Communications and Digital Media Manager in Washington, District of Columbia at The Aspen Institute

ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners.

ASPEN GLOBAL LEADERSHIP NETWORK

The Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) builds, stewards, and connects the leadership Fellowships and a growing, worldwide community of 4,200+ values-based leaders across 62 countries. AGLN is entering a period of significant evolution: a new organizational structure built around three pillars — incubating new Fellowships, stewarding a global community of Fellowship practice, sustaining a lifelong Fellows community — alongside fresh thinking about how we tell our story.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

AGLN is in a moment of significant growth and reinvention. The program is restructuring into three core operational pillars and rethinking how it shows up in the world, while growing through new partnerships and new programs built from within.

Communications must now do more, with greater clarity and consistency: call the right leaders into Fellowship, help Fellowships across the network learn from one another, keep Fellows connected and inspired across a lifetime, and make the case to the funders and partners who sustain this work. The Communications and Media Manager will play a key role in this evolution as a hands-on, cross-cutting partner to every pillar.

This is a builder-and-doer role: the Manager writes, edits, designs, and ships content directly, and knows when to bring in AGLN's bench of creative services specialists for complex graphics, video editing, or surge capacity. The ideal candidate is agile in a moment of change and comfortable moving between a Fellowship launch, a 300-person convening, a Board report, and a monthly newsletter in the same week.

This position has a salary range of $88,000 - $98,000. In accordance with our Reimagining Work policy, the Communications and Digital Media Manager should be willing to be in-person with colleagues a minimum of 40% of the time while having the flexibility to work remotely for the balance.

Goals and Objectives

The Communications and Media Manager will ensure that every part of AGLN has consistent, high-quality communications support. Working alongside the Director, Communications and Engagement, they will serve as a connector and partner to pillar leads, turning each pillar's priorities into clear communications plans, achievable timelines, and excellent deliverables.

In this role, the Manager will develop campaigns, systems, and stories that: a) bring examples of moral courage and bold, transformational leadership to the public sphere, b) help Fellows and Fellowships across the network feel part of one community and c) build visibility and trust with prospective Fellows, funders, and partners.

Goals for this position are to:

• Create and execute integrated communications campaigns that drive nominations, registrations, and participation across programs and stakeholders.
• Steward a clear, consistent brand across every channel, program, and touchpoint as the AGLN evolves.
• Elevate grounded, values-based stories of Fellows and Fellowships that show effective, humanistic leadership in practice to key audiences.
• Build templates, playbooks, and workflows that let a small team, support a growing portfolio.
• Use data and audience insight to sharpen how AGLN reaches Fellows, funders, and the broader leadership field.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Cross-Pillar Communications Partnership
Serve as the primary communications executor and day-to-day partner to pillar leads, supporting each pillar's priorities with clear communications plans, achievable timelines, and excellent deliverables:

• Fellowship Studio: Develop and execute program launch, nomination, and recruitment campaigns for a growing portfolio of incubated Fellowships (e.g., Technology Leaders Initiative, Eisner Arts & Culture, Middle East Leadership Initiative, China Fellowship, Finance Leaders Fellowship, and more), including key message and asset development, cohort announcements, recruitment materials, Fellow onboarding communications, and impact storytelling.
• Learning & Innovation Network: Support communications for the annual Fellowship Retreat, quarterly virtual deep dives, and Innovation Fund calls for proposals and award announcements; support design and publication of practical toolkits, case studies, and onboarding materials for Fellowships joining the network.
• Fellows Community: Manage storytelling, registration, and engagement campaigns for signature convenings (Resnick Aspen Action Forum, Global Action Forums, Global Impact Forum) and post-Fellowship programs (e.g., Act III, Leadership in Conflict, In the Arena); promote Aspen Passport opportunities and grants to Fellows.
• Anchor & Mature Fellowships: As needed, support communications in coordination with Fellowships’ teams, including class announcements and alumni storytelling.
• Fundraising and governance: Manage the production of donor, Board, and campaign materials in partnership with the Director, including the Annual Highlights Report, pitch decks, and one-pagers.
• Build repeatable templates and processes (campaign playbooks, intake forms, timelines) so pillars can request support consistently and the team can scale without adding headcount.

