---
title: 'Higher Ed Program Development Associate at WorldStrides'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/higher-ed-program-development-associate-worldstrides-united-states-gjywfmp6107x'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-30'
---

# Higher Ed Program Development Associate at WorldStrides

- **Company:** WorldStrides
- **Location:** United States
- **Compensation:** $48k
- **Posted:** 2026-10-22
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-30
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/world4822stri986des/jobs/5450336008

## Job description

Company Introduction

WorldStrides is the global leader in educational travel and experiential learning. The company was founded in 1967 to provide middle school travel programs to Washington, D.C. and has grown to provide a wide range of programs for more than half a million students annually to over 100 countries around the world. WorldStrides offers experiential learning programs in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service-learning, study abroad, and sports. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world – and themselves – in new ways.

Job Description:

As a Program Development Associate on the WorldStrides Higher Education team, you will play a critical role in expanding our reach by identifying and developing new partnerships. Your primary focus will be generating new accounts within education abroad offices, leveraging outbound calls, emails, virtual meetings, conferences, and on-campus visits to foster relationships and grow our global programming.

The ideal candidate will not only excel in sales and business development but also have hands-on project management experience, ensuring seamless execution from inception to implementation.

Responsibilities:

- Sales & Business Development:
- Proactively generate new business opportunities, meet and exceed annual sales targets, and drive revenue growth.
- Partner Engagement:
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with education abroad professionals to understand their program needs and provide tailored solutions.
- Pipeline and Program Management Expertise:
- Utilize prior experience in project management to guide partners through the program development process, from initial concept to successful execution. Apply consultative selling techniques to guide prospects from initial contact through program development and closure.
- CRM & Data Management:
- Maintain accurate records in WorldStrides' CRM to track leads, opportunities, and ongoing partner communications.
- Collaboration & Communication:
- Work cross-functionally with internal teams—including operations, academic support, and risk management—to ensure seamless program execution.

Qualifications:

- 3+ years of experience in inside sales and recruitment, preferably in higher education.
- Demonstrates strong attention to details
- Highly motivated self-starter with a strong work ethic and a passion for learning.
- Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, managing concurrent projects.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport quickly.
- Competency in Microsoft Office, Zoom, and CRM platforms.
- Highly organized with strong time management skills.
- Goal-oriented mindset, with a track record of exceeding targets.
- Ability to maintain professionalism in all interactions

Work Perks:

- Comprehensive health benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, accident, critical illness, disability insurance, FSA/HSA options with employer HSA contributions, and a generous 401(k) match.
- Generous paid time off including 11 paid company holidays, 25 PTO days the first year (prorated), 1 paid volunteer day, 4 mental health days, and bereavement
- Professional development support, including up to $5,250 annually for tuition reimbursement and up to $1,000 for certifications annually
- Opportunities for paid and discounted travel
- Flexible work schedule providing on-site, remote, and hybrid office opportunities
- Encouraged participation in a wide variety of Employee Resource Groups
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellness resources, including fitness centers at select locations
- Paid parental, caregiver, and disability leave
- Team Member Discount Program
- Engaging, collaborative, and fun work environment

The salary range listed for this position represents WorldStrides’ good-faith estimate of the base compensation for the role at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills and qualifications, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions. The range does not include other forms of compensation or benefits that may be offered as part of the total rewards package.

## Compensation Range

$48,000—$48,000 USD

WorldStrides, a global organization, is committed to educate and serve communities worldwide. Our commitment is fueled by the passion of our team members and partners to make experiential learning accessible, while also being socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible. Together, we accomplish this by investing in initiatives to promote inclusion, diversity, and sustainability.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, WorldStrides is committed to building a diverse workforce, supported by an environment that promotes inclusion and belonging. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

WorldStrides will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1, J-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire. Select seasonal roles may consider students on J-1 or F-1 visas.

## About WorldStrides

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: WorldStrides is the largest educational travel company in the United States, providing immersive travel experiences for K-12 and university students to learn beyond the classroom.
- **Entity Type**: Private (backed by Eurazeo; earlier investors include Metalmark Capital)
- **Headquarters**: Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- **Founded**: 1964
- **Founders**: Phil Wendel (social studies teacher)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Educational travel, experiential learning, student tourism, study abroad.
- **Target customers**: B2B (schools, educators, administrators) and B2C (students and parents). Primarily serves K-12 and higher education institutions.
- **Mission statement**: “Igniting a passion for lifelong learning, enabling learners to see beyond the classroom and to discover the world — and themselves — in new ways” [worldstrides.com/en-us/about](https://worldstrides.com/en-us/about).

