Position: Program Coordinator, Take Action Lab: Environment & Sustainability

Location: Tilting Futures is seeking a Program Coordinator for Take Action Lab: Environment & Sustainability in Penang, Malaysia. For this role, we are only accepting applicants with significant lived experience and legal authorization to live and work in Malaysia.

Start Date: The ideal start date is 15 May, 2026

Compensation: The compensation for this contract role is RM5000-7750 per month. This range reflects the full compensation, as contractors are responsible for managing their own taxes, benefits, and other related expenses. We value transparency and are happy to discuss further details with candidates during the application process.

Application process: This is an outline of our typical hiring process. Depending on the needs of the role, the individual stages may change. Only qualified applicants will be advanced at each stage.

1. Submit an application: it will be reviewed by real humans, not bots! 
2. Screening interview: a quick “get to know you” call
3. Candidate exercise: a chance for us to learn more about you and for you to understand some of the expectations of the role
4. Hiring manager interview: you’ll chat about your exercise and meet this role’s supervisor.
5. VP, Programs Interview: we are a small organization and our leadership is deeply invested in making sure we hire the right folks for each role.

We highly recommend reviewing our careers page for the most detailed information on our hiring process & philosophy, and to learn more about what it’s like to work at Tilting Futures.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will you sponsor a Malaysian work visa application?

We are unable to sponsor a Malaysian visa application. All applicants must already be legally able to live and work full-time in Penang, Malaysia.

Will I have to travel to the United States in this role?

You may be asked to travel to the United States 1 time per year, for 1-2 weeks per visit, to attend staff-specific retreats or training seminars. In these cases, we will support your application for an American B-type visitor visa should you not have one already.

Do you have an office in Penang?

Yes, our office is located in Gelugor.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

As part of the team in Penang, the Program Coordinator helps bring to life the Take Action Lab program for our students. They will play a key role in creating a positive student experience by facilitating curricular and extracurricular activities, supporting student wellbeing and learning, and leading administrative tasks for student onboarding, program management and record keeping. A mostly student-facing position, the Program Coordinator will play a central role in creating a unique, cultural immersion experience for our students. 

We are looking for someone who is energized and enthusiastic about youth leadership development, builds relationships, and can navigate dynamic, new environments.

This role reports to the Take Action Lab Program Manager, Malaysia and works closely with the Program Operations Coordinator, and two other Program Coordinators in the Take Action Lab team. They must be based in Penang, Malaysia.

YOUR OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPACT

Co-create the Take Action Lab experience: Design and facilitate a unique immersion experience anchored in our principles of experiential learning

• Support the design of transformative experiential learning activities in line with TAL’s theme and curriculum goals
• Participate in building TAL’s training modules & ensure students’ adoption
• Guide and facilitate group learning activities around the Penang area 
• Prepare and execute an orientation and re-entry program for participants
• Prepare and maintain orientation and onboarding materials

Support the wellbeing and development of inspiring young leaders: Work directly with the students to guide and facilitate their immersion learning experience in Penang

• Support community engagement strategy and activities during the virtual and immersive segments of the program; Foster a safe and productive learning environment; Guide the cohort community-building experience 
• Act as a mentor and cultural broker for the students during the pre-departure and immersion experience; maintain regular check-ins with a sub-cohort of students
• Support students’ wellbeing as part of the team responding to behavioral, health, and safety incidents
• Monitor student engagement and surface issues for problem-solving

Build local partnerships: Develop good working relationships with program partners

• Liaise with local partners to ensure logistics run smoothly
• Support the delivery of partner training, monitoring and evaluation
• Identify and liaise with local partners and activities that can contribute to students’ learning objectives
• Facilitate program closing events with local partners; Celebrate and acknowledge partner contributions to the program and the students’ experience

Keep program stakeholders organized and informed: Support administrative tasks for student onboarding and offboarding and regular reporting

• Act as students’ first point of contact and support during their pre-departure preparation and throughout their immersion; Support student and family communications strategy throughout the program, including but not limited to responding to inquiries, drafting and editing resources, managing online community engagement platforms 
• Support the maintenance of systems for organizing local activities and students’ information
• Analyze data to track depth of student engagement, spot patterns, and surface learnings
• Manage materials and logistics for program events, in collaboration with the team and local partners

WHO WILL THRIVE IN THIS ROLE

We are looking for more than just hard skills; we want teammates who will add value to our organizational culture by bringing these mindsets to their work:

• Connected to our mission: Something in your own life experience drives your passion for Tilting Futures’ mission and vision.
• Information seeker: You investigate thoroughly to get relevant information.
• Detail oriented: You show rigorous and meticulous attention to detail.
• Empathetic: You identify with the feelings, ideas and attitudes of others.
• Personable: You have a friendly, approachable and outgoing style.
• Adaptable: You adjust easily to new or changing circumstances.
• Team Player: You work well within diverse groups to achieve common goals.  
• Student-Oriented: You are attentive and responsive to student needs.
• Initiative: You act proactively to achieve results.
• Resourceful: You find alternative solutions to overcome problems or limitations.

The following skills are required:

• Experience facilitating and designing learning experiences for youth (aged 17-21)
• Experience facilitating one-on-one and group reflection and discussion with youth in support of learning and development objectives
• Experience working or living with people from different cultural backgrounds
• Familiar with Penang’s social impact and environment sector
• Legally able to live and work in Malaysia full time
• Comfortable using and learning new technology; Enjoy finding new ways to use technology for greater impact
• Effective communicator: written, verbal and Google slide presentations
• All routine immunizations and vaccinations, including COVID-19, must be complete and up to date according to WHO guidelines

Bonus points if have/are:

• Basic First Aid Training
• Proficiency with Airtable, Slate, MS Office, Google Suite
• Bilingual or multilingual familiarity with any of the languages spoken by Penang’s diverse cultural communities
• A US Visa (for occasional travel to the USA)

YOUR LEGACY

Bring your youth development experience and knowledge of Penang and Malaysia to make your mark on a one-of-a-kind youth learning program for a global cohort of curious and inspired students. 

DAY IN THE LIFE

Day-to-day activities will depend on the stage in the program cycle: planning season & immersion experience.

Planning season: This stage includes monitoring and tracking students’ pre-departure tasks (e.g. visa applications, travel plans, health and safety forms, housing & apprenticeship placements). In addition, you will support the development of in-person learning activities that support the curriculum competencies and learning outcomes; deliver training for local partners; prepare orientation materials and resources for students’ onboarding to the program. 

Immersion experience: this is the most dynamic stage of the cycle consisting of a 12-week student immersion in Penang. Day-to-day activities will include: liaising with the local operational partner to organize logistical support; leading reflection/learning activities for students; supporting health, safety and behavioral incidents; planning and executing activities that build community and a sense of belonging to Tilting Futures.