JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Program Coordinator, Membership and Events
American Studies Association
Washington, DC

Please take a look and help us spread the word about this new and vital staff position in the ASA’s national office. The position is posted on Idealist.org, which is a prominent site for nonprofit and social impact job ads. Candidates seeking to apply should go here.

This team member will play a key role working with the ASA conference and membership. This is a fully remote position, except for occasional travel for in-person meetings. We are only requiring a 4-day work week (average 32 hours/week), yet the annual compensation should be competitive with comparable jobs requiring a 5-day and 40-hour work week. See also the full range of benefits.

Questions can be submitted through Idealist or emailed to: asastaff@theasa.net

OPPORTUNITY

The American Studies Association (ASA) is a dynamic site of engaged scholarship that draws together scholars, artists, community organizers, and educators based within and beyond colleges and universities. Chartered in 1951, the ASA has a distinguished history dating back over seven decades, while serving today as a preeminent home for ground-breaking, trans-disciplinary studies of race, Indigeneity, gender, sexuality, class, disability, religion, ecology, transnationalism, migration, culture, and abolition.  While our nonprofit corporate charter is based in Washington, DC, our staff and officers work over 95% remotely.

Our signature event is the ASA Annual Meeting, which rotates to diverse locations and attracts 2,000 participants on average. Traditionally held in late October or early November, the Annual Meeting is a four-day event that consists of conference panels, keynote speeches, a book and vendor exhibit, scholarly awards, business meetings, tours, and special events. The ASA Annual Meeting is a powerful and memorable event that puts students and emerging scholars in conversation with many of the most distinguished figures in American Studies and related fields. The ASA also engages with members and other interested parties throughout the year via email, social media, website postings, virtual events, regional gatherings, professional workshops, and distinguished lectures.

We have created this new position in response to the ASA’s growth and evolution, and we seek a team member who shares the passion and purpose that underly the continued success of the conference and the Association. We strive to make the ASA a space where the most critical voices achieve their fullest expression and potential through community building, interactive dialogue, and collective praxis. As a coordinator of the conference, you will play a key role in creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive environment at the Annual Meeting. By working to manage memberships, you will help ensure that vital information and resources reach ASA members, especially those on the social and economic margins of academe and society.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
 
Conference Coordination (40%)

-Answers conference-related queries and requests by email and phone. Assists with social media communications and outreach.
-Manages registration of exhibitors, special guests, and volunteers.
-Provides operational and administrative support for essential tasks, such as submission and review of proposals, program/scheduling, business meetings, special events, registration, reservations, accommodations, childcare, health protocols, A/V, catering, promotions, and fundraising.
-Provides general events management support and coordination for approximately one week onsite.

Membership Management (40%)

-Serves as the ASA office’s primary point of contact for members and other interested parties. Responds regularly and promptly to emails and phone calls. Refers matters to appropriate parties.
-Updates information and maintains pages on the ASA website. Assists with social media.
-Maintains communications and relations with chapters, committees, and caucuses.
-Manages email and contact lists. Prepares, disseminates, and monitors mass email announcements.
-Helps oversee membership sign-up and renewal processes.
-Helps with intake and processing of donations, grant submissions/disbursements, and prize nominations/awards.
-Helps maintain electronic and digital media archives.
-Assists with campaigns to promote ASA events, recruit members, and raise funds.

General Executive Assistance (20%)

-Provides administrative support regularly to the Executive Director and occasionally to the President, President-elect, Executive Committee, and National Council.
-Takes notes and records minutes at board and leadership meetings. Helps maintain and organize records, guidebooks, and archives of ASA meetings and internal affairs.
-Helps with logistical arrangements to set up and run leadership meetings and ASA-sponsored events virtually and in-person.
-Helps process and maintain record of reimbursements, honoraria, and orders for web advertisements.
-Helps with task management and calendars for the Office of the Executive Director.

NATURE AND SCOPE

Reports to the Executive Director. Works with graduate assistants, elected officers (National Council, Executive Committee), appointed leaders (conference organizers, prize committees), and chapters and institutional members at the local/regional level. Also works with employees of the ASA’s key partners.

Minimum Job Requirements:

-B.A. plus 3 years of work experience in the fields of higher education, research, scholarship, events management and/or nonprofit sector.
-Excellent communication skills both written and oral.
-Ability to coordinate and cooperate with team members on collective goals and assignments.
-Ability to work independently to complete individually assigned tasks and projects, including figuring out how to solve problems and stay organized while completing multiple projects
-Ability to develop and sustain personal working relationships and interact effectively with diverse groups.
-Experience working with Zoom and/or other virtual platforms; Microsoft Office, especially Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; and Google apps, especially Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Forms.
-Experience with mass email management.
-Experience with website management. Coding is not required but experience updating content on Drupal is an asset.
-Experience producing and maintaining contact lists, databases, archives, and/or organizational records.

The following traits are desired, though no single candidate would be expected to possess them all:

-B.A., minor, and/or M.A. in American studies, race/ethnic studies, Indigenous studies, -women/gender/sexuality studies, or cultural studies; or equivalent knowledge of scholarship in American Studies or related fields.
-Training and experience with transformative justice methods and practices.
-Experience working with campus or community-based organizations addressing issues regarding race, Indigeneity, gender, sexuality, class, disability, antisemitism, Islamophobia, environmental justice, transnationalism, immigrant rights, decolonization, and/or abolition.
-Basic website design and/or graphic design skills (e.g. designing posters with Canva)
-Advanced experience with Emma or Mailchimp and CRM software or tools.
-Skilled user/manager of social media.
-Photography or video recording and editing skills.
-Experience producing or promoting podcasts.
-Experience with Teams, project management apps, or other software for collaborative workgroups.
-Experience with designing or implementing fundraising campaigns.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

This position requires 32 hours per week on average. Although actual weekly hours will vary seasonally, a 4-day work week will be in effect for most of the year.
This position is fully remote with the exception of required in-person work approximately one week per year for the ASA Annual Meeting, which is traditionally held in late October or early November. Additional travel may be required one to four times per year.

Details at a Glance:

TIME COMMITMENT: Full Time Schedule
START DATE: February 1, 2023
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 15, 2023
EDUCATION: 4-Year Degree Required
EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Intermediate
COMPENSATION: USD $25.00 – USD $35.00 / hour
Cost of living adjustments are provided annually with additional possibility of annual merit increase.

Benefits:

The position includes health and retirement benefits, plus federal holidays, 12 days of vacation, and 6 personal days. While most benefits will initiate upon hire, some will take effect pending completion of a successful review after 6 months of employment.

Instructions:

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and the names of three references (including organization, title, email, and phone) on Idealist. References may be drawn from work, school, or community activism/organizing experience, but at least one reference must be from a current or prior employer. For fullest consideration, please apply using this website by January 15, 2023.

The American Studies Association is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. All employment decisions at ASA are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, past or present military service, parental status or any other status protected by law. ASA does not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.