2025.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please refrain from telephone calls or email inquiries.

Advocates for Youth is an Equal Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act employer, and we strongly encourage people of color and LGBTQ people to apply. Join us in empowering young leaders and ensuring abortion access for all!