Oakland Political Manager

The Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) is an environmental justice organization with deep roots in California’s Asian immigrant and refugee communities. Since 1993, APEN has built a membership base of Laotian refugees in Richmond and Chinese immigrants in Oakland, and more recently, Asian Americans in South Bay LA. Together, we have fought and won campaigns to make our communities healthier and just places where all people have the resources we need to live full, dignified lives. We are growing our local roots and building power to make decisions at the state level that have real local impact. By building an organized movement, we’re leading a transition away from an extractive economy based on profit and pollution and toward local, healthy, and life-sustaining economies that benefit everyone.

APEN’s sister organization, Asian Pacific Environmental Network Action (APEN Action), mobilizes over 30,000 Asian Immigrant and refugee voters to win economic, environmental, and social justice. Since 2011, APEN Action has been educating and mobilizing voters in the bay area and across California to make sure our communities’ voices are heard from the ballot box to the legislature in Sacramento.

The Oakland Political Manager is a member of the Oakland Organizing Team working towards APEN’s and APEN’s Action vision of building progressive political power at the local, county, regional, and state level to advance climate, racial, and economic justice. The Oakland Political Manager is responsible for empowering and engaging Oakland members and Asian voters in the local legislative process and at the ballot box. The position reports to the Oakland Organizer Director.

PRIMARY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Basebuilding & Integrated Voter Engagement

• Support the building of an Asian voter base that supports the advancement of our Just Transition campaigns locally, regionally, and statewide
• Manage recruitment, hiring and supervision of field teams; with the ability to execute door-to-door canvassing, phone and text banking
• Recruit and Train volunteers, community members and leaders on local Civic Engagement campaigns
• Develop materials and tools for programming i.e. script, FAQs, fliers, etc.
• Develop educational materials and tools for membership development
• Manage voter contact data and membership data
• Draft reports highlighting the results and analysis after each program
• Outreach to identified voters from Civic Engagement Programming and orient to APEN Membership
• Coordinate with APEN staff and ally organizations to implement direct voter contact programs
• Coordinates with statewide civic engagement programs

• Campaign Development and Management

• Develop goals and strategies for voter education, voter registration, and getting out the vote targeting low-income Asian immigrant communities in Oakland and Alameda County more broadly, specifically running Chinese-language Civic Engagement Programs
• Lead local policy, electoral, voter outreach campaigns, including political strategy development and up to date political landscape analyses, engagement of community members in driving campaign demands, and coordinating with coalition and legislative allies
• Conduct and/or manage research and analysis of policy and legislative changes that members have prioritized
• Conduct, coordinate and/or manage strategic campaign communications for Chinese-language community
• Arrange and facilitate meetings, briefings, and strategy discussions with elected officials, allies, and policymakers about our work
• Create budgets and help raise resources to support the integrated voter engagement programs, including meeting with funders and donors and writing grant reports

• Alliance Building

• Build and maintain sensitive relationships across labor, community organizations, electeds offices and city and county agencies to move campaigns
• Attend and support coordination of coalition meetings to ensure APEN’s political power and relevancy
• Provide up to date political landscape analysis, tracking opportunities
• Track and provide regular assessments of other electoral efforts in the Bay Area, making recommendations for level of engagement to the Organizing and/or Leads Team

• Organizational Development

• Manage canvassers, volunteers, and interns as needed
• Contribute to overall organizational integration and planning processes, including yearly & strategic planning
• Participate in grassroots and foundation fundraising as needed
• Build new narratives, act as a spokesperson, and engage with communications work
• Contribute to the APEN culture of team-building, emotional intelligence and feminisms
• Develop personal and professional growth and leadership

QUALIFICATIONS

• Commitment to the mission and principles of APEN and social justice; and shares the commitment of black, indigenous peoples and the broader environmental justice movement to work toward a Just Transition, defined as shifting from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy that provides well being for all.
• Experience working within social justice movement and/or progressive campaign and political sectors
• 4 years experience working on political and policy campaigns and/or civic engagement programs
• Experience working with a base and engaging them in campaigns and/or civic engagement programs
• Proficiency in English communication skills (written and verbal)
• Self-motivated, responsible, proactive, and disciplined
• Strong interpersonal communication skills with experience navigating sensitive relationships with discretion
• Team-oriented, with a commitment to principled struggle
• Supervision experience

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Conversational in Cantonese or Mandarin is preferred
• Experience leading integrated civic engagement programs or political campaign experience
• Experience with interpretation and translation
• Outreach and recruitment; skills and confidence in talking to strangers about different issues
• Facilitation in small to large groups (5 -100 people)
• Working with API immigrant community, especially elders
• Supporting community members in building up their skills to engage with public processes
• Access to and knowledge of of using Wechat

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Competitive hourly range of $39.52 - $49.14, commensurate with experience. APEN offers a generous benefits package that includes the following:

• Fully paid medical, dental and vision coverage for employee, spouse, and/or dependents
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• Vacation and sick time
• Paid holidays
• Fully paid 2 week winter holiday
• 401k with 5% employer match
• Professional development funds
• Commuter benefits
• 3-month paid Sabbatical opportunity
• APEN is also a family-friendly employer

Recently, APEN voluntarily recognized the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America, UAW as the exclusive representative of a group of APEN staff members. Please note that this position is a bargaining unit position, represented by UAW.

ACCESSIBILITY AND WORKING CONDITIONS

This position will require applicants to work on a computer daily for long periods of time, and collaborate with colleagues and coalition partners through Zoom, email, and other digital platforms. APEN will provide a computer and other equipment needed to fulfill basic job responsibilities.

This position will be a hybrid (remote/in-person) position. Candidates will need to be able to work in-person at one of our offices located in Oakland, Richmond, or Wilmington. This position will follow APEN’s COVID safety policies and protocols regarding in-person work. Masks are required to be worn in APEN offices and indoor events, with the exception of eating and drinking. All employees also are required to be vaccinated as part of our safety policy or be subject to weekly testing.

APEN will continue to closely monitor local and state health officials guidance around COVID and any additional guidelines around safety for people to return to offices and gather in-person as needed.

This position may occasionally require work during irregular hours including on nights or weekends, and will require regular travel to Sacramento and intermittent travel within California.

This position will not require carrying or moving heavy equipment, regularly ascending or descending a ladder, or standing or sitting for long periods of time. This position will not require working in hazardous or unusual conditions such as outdoors in inclement weather.

We provide reasonable accommodations for the application, interview, or any other aspect of the internship selection process to applicants with disabilities. Please email hiring@apen4ej.org to request an accommodation.

APPLICATION PROCESS

This position was posted in April 2025 and will be open until filled. Applications are due electronically by clicking “Apply Now” on the APEN website. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

The application must include the following:

• Resume
• Cover letter describing interest in the position and qualifications

APEN is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, caste, or any other characteristic protected by law. APEN conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. Queer, transgender, intersex, gender non-conforming, disabled, black and indigenous people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

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  For more information about Just Transition, please reference:

https://climatejusticealliance.org/just-transition/