CAA Education Equity Policy Manager

Position: CAA Education Equity Policy Manager

Organization: Chinese for Affirmative Action

Salary: $75,000 – $100,000 annually

Hours: Full-time

FLSA status: Exempt

Location: San Francisco

Reports to: CAA Managing Director of Policy

Deadline: Open until filled

Posting: April 2024

About Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA)

Chinese for Affirmative Action 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. 

At the grassroots level, our community building work nurtures the ability of immigrants to participate fully in civic life. These activities include direct services, leadership development, and civic engagement with limited-English proficient newcomers and immigrants on issues that impact our community. At the systemic level, CAA leads advocacy, communications, and movement building work to improve public policy and shape public discourse. We produce community-based research, publish policy analyses and recommendations, influence opinion through media, organize to engage elected and government officials, and nurture a range of progressive coalitions.

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 committed to social justice. Including CAA, there are currently 11 partnering member groups with unique strengths.  Fiscal sponsorship, administrative, and operational support is provided centrally for all of these groups so they can focus on their core programs. 

In 2020, CAA was one of the founding organizations of Stop AAPI Hate (SAH), a U.S.-based coalition dedicated to ending racism and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAs & PIs). SAH strives to advance the multiracial movement for equity and justice by building power for our communities, working in solidarity with other communities of color, and advocating for comprehensive solutions that tackle the root causes of race-based hate.

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.

Position Overview

Education equity is a CAA legacy issue, and one that continues to be on the forefront of conversations surrounding racial justice. CAA is hiring for an Education Equity Policy Manager to develop, guide, and advance the organization’s fight for a public education system that is accessible to all, develops democratic society, and advances racial justice. We believe in racially and linguistically diverse public schools, colleges, and universities that are universal, high-quality, no-cost, and tuition-free.

The ideal candidate will have issue area expertise and bring experience in driving systemic change solutions through policy analyses, research and writing, content development, community education, and stakeholder engagement, preferably in the San Francisco Bay Area with an understanding of the landscape throughout California. We are looking for a strategic thinker who can build and maintain relationships with partners from a diverse range of backgrounds. The Education Equity Policy Manager should have strong writing and analytical skills, with the ability to apply CAA’s vision to develop policies and programs.

This is an exempt position supervised by the CAA Managing Director of Policy. The Education Equity Policy Manager is responsible for supervision of the Education Equity Community Advocate. The position will work both at CAA’s San Francisco office and remotely. The percentage of remote versus in-person hours will be determined by the Managing Director of Policy; however, as a position that includes engagement on local issues, the position will include some in-person participation for external meetings, such as public forums and committee hearings.

Key Responsibilities

● Build on and develop CAA’s organizational vision for Education Equity, articulating analyses through a racial justice and civil rights framework;

● With guidance from the Managing Director of Policy, lead the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of CAA’s Education Equity policy agenda in the following areas:

○ Advocacy for multilingual education and immigrant family engagement in the San Francisco Unified School District;

○ Expansion of access at the City College of San Francisco for classes that limited English proficient community members need;

○ Engagement in state and national narrative and policy advocacy related to multilingual education extending from the 50th anniversary of the historic Lau v Nichols case;

○ Advancing narrative change and policy advocacy that supports the imperative of racial equity in education despite the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in college admissions;

○ Engaging in education equity issues and campaigns that extend from, build upon, and is aligned with CAA’s historic work in this arena;

● Produce education equity policy analyses, reports, and recommendations for a wide variety of audiences;

● Develop and cultivate relationships with stakeholders including in formal and informal collaboratives with community partners, education leaders, and public officials;

● Work across CAA teams to engage different audiences on issues of education equity including directly impacted immigrant parents and students;

● Lead, manage, monitor, and negotiate funding grants associated with the the organization’s education equity work including tracking progress on grant deliverables, ensuring goals are met, and submitting reports and evaluations to funders;

● Drive narrative change work by articulating education equity subject matter expertise, particularly through a racial justice and civil rights framework;

● Represent CAA in external communications, including community meetings, public hearings, in traditional and digital media, and other spaces;

● Manage the Education Equity Community Advocate through direct supervision and support for professional development; and

● Other duties as assigned in relation to the Education Equity program, SAH, CAA, and/or AACRE.

Qualifications

● Commitment to the mission, values, aspirations, and goals of the organization

● At least 3 years of experience in policy related to education equity with preferred graduate degree

● Experience in developing and managing issue-based campaigns, which includes policy advocacy, grassroots/grasstops organizing, and strategic communications

● Ability to represent CAA’s values, positions, and framing on education equity issues

● Strong familiarity with education equity initiatives at the national, state, and local levels, particularly those affecting low-income, newcomer, and immigrant AAPI communities.

● Superb written and oral communications skills

● Proven track record of managing external relations and building meaningful partnerships within community coalitions

● Proven ability to work on a dynamic team – shared leadership, build consensus, take initiative, and build working partnerships

● Demonstrated experience in and comfort with external communications, including public speaking and media engagement

● Ability to work flexible hours, including weeknights and weekends as needed

● Oral fluency in Chinese a plus, but not required

How To Apply

To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to employment@caasf.org. In the subject line, please write “Education Equity Policy Manager.” For more information about CAA, please visit www.caasf.org. CAA is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color and LGBTQ individuals are encouraged to apply. We will also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.