AGLN Owned Channels and Content Production
In close partnership with the Director, Communications and Engagement, manage the day-to-day execution of AGLN's owned channels and content:

• Manage the AGLN editorial calendar across email, website, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other owned channels, aligning content with pillar priorities and convening cycles.
• Write, edit, and produce the monthly Fellows newsletter, custom e-blasts, social content, and partner toolkits.
• Manage the AGLN website (aspeninstitute.org/agln), creating and updating pages, ensuring accuracy, and improving navigation as the structure evolves.
• Source, interview, and produce impact stories of Fellows and Fellowships, aligned to AGLN’s key narrative pillars.
• Manage AGLN story-bank, coordinating closely with colleagues across the AGLN team to source and place content.
• Produce multimedia content (short-form video, audio, photography) as strategy dictates, including on-site capture at convenings.

Brand Stewardship

• Lead day-to-day execution of brand updates across print and digital, including assets, templates, web, signage, and collateral, in step with plans set by the Director.
• Maintain the brand library (logos, style guides, templates, boilerplate) and serve as first point of contact for brand questions from AGLN and Fellowship teams.
• Uphold nomenclature and credit-line consistency across all materials, treating announcements, toolkits, boilerplate, and web copy as one system.
• Create easy-to-use communications templates and guidance for Fellowship teams across the network.

Creative Services, Vendor, and Media Support

• Brief, schedule, and quality-check AGLN's creative services specialists for complex graphics, video editing, design, and surge support; manage timelines, scopes, and budgets for that work.
• Coordinate freelance and vendor partners (photographers, production companies) on assigned projects, and process related expenses and invoices.
• Support the Director's earned media and thought leadership strategy: brainstorm media lists, draft press materials and pitches, and track coverage.
• Collaborate with the Aspen Institute's central editorial team and other AGLN Fellowships on asset requests, blog content, and cross-promotion.

Analytics, Systems, and Operations

• Track performance across email, social, web, and campaigns; deliver monthly reporting with clear insights and recommendations.
• Monitor AGLN listservs and email health (deliverability, unsubscribe and bounce rates) and lead list hygiene and audience segmentation, at least quarterly, including supporting the communications side of the Institute’s CRM+ transition.
• Help translate Fellow survey findings and personas into audience segmentation and content strategy.
• Manage the team's project tracking (Asana), shared drives, and media asset archive so photos, video, interviews, and transcripts are findable and reusable.
• Staff AGLN convenings and seminars as needed, including on-site communications.
• Integrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across all duties.
• Other duties as assigned.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience in communications or marketing, at an agency or a mission-driven organization; experience working with multiple clients or programs at once is especially valuable.
• Demonstrated experience planning and executing integrated campaigns across email, web, and social, implementing strategy through production and measurement.
• Outstanding writing and editing skills, with a strong storytelling instinct and the ability to adapt voice for Fellows, funders, Board members, and public audiences.
• Hands-on proficiency with design, multi-media editing, and content tools (e.g., Canva, CapCut, Adobe Creative Suite), email platforms (e.g., Salesforce Marketing Cloud or equivalent), and website content management systems (e.g., WordPress).
• Strong editorial eye and storytelling instincts.
• Experience briefing and managing designers, videographers, freelancers, or agencies to deliver on-brand work on deadline.
• Working knowledge of digital analytics, with the ability to turn data into practical recommendations.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to juggle multiple stakeholders and deadlines; experience with Asana or similar tools.
• Comfort with ambiguity and change, with 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 mission of the Aspen Institute and an appreciation for leadership development and the humanities.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally, up to 20%.

Preferred

• Experience with brand rollouts or refreshes
• Familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and online community platforms (Mighty Networks)
• Short-form and long-form video or audio production skills.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

The Aspen Institute welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs, including the interview process. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about accessibility, please email hrsupport@aspeninstitute.org or call 202-736-2127 in advance of your visit. Requests for ASL or CART services should be made at least two weeks in advance when possible. We will make every effort to fulfill requests, subject to availability.