Program & Research Associate
Location: Queens, New York (In Person)
Position: Part-Time
Hours: 20 hours per week
Salary Range: $23,000 - $26,000 annually
Reports to: Senior Development & Research Coordinator
About Adhikaar
Adhikaar, meaning “rights” in Nepali, is a women-led community and workers’ center based in Queens, New York. We provide direct services and organize low-income Nepali-speaking communities from South and Southeast Asia (Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Tibet), and other impacted communities, to advance social justice and human rights.
Founded by working-class immigrant women, Adhikaar is rooted in grassroots leadership, collective action, and building community power. For over 20 years, we have been a trusted home (“maiti ghar”) for our community, supporting workers, advancing dignity, and fighting for systemic change.
Position Summary
The Program & Research Associate is a core member of Adhikaar’s team, supporting community-based Youth and Civic Engagement programs that build political education, leadership, and collective action among immigrant communities. This role is deeply relational and hands-on, combining program coordination, member outreach, storytelling, and data tracking to ensure our work is responsive, accountable, and impactful.
The ideal candidate is grounded in immigrant community experiences, highly organized, and motivated by movement-building. They are comfortable working in a fast-paced, grassroots environment and understand that strong systems, clear communication, and care for the community are essential to sustaining long-term change.
Key Responsibilities
Program Coordination & Community Engagement
Support planning, coordination, and implementation of Youth and Civic Engagement programs rooted in political education and leadership development.
Prepare agendas, materials, and logistics for meetings, training, and community gatherings; facilitate sessions when appropriate.
Conduct consistent phone banking and follow-ups to maintain strong relationships with members and stay responsive to community needs.
Provide in-person program support, including weekends (especially Sundays).
Participate in coalitions, partnerships, and community spaces with integrity and accountability.
Storytelling, Communications & Movement Narrative
Support the development of program materials, including flyers, short videos, graphics, and reports that reflect community's voice and dignity.
Collect member stories, testimonials, photos, and videos, including translation and interpretation support when needed.
Assist with content creation for social media, website updates, and public-facing communications that uplift community leadership.
Support communications and documentation during live and virtual events.
Data, Learning & Accountability
Collect, organize, and track program data for internal learning, evaluation, and funder reporting.
Support monthly and quarterly program reports and deliverables tracking.
Assist with story-based reporting that connects quantitative data to lived experience.
Conduct donor research and prospecting.
Provide administrative and programmatic support as needed to ensure smooth day-to-day operations.
Qualifications
Required
Deep alignment with Adhikaar’s mission, values, and immigrant-led, community-centered approach.
Strong understanding of immigrant, working-class, and/or youth experiences in the U.S.
Awareness of the current political and social landscape impacting immigrant communities.
At least 1 year of experience in community organizing, grassroots nonprofits, or service-based work (volunteer experience welcomed).
Strong communication, coordination, and follow-through skills.
Ability to work independently while being accountable to a collective team process.
Comfort working in-person with diverse immigrant communities.
Proficiency in Google Drive, Canva, and basic digital tools for documentation and reporting.
Must be 18 years or older.
Must be eligible to work in the US.
Preferred
Bilingual in Nepali and English.
Additional language skills (Tibetan or Indigenous languages from the Nepali diaspora).
Experience with data tracking, spreadsheets, or basic database systems.
Familiarity with social media platforms and community-centered digital storytelling.
Experience working in immigrant-led or worker-centered organizations.
Compensation & Benefits
Adhikaar offers a competitive and values-driven compensation package designed to support the long-term wellbeing, stability, and sustainability of our staff. The salary range for this role is $23,000 annually. In addition to salary, Adhikaar provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health FSA, commuter benefits, and a retirement plan with employer contribution, as well as statutory benefits including short-term disability. Staff also enjoy generous paid time off, paid holidays, floating holidays for cultural and religious observances, wellness days, sick and safe time, paid parental leave, and bereavement leave. In recognition of the long-term sustainability required for movement work, Adhikaar also offers sabbatical eligibility after long-term service, as well as professional development support and a phone reimbursement and commuter stipend. Our benefits reflect our belief that people doing justice-centered work deserve dignity, care, and the ability to build both meaningful careers and full lives.
