The Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance (API PA) is building long-term power for APIs in Pennsylvania. We coordinate political, electoral, and legislative work to hold our elected officials accountable, engage in culturally competent and linguistically accessible direct voter contact, and build solidarity with other aligned communities of color across the state. We are the first and only political organization directly advocating for the needs of Asians and Pacific Islanders in Pennsylvania and operate primarily in South Asian, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese communities in 15 different languages.
Since our founding in 2020, we have run the largest Asian American voter contact programs in the history of US elections introduced a groundbreaking community-driven API Policy Platform for PA, established Pennsylvania's first-ever pan-Asian organizer training program, and successfully elected community champions who represent us at every level of government throughout the Commonwealth.
The Organizing Director is a seasoned and inspiring leader who will work with and lead an organizing team, responsible for managing, coordinating, and implementing API PA’s base-building and electoral strategies to build power in and for Asian communities statewide in Pennsylvania with a particular emphasis on Southeastern PA and Central PA. The ideal candidate will be responsible for building relationships with Asian community leaders, managing organizing staff, understanding community priorities, and directing actions critical to advancing the cause of building Asian power in Pennsylvania. This is a hybrid role requiring the position to be 30% in office, while the remaining 70% may be done remotely. This role works alongside a results-driven senior leadership team and reports directly to the Executive Director.
The following responsibilities are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.
The Organizing Director’s primary charge is to build organizing capacity, community, and collaboration across API PA. They will coach and develop a team of passionate organizers, to strengthen API PA's organizing capacity and support the long-term objective of building a strong statewide base and movement in support of augmenting and strengthening Asian power.
Develop and maintain a strong team culture that centers individual accountability, fosters trust, and meets ambitious team goals focused on community and field organizing efforts.
Directs and coordinates a strong voter engagement effort, that includes voter registration, education, persuasion, and mobilization for Asian voters in PA, in tandem with building deep relationships and connections with non-API communities and voters, with converging interests.
Create systems and processes that support organizers to holistically integrate election cycle voter engagement work with year-round base-building, leadership development, and non-electoral programs that build API PA’s membership over time.
Coordinate and directly engage with local, state, and federal lobbying efforts to advance API PA’s policy priorities as needed.
Planning and implementing base building and issue organizing (as it relates to the organizers’ work plans.
Manage organizers who will manage volunteer-based voter contact activities targeting Asian voters in PA.
Recruit, plan, and participate in grassroots advocacy activities across PA, including supporter recruitment and member engagement.
Develop and implement campaigns to empower Asian communities in PA, and collaborate with community leaders and members.
Maintain a volunteer/member database (VAN/EveryAction) for tracking supporters, volunteers, and events. Utilize data to identify strategic engagement opportunities.
The Organizing Director will leverage their years of successes, learning, and networks to expand and scale the work of API PA in collaboration with the field, building a thriving community of trust to ensure leaders have the skills and resources they need to transform their communities.
Act as an organizational spokesperson for media, community forums, and social media and leverage digital communications into an integrated organizing strategy that connected with a broad swath of stakeholders.
Cultivate strategic and values-based alignment with external partner organizations, API PA, and political allies.
Represent the organization in multi-racial and multi-sector national political spaces, as needed
Assess and track national and regional political landscapes relevant to Asian American communities, identifying opportunities and needs.
The ideal candidate will be committed to API PA’s mission and vision and be excited about building the political power of Asian American leaders. While no one person will embody all of the qualities enumerated below, the ideal candidate at a Director level will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:
Strong knowledge and experience developing and implementing community, issue, or electoral organizing strategies within grassroots/movement building and electoral organizing contexts (typically developed after 4+ years of relevant experience, etc.).
Two years of management experience.
Ability to track/monitor/assess an issue campaign’s progress, troubleshooting and pivoting as needed, with a relentlessly solutions-oriented mindset.
Supervisory experience in organizing staff, setting goals, creating plans, and ensuring accountability.
Experience and comfort using tools like VAN (required) and outreach tools like Scale to Win, ThruText, Strive, or Hustle.
Effective skill in building strong relationships, centering trust and mutual respect with a broad range of constituents and stakeholders, especially across lines of race, ethnicity, gender, and other lines of identity and power.
Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to translate technical instructions into easy-to-follow language for non-technical audiences. You give and receive feedback well, see mistakes as learning opportunities, and have a growth mindset.
Demonstrated track record of working effectively in coalition settings, with a keen ability to forge consensus and political unity.
Proven track record of training, supporting, and developing a diverse team of staff or volunteers, with a deep motivation to help others learn and grow, walking with them side-by-side.
Lived experience that promotes knowledge of and sensitivity to the challenges vulnerable communities face including an appreciation for historical context, discernment of relationship nuances, power dynamics, and understanding of social, racial, and ethnic realities.
Strong track record of taking a concept from idea to implementation, effective project management, prioritizing various streams of work and competing demands, and creative problem-solving.
Access to a car.
API PA offers a competitive salary and benefits package that is commensurate with experience. This position is 40 hours a week. The estimated salary range for the position is $75,000-$85,000. This position is exempt. All full-time employees receive a generous benefits package, including accrued PTO, sick time, and 100% paid medical insurance premiums. Individuals residing outside the Greater Philadelphia Area may qualify for relocation reimbursement.
We offer a competitive health benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, limited reimbursable relocation to cover expenses for move to PA (if applicable), and a generous paid time off schedule.