Program Associate

West Virginia Program Associate (Full-Time)

Location: Wheeling, West Virginia

Civics Unplugged is seeking a full-time West Virginia Program Associate to help develop and implement brand new community-building events and projects across West Virginia during the Summer of 2026 through our new project – CU Commons.

Civics Unplugged (CU) is a nonprofit organization giving Americans the spaces and resources they need to connect deeply with their neighbors and create local change through civic innovation. With CU, participants get to unplug from the traditional view of civics and become a civic innovator – someone who sees any problem affecting their community as a civic issue and uses new tools and approaches to break out of old patterns to build a better future.

CU Commons will include community events like social convenings, learning events, and clubs. New programs will have a special emphasis on shaping conversations and learning about emergent technologies – meaning technologies that are new and anticipated to change the way we work, play, and live. At CU, we believe topics such as AI, tech safety, and digital well-being are integral to our civic life, and CU Commons will serve as a space for social convenings and learning events about these issues.

The West Virginia Program Associate role is integral to developing the strategy and implementation of this space and these events in the Northern Panhandle (Wheeling/Moundsville), Eastern Panhandle (Shepherdstown), and Southern West Virginia (Huntington).

The West Virginia Program Associate will:

• Work directly with high school-aged interns, community partners, and the WV State Director to co-create and execute in-person programming
• Facilitate in-person programming such as special events, club meet-ups, and community gatherings
• Collaborate directly with the State Director to manage a physical community space in Wheeling, WV
• Manage data collection, including programming feedback and contact information from CU Commons participants
• Capture content at community events and convenings for social media and newsletters
• Promote CU Commons programs and conduct outreach in Wheeling and the Greater Ohio Valley
• Initiate new, local partnerships to increase CU’s reach and strengthen our community ties

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about strengthening communities, sparking civic innovation, and catalyzing social connection
• Curious about new technologies, tech’s impact on social and civic life, and the role humans can play in making tech work for us
• A self-starter and creative thinker who sees challenges as opportunities and enjoys problem-solving
• Experienced in, or interested in gaining experience, working with youth (teaching, camp counseling, peer mentoring, etc. a bonus, but not a requirement!)
• A strong communicator who wants to develop facilitation skills and engage with their neighbors
• Familiar with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.)
• Adaptable and independent – we’re experimenting with something new, and we’re looking for an Associate with a builder/founder mindset

This role is designed as an early-career opportunity for recent high school graduates, college students, or recent college graduates.

How To Apply:

Interested applicants should email a resume and cover letter to CU’s West Virginia State Director, Hilary Kinney at hilary@civicsunplugged.org. The resume or cover letter should highlight the applicant’s interest in CU and our mission, community connection(s) in WV, and an experience solving a problem through an innovative approach.

Questions? Please contact Hilary Kinney at hilary@civicsunplugged.org.