Communications Manager

Chinese Progressive Association

Full-time Communications Manager

About the Organization

Founded in 1972, the Chinese Progressive Association educates, organizes and empowers the low income and working class immigrant Chinese community in San Francisco to build collective power with other oppressed communities to demand better living and working conditions and justice for all people. This position is shared with our sister organization CPA Action Fund, a separate 501(c)4.

Position Overview

At CPA, we believe in shaping our external narrative landscape and centering our people’s stories and voices as a strategy to make change. With decades of experience in direct organizing and advocacy work, CPA is entering the next phase of our communications work to strategize, build infrastructure and develop campaigns to win narrative power. The Communications Manager reports directly to the Political Director to develop and implement CPA’s narrative and digital strategies, advancing CPA’s mission and effectively building power to CPA’s core audiences.

You Are: A strategic storyteller with 3-5 years of experience in developing communications campaign strategies that amplify community voices and build collective power. You bring strong team management and project management skills, with experience engaging both English and Chinese media. A deep commitment to advancing social change and fighting for justice and equity for all people is a must.

Responsibilities

Communications Planning and Implementation

Lead development and implementation of long-term and short term strategies to advance CPA and partners’ impact in the issue environment, with a particular focus on racial justice, cross-racial solidarity, and addressing racial wedge issues.

• Develop narrative strategy and messages to build support for progressive issues and advance CPA’s civic engagement goals (related to but not limited to ballot measures, integrated voter engagement, etc.)
• Oversee and implement CPA’s paid media strategy, including print, tv, and digital ad buys, and earned media strategy, such as issuing media advisories and press releases, pitching and follow-ups with media outlets.
• Coordinate and create materials for campaigns or rapid response communications as needed
• Monitor English and Chinese media and assess narrative; build relationships with Chinese ethnic media reporters and stakeholders;
• Train and develop organizational spokespeople, including staff and grassroots leaders , including English and Chinese media
• Track and monitor issue environment; evaluate impact of our narrative interventions via quarterly or semi-annual report on landscape and impact

Communications and Digital Organizing Infrastructure

Lead the development and maintenance of communications and digital organizing infrastructure, including branding, lists and social media channels, and content management.

• Manage development of CPA’s digital organizing strategy, including brand identity, building CPA’s lists, and creating opportunities for supporters to take action
• Manage the development, distribution, and maintenance of digital materials, including but not limited to campaign literature, voter guides, reports, ads, social media, and websites.
• Maintain social media channels and create digital content that engages the community and leads to measurable action.

Team Coordination

Lead, develop and align communications team to carry out impactful communications and narrative strategy that advances CPA organizing goals in English and Chinese language media.

• Coordinate biweekly team meetings, as well as rapid response meetings and decision-making processes.
• Support team lead in identifying team development opportunities (in-service, external training, etc.)
• Oversee development and implementation of communications-related organizational protocols (ex. social media protocols, cross-team coordination, media releases, etc.)
• Supervise Communications Coordinator and other team members as needed

Project Management

Support and develop the Chinese Narrative Hub (a joint-project between CPA and Center for Empowered Politics Education Fund) by creating the infrastructure and facilitating processes to advance narrative and movement-building goals.

• Facilitate work and project planning processes
• Coordinate stakeholders, which includes media outlets, allies and sometimes members of our organizations
• Manage and design editorial calendar as part of our overall strategy

Required Qualifications:

• 3-5 years experience in using comprehensive communications strategy to advance a campaign or organization’s mission and goals
• Commitment to social and economic justice and lifting up grassroots voice
• Experience in working with English and Chinese media outlets
• Effective project management and facilitation skills
• Excellent listening, verbal, and writing communication skills
• Experience in designing effective visuals for digital media
• Google Suite proficiency required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual in Cantonese or Mandarin
• Experience working with working-class Chinese immigrants and/or other BIPOC communities and knowledge of issues affecting working-class immigrants in San Francisco
• Experience in team management and supervision
• Biliterate in Chinese

Expected Hours of Work: 40 hrs/week, with possible evenings and weekends

Work Environment / Physical Demands:

• This position will work out of CPA’s office in San Francisco Chinatown. Currently, CPA has a hybrid work schedule, 3 days in-person / 2 days work from home.
• Able to work on a computer, including sitting at a desk, for extended periods of time with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Manual dexterity to operate a keyboard.
• Able to see or read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids
• Able to speak clearly and in audible tones on the phone and in-person and be understood by others.
• Able to hear and understand speech, including on the telephone.
• Able to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Able to occasionally lift objects weighing up to 10 pounds.

Travel: may require travel between SF office and East Bay meeting locations, and occasional travel for retreats or convenings.

Compensation

This is an exempt position. The salary range is $70,000 -$90,000 per year depending on experience. This is an exempt position. We offer a competitive health benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, and a generous paid time off schedule.

How to Apply

Submit resume, cover letter, a writing sample and 3 references through the following link: https://bit.ly/CPA_CommsManager - Applications will be reviewed as received.

Please note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. This document provides no contract of employment.

Chinese Progressive Association contracts with Resilient Strategies LLC for backend and operational support including hiring and employment. Resilient Strategies is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Folks who are queer, trans, non-binary, Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, parents, are/have been system-impacted, are immigrants, and anyone who has experienced systemic oppression and/or gender-based violence are encouraged to apply. Pursuant of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual in Cantonese or Mandarin
• Experience working with working-class Chinese immigrants and/or other BIPOC communities and knowledge of issues affecting working-class immigrants in San Francisco
• Biliterate in Chinese