Commitment to Equity
Adhikaar is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, immigrants, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people from working-class backgrounds. Lived experience is highly valued.
Application Process
To apply, send your resume with a cover letter with the subject: Program & Research Associate 2026 to hr@adhikaar.org We are accepting applications on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of February 22, 2026. The interview process will include at least one round of interview and reference checks.
Resumes without cover letters will not be accepted. No phone calls, please. Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted. Please regard your resume as having been received unless your email is bounced back. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
Deputy Director
Location: Queens, New York City (Hybrid)
Position Type: Full-time, Exempt
Salary Range: $95,000 - $110,000, commensurate with skills and experience
Key focus: Program and operational leadership
Reports to: Executive Director
Timeframe: Priority deadline for applications is Feb 22, 2026 with applications reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Target start date is Q1 of 2026.
About Adhikaar
Adhikaar, meaning “rights” in Nepali, is a women-led community and workers’ center based in Queens, New York. We provide direct services and organize low-income Nepali-speaking communities from South and Southeast Asia (Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Tibet), and other impacted communities, to advance social justice and human rights.
Founded by working-class immigrant women, Adhikaar is rooted in grassroots leadership, collective action, and building community power. For over 20 years, we have been a trusted home (“maiti ghar”) for our community supporting workers, advancing dignity, and fighting for systemic change.
As Adhikaar enters its next chapter of growth and impact, we are seeking a Deputy Director, to help strengthen the organization’s infrastructure, support staff and programs, and ensure that we scale with care, integrity, and accountability.
Position Summary
The Deputy Director is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing organizational operations, fiscal management, and staff leadership while supporting strategic growth. Working closely with the Executive Director, the Deputy Director ensures that Adhikaar’s programs, systems, and internal culture are aligned with its mission, values, and long-term vision.
This role is ideal for a seasoned nonprofit leader with strong management and financial oversight experience, and a deep commitment to grassroots organizing and immigrant justice.
Key Responsibilities
Organizational Leadership & Strategy
Partner with the Executive Director to implement Adhikaar’s strategic plan and guide organizational growth.
Translate vision and strategy into effective systems, timelines, and cross-departmental coordination.
Serve as a core member of the senior leadership team, supporting long-term sustainability and leadership transition planning.
Fiscal Management & Operations
Oversee day-to-day organizational operations, including finance, human resources, and compliance.
Manage Adhikaar’s annual budget in collaboration with the finance team and the Executive Director.
Monitor cash flow, financial reporting, and funder compliance; prepare financial updates for the Board.
Strengthen internal systems to support growth, accountability, and operational efficiency.
Staff Management & Organizational Culture
Supervise management and operations staff, providing coaching, accountability, and leadership development.
Manage fiscal and human resource departments and consultants and approve certain budget expenditures and personnel decisions within delegated authority.
Support strong supervision practices, performance management, and staff professional growth.
Foster a healthy, equitable, and values-aligned organizational culture grounded in care and accountability.
Program Oversight
Provide high-level oversight of programs to ensure quality implementation, integration across departments, and alignment with organizing goals.
Support program planning, evaluation, and learning to strengthen impact and scale effective models.
Advise program leads on strategy, workplans and execution.
Ensure grassroots organizing and member leadership remain central to Adhikaar’s work.
Board & External Engagement
Support Executive Director with Board engagement through preparation of reports, financial summaries, and strategic materials.
Represent Adhikaar externally as needed with funders, partners, and movement allies.
Required Skills and Experience
Systems Thinking & Organizational Design
Designs operational workflows, planning processes, and team structures that bring clarity, reduce burnout, and support a growing, multi-program organization.
Translates organizational strategy and values into clear systems, policies, and decision-making frameworks that empower staff to act with confidence and accountability.
Anticipates organizational risk, capacity strain, and complexity associated with growth, and proactively strengthens systems, staffing, and infrastructure.
