Deputy Director

Position Summary

The Deputy Director of Stop AAPI Hate is a senior executive position that drives the Coalition’s mission, strategic priorities, and performance. The role provides direction, oversight, and guidance across all programs and communications, and ensures Coalition-wide alignment, integrated execution, and effective collaboration across staff, leadership, and partner organizations.

About Stop AAPI Hate

Stop AAPI Hate is a US-based coalition dedicated to fighting racism and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAs & PIs). We strive to advance the multiracial movement for equity and justice by raising awareness about anti-AAPI hate, working in solidarity with allied communities, and advocating for comprehensive solutions that tackle the root causes of race-based hate.

About Chinese for Affirmative Action

Chinese for Affirmative Action is one of the founding partners of Stop AAPI Hate and also serves as its fiscal sponsor. With a legacy of more than five decades of achievements in civil rights and community progress, CAA continues to be a leader in and on behalf of the broader Asian American community.

CAA was founded in 1969 to protect the civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States. Today, CAA is a progressive voice in and on behalf of the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander community. We advocate for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and remedies racial and social injustice. Learn more at www.caasf.org.

In 2014, CAA helped to launch the Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE) network that focuses on long-term movement building, capacity infrastructure, and leadership support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders committed to social justice. Including SAH, there are currently 11 partnering member groups. Fiscal sponsorship, administrative, and operational support is provided centrally.

Position Description

The Deputy Director of Stop AAPI Hate (SAH or the “Coalition”) serves as a senior executive leader responsible for driving the Coalition’s mission, strategic priorities, and performance. As a principal strategic and operational deputy, the role ensures Coalition-wide alignment, integrated execution, and effective collaboration across staff, leadership, and partner organizations.

The Deputy Director provides direction, oversight, and guidance across all Coalition programs, communications, and operations to ensure the Coalition’s work is resource-aligned, integrated, and impactful. The Deputy Director monitors the fast-changing external social and political landscape, as well as complex internal workstreams, to ensure strong planning and execution. In doing so, the Deputy Director identifies and adapts to emerging issues, elevates risks and opportunities, and drives timely, informed decision-making.

In partnership with other Coalition leaders and staff, the Deputy Director plays a critical role in strengthening the long-term sustainability of the Coalition by ensuring Coalition-wide effectiveness, operational infrastructure, and adaptive strategy. The Deputy Director also fosters a strong, values-driven work culture grounded in collaboration, accountability, and shared ownership across teams and partners.

The Deputy Director works closely with the leadership of the Coalition founding operational partners - Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and Asian American and Pacific Islander Equity Alliance (AAPIEA) - to ensure strategic alignment, clear communication, and coordination implementation. In addition, the Deputy Director works with the capacity team at Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE), which provides fiscal sponsorship, financial management, HR, IT, and other operational support to the Coalition.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Direction & Leadership

• Lead the Coalition’s annual and multi-year strategic planning processes, translating high-level vision from Coalition Co-Directors into aligned, actionable, adaptive, and fully resourced Coalition roadmaps
• Drive the development and execution of Coalition-wide plans in close partnership with Coalition leadership and staff
• Identify, shape, and advance new strategic initiatives in response to emerging needs, risks, and opportunities
• Represent the Coalition in high-level external stakeholder and partner engagements.
• Anticipate and address complex programmatic, coalition, and operational challenges across workstreams, ensuring alignment and effective execution

Leadership Alignment and Advisory Support

• Serve as the principal strategic Deputy to the Coalition Co-Directors, ensuring internal priorities are sequenced and executed effectively while enabling the Coalition Co-Directors to concentrate on the Coalition’s most consequential strategic, political, and external leadership responsibilities
• Drive Coalition-wide alignment, disciplined decision-making, and coordinated execution across Coalition leadership and staff, including shaping agendas, synthesizing complex discussions, clarifying decisions, and ensuring accountability for follow-through
• Anticipate inflection points and emerging risks, preparing the Coalition Co-Directors with clear analysis, strategic options, and actionable recommendations
• Provide steady leadership through ambiguity and rapidly evolving dynamics, maintaining Coalition-wide clarity, cohesion, and forward momentum
• Serve as the senior coordinating lead across Coalition leadership, staff, and operational partners to ensure coherence, alignment, and sustained impact

Operations & Governance

• Partner with executive leadership and oversee the Coalition’s portfolio of work, ensuring cross-functional alignment, prioritization, and effective execution
• Design, strengthen, and operationalize Coalition systems, workflows, and governance structures that interface with the Coalition’s operational partners
• Provide executive oversight of budget development and financial management in partnership with the AACRE Finance team
• Partner with Coalition leadership on high-stakes decisions affecting strategic direction, Coalition culture, and long-term operational sustainability
• Shape and inform personnel strategies and management policies to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with Coalition priorities and values
• Provide executive oversight of vendors and contractors as needed, including scope development, contract management, performance monitoring, budget oversight, and quality assurance to ensure timely, high-quality deliverables aligned with Coalition standards
• Oversee internal communications and core operational systems in partnership with AACRE administration to ensure clarity, coordination, and effectiveness at scale
• Advise executive leadership on operational best practices and oversee the implementation of systems and process improvements to strengthen infrastructure and standard operating procedures

