AARP

Overview

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest-circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin.

AARP’s Community, State and National Affairs (CSN) Group includes Government Relations, Programs, Volunteer Engagement, Community Outreach and Advocacy at the federal, state and local levels. It delivers on AARP’s social mission by educating and engaging people 50-plus and their families, strengthening communities, and championing issues that help give people financial and health security.

Join us in bringing our mission to life as the Associate State Director for Community Engagement in Birmingham, Huntsville, and the surrounding regions where you will establish and nurture relationships with community leaders, academic institutions, businesses, local elected officials, policymakers, and volunteers to achieve engagement goals at the state and local levels. You will design and lead community activities, grassroots outreach, and mobilization efforts that align with the organization's strategic objectives while ensuring alignment and consistency across geographies and issue areas. Serving as the voice of the organization in the region, you will represent our interests to elected officials, government agencies, and partner organizations, helping to amplify our impact. Additionally, you will recruit, train, and empower volunteer teams, fostering collaboration to achieve our impactful mission. You’ll lead the development and execution of projects and issue campaigns tailored to the specific needs of the surrounding areas, ensuring they resonate with target audiences. Collaborating with management, you will identify opportunities to streamline processes and implement new procedures that support organizational goals. If you are passionate about building connections, leading impactful initiatives, and creating lasting change, this is the role for you. Together, we can amplify our mission and make a real difference in the lives of others.

Responsibilities

• Provides advice and counsel to cross-functional teams in the implementation of the organization's state and community strategy initiatives including local advocacy, member/public engagement, volunteer management, and communications priorities.
• Evaluates and adjusts strategy implementation to achieve the organization's local goals nationwide. Assesses state and regional needs and develops and implements training programs as needed.
• Works with staff, volunteers, members, and other cross-organization teams to achieve the organization’s community engagement goals at the state and local levels. Establishes a presence for the organization in targeted communities by engaging multicultural audiences, developing community partnerships, building volunteer capacity, and designing and executing engaging community programs and events.
• Resolves systemic issues across functions and ensures strong communication within a matrixed business environment.
• Develops and implements community engagement and communication strategies tailored to target audiences in statewide and local communities. Establishes strategic community partnerships and leverages internal and/or external resources to raise the visibility of the organization within communities.
• Recruits, trains, develops, and deploys volunteers in accordance with organizational goals. Aligns volunteers’ interests with organizational priorities. Supports volunteer needs and designs opportunities to maximize volunteer engagement. Ensures inclusion of volunteer perspectives in strategic planning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and 5+ years of related experience including community organizing and engagement, event management, coalition, and relationship building.
• Experience developing and executing campaign tactics to promote issues related to AARP’s social mission.
• Experience with recruiting, training, engaging, and managing volunteers.
• Proven track record of effectively communicating with media outlets, including conducting interviews on complex issues.
• Ability to lead and manage multiple issues and/or projects simultaneously while developing both short- and long-term strategies and tactical plans to achieve success.
• Commitment to nonpartisanship.
• Must reside in the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area. Ability to travel up to 50% within the local community and occasional statewide travel in addition to regional and national meetings. This role will include occasional evening and weekend work.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with local and state businesses, entertainment, and community service environments (e.g., community service leaders, non-profit organizations, critical city-wide community service needs, business leaders).

AARP will not sponsor an employment visa for this position at this time.

Additional Requirements

• Regular and reliable job attendance.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Exhibit respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationships.
• Independent judgement in evaluation options to make sound decisions.
• In office/open office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate noise.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
• Home office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate home environment noise.

Hybrid Work Environment

AARP observes Mondays and Fridays as remote workdays, except for essential functions. Remote work can only be done within the United States and its territories.

Compensation and Benefits

AARP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance; paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition and tuition reimbursement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.