Balances flexibility and structure in a movement-based organization, ensuring systems serve people and mission not the other way around.
Enabling Leadership & People Development
Coaches and supports program directors and operations staff to strengthen judgment, leadership capacity, and scope of responsibility.
Delegates decision-making authority not just tasks with clear expectations, timelines, and accountability.
Builds trust and psychological safety, fostering a culture of learning, feedback, and shared leadership.
Addresses performance challenges and conflict with clarity, care, and fairness, grounded in Adhikaar’s values and commitment to equity.
Grassroots Organizing & Movement Alignment
Brings experience in grassroots organizing, worker-led movements, or community-based advocacy.
Understands how organizing, leadership development, services, and policy advocacy reinforce one another.
Integrates power analysis and movement strategy into organizational decision-making and program oversight.
Ensures that member voice, political education, and community leadership remain central as the organization grows.
Strategic Judgment & Prioritization
Synthesizes organizational priorities, funding realities, and political context to guide focus and resource allocation.
Supports teams in prioritizing effectively amid competing demands and limited resources.
Exercises strong judgment about when to step in, when to align stakeholders, and when to empower others to lead.
Helps the organization stay mission-aligned while navigating growth, external pressures, and evolving opportunities.
Clear, Adaptive Communication
Communicates complex organizational, financial, and programmatic information clearly and accessibly.
Adapts communication style for diverse audiences, including staff, Board members, funders, community leaders, and movement partners.
Uses communication to build shared understanding, alignment, trust, and momentum across the organization.
Growth Mindset & Reflective Practice
Approaches leadership with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous learning.
Actively seeks feedback to strengthen systems, leadership approach, and organizational effectiveness.
Encourages reflection, iteration, and collective learning through debriefs, peer exchange, and evaluation.
Models resilience and adaptability during periods of organizational change and growth.
Qualifications
Required
9+ years of leadership experience in nonprofit organizations or social justice movements.
Demonstrated experience managing mid- to senior-level staff and direct service staff.
Strong experience with nonprofit budgeting, financial oversight, and funder compliance.
Proven ability to oversee operations in a growing organization.
Demonstrated strategic leadership, ability to manage multiple initiatives, think systemically and respond to changing contexts.
Deep commitment to immigrant justice, gender justice, and worker-led movements.
Must be eligible to work in the US.
Preferred
Experience in grassroots organizing or community-based, worker-led organizations.
Experience working with immigrant or low-wage communities.
Familiarity with leadership development, political education, and movement-building models.
Relevant cultural or language(s) competencies.
Compensation & Benefits
Adhikaar offers a competitive and values-driven compensation package designed to support the long-term wellbeing, stability, and sustainability of our staff. The salary range for this role is $95,000–$110,000 annually, commensurate with experience, skills, and organizational needs. In addition to salary, Adhikaar provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health FSA, commuter benefits, and a retirement plan with employer contribution, as well as statutory benefits including short-term disability. Staff also enjoy generous paid time off, paid holidays, floating holidays for cultural and religious observances, wellness days, sick and safe time, paid parental leave, and bereavement leave. In recognition of the long-term sustainability required for movement work, Adhikaar also offers sabbatical eligibility after long-term service, as well as professional development support and a phone reimbursement and commuter stipend. Our benefits reflect our belief that people doing justice-centered work deserve dignity, care, and the ability to build both meaningful careers and full lives.
Commitment to Equity
Adhikaar is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, immigrants, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people from working-class backgrounds. Lived experience is highly valued.
Application Process
We are accepting applications on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of February 22, 2026. Include your 1) resume and 2) cover letter responding to the application questions and 3) writing sample with subject ‘Deputy Director 2026’ to hr@adhikaar.org
Questions
Why do you want to work at Adhikaar and in this role?
Where do you see the greatest opportunity for Adhikaar in the next five years and how could your presence in this role unlock progress toward making it a reality?
Writing Sample
Please upload a writing sample or a report that is reflective of the skills and experience required of this role.
The interview process will include at least two rounds of interviews and reference checks. Thank you!