Communications and Digital Media Manager

The Aspen Institute•Washington, DC

8d•Remote

About The Position

The Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN), part of the Aspen Institute, is seeking a Communications and Digital Media Manager to provide hands-on, cross-cutting communications support during a period of organizational growth and reinvention. AGLN builds, stewards, and connects leadership Fellowships and a worldwide community of more than 4,200 values-based leaders across 62 countries. The role partners with the Director, Communications and Engagement, and pillar leads to turn priorities into communications plans, timelines, and effective deliverables. The Manager develops campaigns, systems, and stories to increase participation, connect Fellows and Fellowships, and build visibility and trust with prospective Fellows, funders, and partners. This is a builder-and-doer role involving direct writing, editing, design, and content production, as well as coordinating creative specialists and vendors for more complex work. The Manager supports communications across AGLN’s Fellowship Studio, Learning & Innovation Network, Fellows Community, and Anchor & Mature Fellowships, as well as fundraising and governance. Responsibilities include managing owned channels and content, stewarding the brand, supporting media work, tracking performance, and maintaining communications systems and workflows. The role is remote, with a strong preference for candidates based in Los Angeles, California, and requires the ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 20%. Salary range: $88,000–$98,000.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
At least 5 years of professional communications or marketing experience at an agency or mission-driven organization.
Demonstrated experience planning and executing integrated campaigns across email, web, and social, from strategy through production and measurement.
Outstanding writing and editing skills, with strong storytelling ability and the ability to adapt voice for Fellows, funders, Board members, and public audiences.
Hands-on proficiency with design, multimedia editing, and content tools such as Canva, CapCut, or Adobe Creative Suite; email platforms such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud or equivalent; and website content management systems such as WordPress.
Strong editorial judgment and storytelling instincts.
Experience briefing and managing designers, videographers, freelancers, or agencies to deliver on-brand work on deadline.
Working knowledge of digital analytics and ability to turn data into practical recommendations.
Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple stakeholders and deadlines; experience with Asana or similar tools.
Comfort with ambiguity and change, and sound judgment about when to act independently and when to escalate.
Excellent cultural competence and experience working with constituents from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic backgrounds.
Strong interest in the Aspen Institute’s mission and appreciation for leadership development and the humanities.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 20%.

Nice To Haves

Experience with brand rollouts or refreshes.
Familiarity with CRM platforms such as Salesforce and online community platforms such as Mighty Networks.
Short-form and long-form video or audio production skills.
Experience working with multiple clients or programs at once is especially valuable.

Responsibilities

Partner with pillar leads as the primary day-to-day communications executor, developing communications plans, timelines, and deliverables.
Develop and execute launch, nomination, and recruitment campaigns for incubated Fellowships, including messaging, assets, cohort announcements, onboarding communications, and impact storytelling.
Support communications for the annual Fellowship Retreat, quarterly virtual deep dives, Innovation Fund calls and announcements, and practical network resources such as toolkits and case studies.
Manage storytelling, registration, and engagement campaigns for signature convenings and post-Fellowship programs, and promote Aspen Passport opportunities and grants to Fellows.
Support communications for Anchor & Mature Fellowships, including class announcements and alumni stories, as needed.
Produce donor, Board, and campaign materials, including the Annual Highlights Report, pitch decks, and one-pagers.
Create repeatable templates and processes, including campaign playbooks, intake forms, and timelines.
Manage AGLN’s editorial calendar across email, website, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other owned channels.
Write, edit, and produce the monthly Fellows newsletter, custom e-blasts, social content, and partner toolkits.
Manage the AGLN website by creating and updating pages, ensuring accuracy, and improving navigation as the organization evolves.
Source, interview, and produce impact stories of Fellows and Fellowships, and maintain the AGLN story bank with colleagues across the team.
Produce multimedia content, including short-form video, audio, and photography, and capture content on-site at convenings as needed.
Lead day-to-day execution of brand updates across print and digital materials, and maintain the brand library.
Serve as the first point of contact for brand questions; uphold consistent nomenclature and credit lines; and create communications templates and guidance for Fellowship teams.
Brief, schedule, and quality-check creative services specialists, and manage timelines, scopes, and budgets for assigned work.
Coordinate freelance and vendor partners on assigned projects and process related expenses and invoices.
Support earned media and thought leadership by brainstorming media lists, drafting press materials and pitches, and tracking coverage.
Collaborate with the Aspen Institute’s central editorial team and other AGLN Fellowships on asset requests, blog content, and cross-promotion.
Track email, social, website, and campaign performance; provide monthly reporting with insights and recommendations.
Monitor listservs and email health, lead list hygiene and audience segmentation at least quarterly, and support the communications aspects of the Institute’s CRM+ transition.
Use Fellow survey findings and personas to inform audience segmentation and content strategy.
Manage project tracking in Asana, shared drives, and the media asset archive.
Staff AGLN convenings and seminars as needed, including providing on-site communications support.
Integrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across duties, and perform other duties as assigned.