Senior Associate, Religion and Society

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Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

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Religion and Society

The Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program (RSP) ignites change by convening, catalyzing, and researching the challenges and opportunities at the convergence of religion, culture, and justice. Its Faith Angle Forum—on which the Senior Associate would work three-quarters time—has been helping mainstream journalists better understand the broad, public impact of religion since 1999. RSP annually convenes 3-4 forums with 16-20 top US or European journalists to explore critical issues of political economy and society through the lens of religion—and religious pluralism—in conversation with premier scholars and clerics. While the role would primarily support our Faith Angle program, one-quarter of the Senior Associate’s time would support the broader work of RSP.

In addition to Faith Angle, RSP hosts three other initiatives: the Aspen Religion Fellows Program, a Racial Justice & Religion Program, and a Religion & Philanthropy initiative. All four programs support cultural leaders in understanding and fostering a healthier, equitable public pluralism through robust dialogue across religious traditions.

Faith Angle convenings are far-removed from the daily pressures of newsrooms, inviting prominent journalists to join religious scholars in meaningful engagement at the intersection of religion and public life. Additionally, the program hosts a twice-monthly podcast that enables us to reach a wider audience eager to hear informed, in-depth conversations between a prominent religious scholar and leading journalist. Through in-person forums and via this digital content, our goal is to enhance dialogue and informal collaboration among cutting-edge journalists and religious thinkers, and ultimately to build a long-term, like-minded network that values religion’s enduring role in shaping free societies. In so doing, journalists are invited to transcend a religion “blind spot” that can easily arise, by developing in-depth religious literacy in a diverse world. Over time, many journalists discern new ways to see religion “always in the room”—in political elections, in better understanding racial justice, in navigating new technologies, and on a host of other issues.

In its other three programs, RSP honors the ideal of equitable public pluralism—basic equity and justice in public life, not a goal of one tribe achieving hegemonic cultural victory over others. Many scholars and clerics argue it is possible to hold deeply to the depth of one’s own faith tradition while also embracing, learning alongside, and being sharpened by those who believe differently. Aspen Religion Fellows, our Racial Justice & Religion collective, our Religion & Philanthropy gatherings, and our Faith Angle convenings each set the table for engagement and mutual learning—each in their own way building a dense, overlapping network of like-minded peers, and bridging ideological divides. The Senior Associate would support and help foster programming for some of the country’s leading clerics, philanthropists, journalists, and civic leaders.


ABOUT THIS ROLE

The RSP Senior Associate will work 75 percent on Faith Angle Forum, and 25 percent on other Religion & Society Program Initiatives (including supporting convenings and other learning opportunities for Fellows, religious leaders, and philanthropists). The ideal candidate will closely with the Program Director and Deputy Director to support and help implement Faith Angle operations and strategy, and support RSP’s broader work—convenings, curricular support for Aspen Religion Fellows, and gatherings with leading philanthropists. Faith Angle responsibilities will include coordinating and supporting 3-4 annual forums, including one for nationwide journalists who are under-35. It also includes supporting the production of a twice-monthly podcast, supporting three upcoming gatherings for 10 Aspen Religion Fellows, and tracking a growing portfolio of multi-year grants and deliverables.

This role reports to the Director, Religion & Society Program. The salary range is $75,000 - $85,000. In accordance with our Reimagining Work policy, the Design Associate should be willing to be in-person with colleagues a minimum of 40% of the time in the D.C. office while having the flexibility to work remotely for the balance.


WHAT YOU WILL DO

Convenings

• Help the Program Director and Deputy Director determine an annual strategic plan and content for the program’s event calendar to advance key objectives.
• Conduct background research and follow-up with forum participants, including speakers, journalists, and observers including donors and strategic partners.
• Coordinate closely with Deputy Director to advance program priorities in Racial Justice, Religion Fellows gatherings, and philanthropy summits—supporting the values and priorities of equitable public pluralism and religious diversity.
• Manage event logistics and execution, including travel and transportation, venues, catering, schedules, digital content, and printed materials—and help the Deputy Director and Program Director negotiate contracts and liaise with a range of global vendors to execute high-level events that are financially sustainable.
• Track event budgets to advance programs objectives within funding parameters, including regular financial updates to the Program Director and Deputy Director.

Development and Grants

• Support writing responsibilities for grant proposals and grant reports, ranging from single-year gifts to multi-year funding requests for new initiatives.
• Co-host events, providing hospitality support alongside journalists, as well as welcoming existing donors and prospective funders at program gatherings.

Communications

• Update online content for the program’s website, including regular posts promoting forums and podcasts; video, photographs, other media, and up-to-date information about upcoming convenings and participants.
• Coordinate Faith Angle Podcast production, and support the Program Director in recruiting podcast guests, recording episodes, coordinating with the production vendor, and publishing and promoting episodes.
• Support creation of excellent printed materials for program events, in coordination with the Program Director and Deputy Director.

Operations

• Carefully steward program expenses in coordination Program Director and Deputy Director—preparing event invoices, reimbursements, and contracts for Aspen finance colleagues, and occasional administrative support to advance RSP goals.
• Bring upbeat, high-energy tempo to planning and participating in local convenings.
• Support workflow and help build team culture with RSP program interns.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of experience in some combination of events-management, think tanks, religion, journalism, or public life;
• Excellent organizational, time, communication, and project management skills with attention to detail;
• Ability and desire to rapidly learn a variety of new subject matter;
• Ability to distill complex information and communicate effectively and succinctly through written and verbal means, including experience with professional writing;
• Ability to manage time effectively, work autonomously and with a small team;
• Strong customer service orientation: a positive, can-do, “Yes, and” attitude;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite;
• Willingness and ability to travel, as much as 15-30% of the time during certain times of the year.

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.

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