Director, Community Design & Placekeeping

Asian Community Development Corporation; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) seeks a Director of Community Design and Planning to lead the department across Boston Chinatown, Malden, and Quincy. The leader will supervise staff, coordinate resident engagement, and guide placekeeping initiatives as part of ACDC's senior leadership team.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, staff development, and building partnerships with community stakeholders to advance ACDC’s long-term goals. Hybrid work with on-site days is required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in community development, cultural organizing, youth programming, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience supervising, coaching, and developing a team of staff.
• Strong strategic planning, vision-setting, execution, and project management skills.
• Ability to build and maintain productive relationships with diverse stakeholders, including community partners, residents, youth, elected officials, and funders.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written).
• Strong emotional intelligence and ability to listen deeply, build trust, negotiate, problem-solve, and exercise sound judgment.
• Experience with program operations, including budgeting, grant management, risk management, and systems or process improvement.
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including availability during some evenings/weekends.
• Experience with low-income, immigrant, and/or Asian American communities is a plus.
• Experience with placekeeping, public art, or cultural organizing is a plus.
• Fluency in Mandarin and/or Cantonese preferred.

Responsibilities

• Set a department vision and workplan that draws from ACDC's mission, strategic planning goals, and advocacy priorities in Boston Chinatown, Malden, and Quincy.
• Supervise department team of staff, interns, and volunteers, coaching 4 full-time direct reports across Community Building, Youth Programs, and Placekeeping.
• Serve as a member of ACDC's senior leadership team.
• Identify opportunities to promote resident and youth voice and spatial justice in Boston Chinatown, Malden, and Quincy, and guide staff to make strategic decisions based on each community’s context.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with community partners, residents, youth, elected officials, city staff, planners, researchers, artists, volunteers, and program alumni, and represent ACDC externally in place-based coalitions and community planning efforts.
• Oversee department operations, including budget management, grant spenddown, program risk management, department compliance with relevant laws and organizational policies, and continuous improvement of the department’s internal infrastructure.
• Prepare materials for monthly Board reports and convene bi-monthly Programs Board Committee.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Oversee Community Building Manager (Chinatown) and Community Building Associate (Malden/Quincy).
• Shape the department’s long-term placekeeping vision, advancing ACDC's Chinatown ANCHOR strategy.

Skills

Community development

Cultural organizing

Youth programming

Nonprofit leadership

Job description

Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) seeks a Director of Community Design and Planning to lead the department across Boston Chinatown, Malden, and Quincy. The leader will supervise staff, coordinate resident engagement, and guide placekeeping initiatives as part of ACDC's senior leadership team.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, staff development, and building partnerships with community stakeholders to advance ACDC’s long-term goals. Hybrid work with on-site days is required.