Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP)

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Communications Manager

Position: Communications Manager, Full-Time Exempt

Salary: $55,000 – $64,000 based on experience

Location: On-site

Reports to: Associate Director

Benefits: Employee only health, dental, vision, PTO, STD, LTD, HSA, Life Insurance, Retirement plan, annual bonuses, organization breaks, paid holidays and professional development funds. 

Organization Summary Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP) is a non-partisan organization led by and for young Asian Minnesotans in the Twin Cities. Through our grassroots organizing efforts and programming, we aim to develop young Asian community leaders to resist oppression and co-create a more just future for their families, schools, communities, and cities. 

Who are we looking for? The ideal Communications Manager is a creative, socially conscious, and community-driven individual with strong relationship-building skills to influence systems change. The Communications Manager should be organized, self-motivated, and an effective communicator, managing multiple tasks and collaborating across teams. Strong writing skills, particularly in storytelling, are essential for communicating the organization’s impact through multiple communication channels, reports and evaluations. The role focuses on leading internal and external communications, with an emphasis on branding, marketing, and maintaining alignment with organizational values. Additional qualifications include proficiency in multimedia software, experience in diversity and equity initiatives, program management, community engagement, and public speaking. The candidate should be skilled in project management, able to work independently, and committed to social and racial justice. Flexibility for occasional travel and a valid driver’s license are required.

Position Summary The  Communications Manager position is to manage and implement AAOP’s communications and digital plan and overall platforms. Pay equity is the principle of providing equal compensation to employees who perform comparable work, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics. It ensures that compensation is based on job responsibilities and performance, without bias or discrimination.  Economic Justice creates opportunities for all to succeed regardless of sex, race, age, disability, color, creed, national origin, religion, or genetic information. The Communications Manager is responsible for crafting messaging and storytelling to promote the organization’s mission/vision, projects, and campaigns. This position works closely with the organization’s team of Directors to lead and implement the organization’s annual outreach and communications strategy, digital engagement, and field organizing plan.  In addition, lead, train and coordinate and provide communications and work direction to staff in alignment to the communications, digital, and field plan. The  Communications Manager is a key leader within and outside of AAOP to streamline communications externally and internally to inform and engage with key leaders, decision makers, and supporters to achieve annual organizational objectives (including earned media, local radio and news and ethnic media relations).   

Salary and Benefits AAOP has a tiered pay scale ranging from hourly to salary positions that are based on Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) every other year, and equity and economic justice. This salaried position currently ranges from $55,000 – $64,000 per year with an annual raise between 1% to 3% based on annual reviews and budget. This position is a 40 hours/week full-time, in-person, exempt position, including some evenings and weekends. Benefits include: annual 80 PTO hours lump sum, 10 paid holidays per year, AAOP Organizational paid breaks: 2 days for Spring, 2 days for Fall, and 8 days for Winter Break, annual bonuses, annual $400 Professional Development, Employee Only Health, HSA, Dental and Vision – 80% Employer and 20% Employee, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance and Simple IRA Retirement Plan.

Please submit a resume along with a brief cover letter highlighting experience with the following qualifications to jobs@aaopmn.org. Applications are reviewed and interviews are scheduled on a rolling basis until the position is filled.  Please include the following questions in your cover letter to help inform us of your understanding and experiences: 

  1. Please share how your lived experiences inform your approach to navigating and building with our base of low-income refugee/immigrant Asian Minnesotans? And/or what is the importance of providing social justice education and advocacy leadership to our Asian youth communities?
  2. What unique skills are you bringing into AAOP regarding this position and its responsibilities? 

Essential duties and responsibilities:

