Program Director

AAAIM Mission

The Association of Asian American Investment Managers (AAAIM) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating AAPI investment management professionals by opening access to opportunities, increasing representation in leadership, and championing the next generation.

AAAIM works to expand access and opportunity for traditionally underrepresented investment managers through research and education, uplift future generations of investment leaders through mentorship, and create a supportive ecosystem of investment managers and allocators focused on excellence in the investment industry.

Why This Role Matters

Investment management remains one of the least diverse corners of finance, and the gap is especially stark at the top.

AAAIM closes that gap by meeting people at two critical inflection points: the transition from college into the industry, through the AAAIM Accelerate Program, and the transition from junior professional into leadership, through the Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI). AAAIM’s model pairs relationship-driven mentorship with real access to resources and professional networks, tailored to where each participant is in their journey.

The Program Director is responsible for managing each critical point of AAAIM’s Accelerate Program and Emerging Leaders Initiative beginning from the first application review to the alumni check-in years later. This means ensuring the Accelerate Externship and ELI Program delivers a consistent, high-quality experience for applicants and participants at every stage: a thoughtful interview and selection process, a meaningful curriculum, real access to industry leaders, and critical feedback along the way. It also means carrying that momentum forward through mentorship, sponsor relationships, and alumni engagement that keep participants connected long after the program ends, so the network they build continues well into their careers. Done well, the result is more than a door opening: it ensures that AAAIM's program participants build critical relationships, confidence, and a strong track record they need to walk through that door and go on to succeed, lead in excellence, contribute meaningfully back to the AAAIM community.

Position Summary

AAAIM is seeking an experienced, mission-driven Program Director to lead the strategy, design, and execution of the organization’s two flagship talent-development programs, AAAIM Accelerate and the Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI), with the vision to keep building the pipeline that connects AAPI students, early-career professionals, and senior investment leaders across the country.

This role owns program strategy and operations: curriculum design, partner engagement, participant recruitment, budget management, and outcomes measurement. Working closely with AAAIM’s leaders, sponsors, and partners, this person ensures the programming delivers real value to its participants and sponsors before, during, and after each engagement.

The ideal candidate brings strong program management instincts paired with genuine passion for diversity, equity, and access in the investment industry. They are equally comfortable managing logistics for a multi-day virtual and in-person externship as they are building relationships with managing directors at top investment firms. They bring real enthusiasm for building pipelines that turn promising students and mid-career professionals into AAPI investment leaders.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership: AAAIM Accelerate

• Lead planning and execution of the annual Accelerate externship, an intensive hybrid program combining virtual sessions with an in-person New York City experience: curriculum delivery, industry exposure, mentorship, and networking with 50+ industry professionals, with a strong focus on first-generation students, students from non-target schools, and students receiving financial aid
• Manage the full student applicant and participant lifecycle, from application review and selection through onboarding, curriculum delivery, mentorship matching, and post-program follow-up, adapting programming to each cohort’s academic stage, background, and goals
• Recruit and coordinate partner firms to host firm visits, provide speakers, sponsor the program, and extend mentorship and internship opportunities, including securing six-month post-externship mentorship commitments
• Oversee program logistics and budget, including domestic travel, lodging, meals, and vendor coordination, with particular attention to removing cost as a barrier for first-generation and financial-aid students
• Track and report on participation metrics, such as first-generation status, school representation, and financial aid utilization, and translate outcomes into impact reporting for funders and the board

Program Leadership: Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI – Norman Mineta Fellows)

• Direct the ELI, which educates, connects, and develops diverse investment professionals at mid/senior-level in order to close the persistent underrepresentation at senior and executive leadership
• Manage and expand the program beyond New York City and Southern California, including recruitment, cohort programming, and programmatic experience from onboarding through graduation
• Cultivate and manage relationships with the ELI Committee, executive coaches, and key AAAIM committee leaders who deliver mentorship, executive coaching, and organizational development support to the fellows
• Design and continuously improve programming across ELI’s three pillars: supporting AAPI professional growth, investing in underserved talent, and nurturing leadership development, through training, coaching, and structured networking
• Set annual program goals and evaluate cohort outcomes

Program Operations & Impact

• Serve as the primary lead for two of AAAIM’s most visible programs, representing the organization with partner firms, sponsors, donors, alumni, and the broader AAPI investment community
• Create and maintain a network and community that serves both current and alumni in the program
• Build and manage annual program budgets, track expenses, and ensure programs are delivered on time and within budget
• Develop and maintain program evaluation frameworks, including pre- and post-program surveys, retention and outcome tracking, and alumni follow-up, to demonstrate impact with data and drive continuous improvement year over year
• Build and steward a growing alumni network across Accelerate and ELI, creating structured ways for former participants to stay connected, give back through mentorship, and reinforce AAAIM's pipeline for the next cohort

Organizational Collaboration

• Collaborate with AAAIM’s Executive team and board on fundraising support, including program narratives and outcome data for sponsor reports
• Coordinate with the Director of Sponsorship & Partnerships to align program benefits with sponsor commitments, and with the AAAIM team on newsletter and marketing support for both programs
• Represent AAAIM at AAAIM events, industry conferences, campus events, and partner convenings as needed

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of experience in program management, nonprofit leadership, talent development, DEI initiatives, or a related field within financial services, higher education, or the nonprofit sector
• Demonstrated experience designing and running cohort-based programs, fellowships, externships, or similar talent pipelines
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams, deadlines, and stakeholders
• Excellent relationship-building skills, with experience engaging senior professionals, institutional partners, and investment professionals
• Genuine commitment to AAAIM’s mission of advancing AAPI representation and broader diversity within the investment management industry
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

Preferred

• Familiarity with the investment management or broader financial services industry
• Experience with program evaluation, data tracking, or outcomes-based reporting
• Experience managing budgets, vendor logistics, or event operations
• Experience working with volunteer boards, committees, or affinity groups
• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent professional experience

We know strong candidates rarely check every box. If you meet most of the required qualifications and are excited about this mission, we encourage you to apply. We place real weight on lived experience and transferable skills, not just formal credentials.

Core Competencies

• Relationship-driven mentorship mindset: genuinely invested in participants’ growth, not just program logistics
• Cultural responsiveness: able to design and adapt programming for participants across different economic backgrounds, first-generation status, and career stages
• Data-informed, not data-driven-to-a-fault: uses metrics to improve programs while staying attentive to individual participant experience
• Comfort with ambiguity: willing to build and iterate on processes

What AAAIM Offers

• The opportunity to lead high-impact programs shaping the next generation of AAPI leaders in investment management
• A collaborative, mission-driven team and an active national network of investment professionals, board members, and volunteers
• Competitive salary plus a benefits package that includes health coverage, retirement contributions, paid time off, and a professional development budget
• Full-time, work-from-anywhere flexibility
• Mentorship and growth support for staff, mirroring the culture AAAIM builds for its program participants

Our Commitment to Equity

AAAIM’s mission is rooted in expanding access for communities underrepresented in investment management, and we hold ourselves to that same standard internally. We welcome applicants from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds, including career-changers and those without traditional finance or nonprofit program credentials, and we are committed to an inclusive, transparent hiring process.

Competitive salary plus a benefits package that includes health coverage, retirement contributions, paid time off, and a professional development budget