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Contribute to and help drive the development and implementation of fundraising strategies that advance the Coalition’s strategic priorities and long-term sustainability
• Partner in the identification, cultivation, and stewardship of institutional funders and strategic funding partnerships, strengthening the Coalition’s philanthropic relationships and resource base
• Provide strategic oversight and guidance on institutional funding proposals, reports, and related development efforts to ensure alignment, clarity, and impact

Program Leadership and Oversight

• Maintain a Coalition-wide, long-term strategic view of programs and priorities, ensuring alignment, coherence, and continuous improvement across all areas of work while safeguarding the integrity, credibility, and impact of the Coalition’s platform
• Partner closely with Coalition leadership, staff, and cross-functional teams to drive disciplined execution of Coalition priorities and ensure deep integration across data and research, community care, policy advocacy, communications, and digital strategy
• Provide executive-level oversight of the Coalition’s communications and digital strategy, ensuring alignment with Coalition priorities, narrative power strategy, policy and advocacy objectives, public positioning, research releases, and rapid-response needs in a dynamic and politically complex external environment
• Strengthen strategic planning and performance management across program areas by identifying resource gaps, capacity needs, and operational risks, and informing resourcing and investment decisions that support both immediate impact and long-term sustainability
• Ensure that programmatic strategy, policy and advocacy priorities, communications amplification, and operational capacity are aligned to maximize reach, influence, and outcomes at scale

Staff Supervision and Cross-Functional Management

• Lead Coalition change management efforts, maintaining staff morale and a resilient, values-driven culture including through periods of rapid evolution in partnership with AACRE HR & People Support and AAPIEA Operations
• Supervise the Director of Communications, the Digital Director, the Director of Data & Research, and lead other senior-level staff, providing both direct supervision and indirect oversight of broader cross-functional teams
• Address escalated issues, facilitate clear communication and collaboration among team members, and coordinate with AACRE HR & People Support or AAPIEA Operations and other supervisors to ensure alignment across teams
• Ensure supervisory practices align with employer policies and procedures, provide developmental and corrective feedback, and implement AACRE guidelines for progressive discipline when necessary
• Oversee team member development plans, provide ongoing feedback, and conduct regular performance evaluations
• Support team members in meeting objectives, building skills, and fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability
• Build a high-performing team aligned with Coalition goals, and play an active role in attracting, retaining, and developing staff.

Other Duties

• Perform administrative duties as required for the position
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the overall mission of SAH, CAA, and AACRE
• Contribute to a positive work environment in alignment with SAH, CAA, and the AACRE network’s values

Other Details

Reports to: SAH Coalition Co-Director

Position Type: Full-time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Hybrid (San Francisco or Los Angeles, CA) or Remote (Pacific Time business hours)

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated commitment to the Coalition’s mission
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• 10+ years of progressive leadership in social justice organizations, including at least 5 years in a senior management role within a complex, multi-entity environment
• Proven track record of managing organizational growth and scaling operations in a social justice or coalition context
• Proven ability to lead complex, multi-partner structures
• Experience developing and implementing community-centered, high-impact programs
• Demonstrated leadership on civil rights issues affecting AAPI communities
• Experience in supervising and developing staff from diverse backgrounds
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Proficiency with Google Workspace, Asana, Slack, social media platforms, and the ability to learn new software, applications, and databases effectively
• Demonstrated lived experience and meaningful connection to Asian American and Pacific Islander American communities, with the ability to apply an anti-racist, culturally humble lens to effectively navigate diverse community dynamics

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working with major donors and institutional funders
• Experience with rapid response and crisis response
• Experience working with or for 501(c)(4) organizations

To Apply

Apply at https://bit.ly/SAHDeputyDir by submitting an application, and uploading the following:

• Cover Letter (detail relevant experience and interest in the position and the Coalition)
• Resume/CV
• Writing sample

Stop AAPI Hate is fiscally sponsored by Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE). Staff hired by Stop AAPI Hate will be employees of AACRE.

AACRE is dedicated to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment where everyone is valued and discrimination has no place. We are committed to serving the rich diversity of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and strongly encourage women, trans and gender expansive individuals, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those living with disabilities to apply.

AACRE is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We consider all qualified candidates for employment regardless of age, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, arrests or conviction records, or veteran status.

Please visit https://stopaapihate.org for more information.

We are committed to supporting our employees to thrive in service of our mission by providing generous benefits, which include 100% health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employee coverage and 65% for dependent coverage; employer-funded health reimbursement account; paid time off; and professional development stipend.