Deputy Director Opportunity at Stop AAPI Hate | High-Impact Civil Rights Leadership Role (Deadline: 26 June 2026)

The Deputy Director role for Stop AAPI Hate, listed on Idealist, represents one of the most senior leadership opportunities in the U.S. social justice and civil rights sector. This position sits at the center of a powerful coalition working to combat racism and discrimination against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, while strengthening long-term movement infrastructure across multiple organizations.

Hosted under the broader network of Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE), the role supports the operational and strategic leadership of Stop AAPI Hate, a nationally recognized coalition dedicated to documenting, addressing, and preventing anti-AAPI discrimination. The coalition works in partnership with long-standing civil rights organizations, including Chinese for Affirmative Action, which serves as a founding partner and fiscal sponsor.

At its core, this position is not just administrative—it is deeply strategic, political, and organizational. The Deputy Director acts as the primary operational partner to the Coalition Co-Directors, ensuring that vision translates into execution across programs, communications, advocacy, research, and digital strategy.

A Leadership Role in a Complex Coalition Environment

The Deputy Director is responsible for aligning multiple moving parts across a multi-organization structure. Stop AAPI Hate operates through a network model involving partner organizations, operational teams, and external stakeholders. This requires a leader capable of managing complexity, coordinating across institutions, and maintaining cohesion in a fast-changing political environment.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading coalition-wide strategic planning and execution
• Coordinating internal decision-making and prioritization
• Overseeing program alignment across communications, policy, research, and digital advocacy
• Ensuring operational systems and governance structures remain effective
• Supporting financial oversight and budget alignment in partnership with AACRE teams
• Managing external partnerships, funders, and stakeholder relationships

This role is designed for someone who can function as both a strategist and an operator—someone who can think at the systems level while also ensuring day-to-day execution remains strong.

Driving Strategy, Operations, and Impact

One of the defining features of this position is its emphasis on integrated leadership. The Deputy Director is expected to translate high-level strategic vision into actionable work plans across departments and partner organizations.

This includes:

• Developing multi-year strategic roadmaps
• Identifying emerging risks and opportunities in civil rights advocacy
• Strengthening coalition infrastructure and governance systems
• Improving coordination across teams and partner institutions
• Supporting rapid-response initiatives in response to racial justice issues

The role also involves close attention to external developments affecting AAPI communities, including shifts in policy, public discourse, and community needs. The Deputy Director must be able to interpret these changes and guide organizational response.

Communications, Programs, and Public Impact

A major part of the role involves overseeing programmatic and communications alignment. Stop AAPI Hate is widely recognized for its research, reporting, and public education efforts. The Deputy Director ensures these outputs remain consistent, impactful, and strategically aligned.

This includes oversight of:

• Communications strategy and narrative development
• Data and research dissemination
• Policy advocacy alignment
• Digital engagement and rapid-response messaging
• Community-centered program delivery

The position requires ensuring that messaging and advocacy efforts reinforce one another, strengthening the coalition’s ability to influence public understanding and policy outcomes.

Fundraising and Sustainability

In addition to operational leadership, the Deputy Director plays a key role in resource development. This includes supporting fundraising strategy, cultivating institutional funders, and ensuring grant proposals align with strategic priorities.

Sustainability is central to the role, as the coalition relies on philanthropic partnerships and institutional support to maintain and expand its work. The Deputy Director helps ensure that financial planning and programmatic goals remain closely aligned.

People Leadership and Organizational Culture

The Deputy Director also serves as a senior people leader, supervising directors across communications, digital strategy, and research functions. This includes:

• Managing performance and professional development
• Supporting cross-functional collaboration
• Addressing escalated organizational challenges
• Maintaining a values-driven workplace culture
• Coordinating with HR and operational partners across AACRE

Given the coalition’s mission-driven environment, leadership is expected to be grounded in equity, cultural humility, and accountability.

Who This Role Is Designed For

This is a highly specialized executive role requiring:

• 10+ years of progressive leadership in social justice or nonprofit organizations
• Experience in complex coalition or multi-entity environments
• Strong civil rights or AAPI community engagement experience
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams and organizational systems
• Experience in strategic planning, operations, and stakeholder coordination
• Familiarity with fundraising and institutional partnerships

The ideal candidate will also bring lived experience or deep connection to AAPI communities and a strong anti-racist framework in their leadership approach.

Final Perspective

This Deputy Director role represents more than a senior nonprofit position—it is a systems-level leadership opportunity in one of the most visible AAPI civil rights coalitions in the United States. It requires someone capable of balancing strategy, operations, communications, and organizational culture while supporting a mission focused on equity, justice, and long-term structural change.

For experienced leaders in social justice, policy, or coalition management, this role offers a rare opportunity to shape national-level impact at the intersection of advocacy, research, and community protection.

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