  • Communications and Digital Projects Develop and implement communications and digital multi-strategies to reach internal and external audiences, and public relations; and maintain online platforms, listserv, and inquiries from subscribers, supporters, and external parties. Lead communications and digital meetings, logistics, scheduling, and create and maintain records, reports, presentations, and proposals; importantly, keep all members of the team up-to-date on communications priorities and concerns of the month, as necessary. Coordinate and develop (write, edit, and produce) stories, content, and messaging to promote organization initiatives and objectives, and programming goals to reach intended audiences. Identify and maintain accurate, factual, and credible sources of information and point of contacts; and ensure best practices that support our use and communication efforts to address mis/dis-information. Create communications and digital best practice and engagement presentations, summaries, and materials to ensure organization-wide understanding of AAOP’s communications and digital messaging and engagements. Ensures all promotional materials comply with the organization’s non-partisan compliance, standards, policies, and strategies. Support growth and development of AAOP’s communications and digital plans and presence. Other duties as assigned.
  • Marketing Maintain style guidelines across all media; edit and proof documents and publications for accuracy, style and content consistency. 
  • Project Management Support Directors and Managers in planning annual organizational outreach and communications objectives, and monitor implementation of the organization’s communications’ policies and practices. 
  • Data Evaluation Managing and tracking organizational tools and communication platforms.  Track and provide analytics for website and social media network sites that can inform our digital engagement, messaging, and approaches; additionally, work with the Director of Organizing and Advocacy to consult, analyze and recommend effectiveness messagings in our organizational and field efforts.
  • Outreach and Community Engagement: Identify and develop multi-strategic opportunities to cultivate and engage communications and digital strategies that amplify our organizational goals, field organizing, and campaign objectives, including earned media and media relations. Monitor and engage with community members and partners on AAOP’s social media, responding to inquiries and participating in discussions related to social movements and relevant online communities. Streamline external inquiries to programming staff and perform other duties as assigned.
  • Coalition-Building: Maintain relationships and conduct targeted one-on-one meetings related to communications and digital initiatives with coalition members, community leaders, decision makers, and media contacts. Support and lead assigned coalition efforts and committees, ensuring that AAOP’s story, strategy, efforts, and impacts are aligned and effectively communicated. Coordinate with organizing staff to prioritize and attend key coalition events such as rallies, public comments, hearings, and celebrations, gathering relevant information to share with stakeholders. Identify and develop multi-strategic opportunities to cultivate partnerships and coordinate communications and digital strategies that enhance our organizational goals and campaign objectives, including earned media and media relations.

Must and Nice haves for the position 

  • Communications & Storytelling: Proficiency in writing, storytelling, grammar, editing, and maintaining a consistent voice for organizational communications.
  • Graphic Design & Multimedia: Strong understanding of graphic design, photography principles, videography, and experience with multimedia software (e.g., desktop publishing, video creation).
  • Software Proficiency: Experience with Google Suite, databases (e.g., Action Network, Voter Activation Network), spreadsheets, and presentation tools.
  • Leadership & Teamwork: Experience supporting senior staff, guiding team members, and leading diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
  • Community Engagement: Skilled in working with youth, diverse communities, and nonprofit organizations. Demonstrated ability in community engagement, visual arts, and digital media.
  • Program Management: Capable of implementing, managing, and evaluating programs through an intersectional and equity-focused lens.
  • Public Speaking & Facilitation: Strong interpersonal, team-building, problem-solving, and facilitation skills, including public speaking.
  • Organizational Skills: Excellent organizational, time management, and communication skills, with the ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work independently.

Organizational Culture In a transformative and emerging organization, AAOP believes that the overall strategies should be owned by every single person in AAOP.  As such, it is the responsibility of all staff to understand the overall mission, vision and direction the organization is moving towards.  One must be accountable to their own work and responsibilities, while supporting and coaching each other to produce high impactful and innovative strategies for the overall success of the organization.  This means taking ownership of the organization as a whole.  Which means that 10% of your role may include stepping up, taking charge, rolling up your sleeves and supporting each other in functions and activities such as special events, special projects, program design and implementation, fundraising, grant writing, community support, board and funders meeting, office support, and other minor duties as assigned. 

While it is the responsibility of each member to meet their work expectation, it is also critical to maintain a balanced work-life culture.  AAOP believes that when we all work to support each other in the overall mission and vision of the organization, we all succeed.  This will help AAOP create a work culture that is inclusive, free of bias, socially and culturally conscious and equitable. 

Background Checks: As AAOP works closely with young people, we are committed to ensuring a safe and secure environment for all. Therefore, only candidates who are offered a position will undergo a comprehensive background check. This process may include reviewing criminal history, verifying employment, and consulting relevant professional or personal references. The results of these checks will be thoughtfully evaluated to determine a candidate’s suitability for working with our youth population. It is important to note that having a record does not automatically disqualify a candidate; each situation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Our priority is the safety and well-being of our community members, and we take all necessary precautions in our hiring process to uphold this commitment.

AAOP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, status on public assistance, and marital status. We strongly encourage individuals who identify as or businesses led by Asian & Pacific Islanders, Black, indigenous, people of color, disabled, queer, trans and women to submit a proposal. AAOP is unable to provide VISA sponsorship at this time.