## Products & Services
- **K-12 Teacher-Led Programs**: Customizable educational tours for classes, led by teachers, designed to bring curriculum to life.
- **K-12 Individual Student Programs**: Immersive career exploration, study abroad, and travel opportunities for students without a school group.
- **Higher Education Programs**: Faculty-led study abroad, service learning, internships, and research trips with transferable academic credit.
- **Heritage Festivals**: Performance-based travel experiences for music, dance, and theater groups.
- **Oxbridge Academic Programs**: Summer study programs at Oxford, Cambridge, and other prestigious institutions.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed (private company).
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of $125.1M (2025 estimate) – [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldstrides).
- **Total Funding**: $20.0M across 2 rounds (historically raised from Metalmark Capital and others).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Eurazeo (parent company), Metalmark Capital, partner universities worldwide.
- **Growth Signals**:
  - 1,364 employees (+19.7% YoY, +358 people) – [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldstrides).
  - Operations in 38 countries with on-the-ground support.
  - Over 10 million students served since 1964; 800,000+ students travel each year.
  - 48,589 LinkedIn followers (+61.4% YoY).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Scale & Experience**: 55+ years in educational travel, largest U.S. player with a vast global network.
- **Safety Infrastructure**: Extensive health & safety systems built over decades, critical for student travel.
- **Academic Rigor**: Programs tied to curriculum and transferable credit, trusted by educators.
- **Vertical Integration**: Owns the entire student journey from marketing to on-tour support.
- **Brand Trust**: Deep relationships with schools and administrators built over 55 years.

## Strategic Focus
- **Expanding Programs**: Continues to add individual student programs (career exploration, study abroad) and seasonal offerings (Oxbridge, Heritage Festivals).
- **Sustainability & Responsibility**: Committed to social, environmental, and ethical responsibility.
- **People First**: Investing in team member growth with tuition reimbursement, ERGs, and inclusive culture (from careers page).
- **Technology & Innovation**: Hiring in IT (Service Desk Analyst, Emergency Travel Coordinator) to modernize operations.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Purpose-driven, inclusive, and values-centered (“One Team, Elevated Standards,” “People and Communities First”). Employee resource groups (ERGs) foster community.
- **Work Environment**: Offices in Charlottesville, VA (HQ); Vienna, VA; Chicago, IL; Orlando, FL; Mérida, Mexico, and more. Hybrid/remote flexibility possible (not explicitly stated, but multiple office locations).
- **Perks & Benefits** (from [worldstrides.com/en-us/careers](https://worldstrides.com/en-us/careers)):
  - Generous PTO from day one.
  - Comprehensive medical, dental, prescription, vision insurance with HSA.
  - 401k with employer match.
  - 8 weeks paid parental leave for all new parents (including adoptive).
  - 4 paid mental health days per year.
  - Tuition reimbursement and certificate assistance.
  - Team member & family travel discounts on WorldStrides programs.
  - Discounts on car rentals, hotels, cruises via IATA membership.
  - Seasonal opportunities and internships for university students.
- **Growth & Learning**: Robust online learning library, specialized training, tuition reimbursement; “lifelong learners” ethos.

## Sources
1. [worldstrides.com/en-us/about](https://worldstrides.com/en-us/about) – Company story, mission, values, leadership.
2. [worldstrides.com/en-us/careers](https://worldstrides.com/en-us/careers) – Benefits, culture, hiring priorities.
3. [worldstrides.com/en-us](https://worldstrides.com/en-us) – Homepage overview and program highlights.
4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/world4822stri986des](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/world4822stri986des) – Current job openings and roles.
5. [linkedin.com/company/worldstrides](https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldstrides) – Company size, revenue, funding, employee growth.

## Other roles at WorldStrides

- [Seasonal Overnight Student Chaperone: New York Metro Area Spring 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/seasonal-overnight-student-chaperone-new-york-metro-area-spring-2027-0nan2cftq8e9) — New York, NY
- [Seasonal Overnight Student Chaperone: Brooklyn Spring 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/seasonal-overnight-student-chaperone-brooklyn-spring-2027-worldstrides-new-york-rap9jy5shqp1) — New York, NY
- [Honors Performance Series Chaperone - High School Domestic February 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/honors-performance-series-chaperone-high-school-domestic-february-2027-cr29kahq3tk5) — United States
- [Honors Performance Series Senior Chaperone - High School](https://feeny.ai/job/honors-performance-series-senior-chaperone-high-school-worldstrides-united-q4b1mrxzh0p3) — United States
- [Marketing Transformation Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/marketing-transformation-lead-worldstrides-vienna-enxpnq50edz2) — Vienna, VA
- [Quality and Performance Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/quality-and-performance-analyst-worldstrides-vienna-rf8z8vqhaccc) — Vienna, VA / Charlottesville, VA
- [Senior Copywriter](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-copywriter-worldstrides-united-states-5h10d6wpnnpf) — United States
- [Oxbridge 2027 Seasonal Employment (All Roles)](https://feeny.ai/job/oxbridge-2027-seasonal-employment-all-roles-worldstrides-el-prat-de-llobregat-s5egj8b2zqah) — El Prat de Llobregat, Spain / Cambridge, United Kingdom / Oxford, United Kingdom / Paris, France / United Kingdom / United States
- [Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/recruiter-worldstrides-vienna-r4tzfjf2svq2) — Vienna, VA / Charlottesville, VA / Austin, TX
- [Inside Sales Advisor](https://feeny.ai/job/inside-sales-advisor-worldstrides-merida-xqzyvtxdsg7s) — Merida, Mexico