Director of Culture

**Division**: Human Resources

**Position Type**:
12 Month

Work Hours: M-F 7:30 - 4:00

(Job Grade: 20)

KRESA seeks a qualified and experienced individual to support the agency in advancing the district’s vision in becoming a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. This position will serve as the district’s primary advisor to drive KRESA’s value of Respect - Valuing All People in the implementation of a strategic plan that aligns with the organization that focuses on developing internal long-range strategies, recommending and implementing practices that ensure inclusive practices in the district’s programs, policies, curriculum, and professional staff development to create a positive and safe work environment. The Director of Culture and Belonging will coordinate sustainable and strategic institutional efforts to engage and support the professional success of every staff member.

**Essential Duties and Responsibilities**
- Lead the research, development, and execution of a comprehensive KRESA vision of creative strategies designed to achieve an inclusive and diversified level of staff for both certified and non-certified positions throughout the organization.
- Complete and assess a comprehensive needs assessment/cultural audit to identify areas of strengths, opportunities, resources, barriers, and gaps to assist in developing an inclusion and belonging strategic plan.
- Support the development and implementation of any agencywide Strategic Plan around the KRESA value of RESPECT.
- Lead and provide direction to KRESA’s ABAR committee. Actively participate as a member of the KRESA Accessibility Work Group.
- Analyze district policies, practices, procedures, and decisions to increase transparency on how district decisions and policies affects demographics and audit policies and practices related to potential discrimination, harassment prevention, disability access, and other culture and belonging issues.
- Stay abreast of current knowledge and materials related to laws, rules, regulations, and best practices for advancing inclusion and support implementing, monitoring, and evaluating such information into practice, policy updates, and/or recommendations.
- Lead the agency’s annual culture survey and supports agency leaders/administrators in the continuous improvement process (Assess Need, Plan, Implement, Monitor, Evaluate) to support the implementation of agency and program goals related to providing a positive, safe, and inclusive culture in each program/department.
- Create and implement a system for regular monitoring and sharing of progress on key metrics that incorporate qualitative and quantitative data.
- Develop metrics for measuring the effectiveness of strategic and programmatic initiatives implemented; regularly report to the Board of Education, Superintendent, and leadership on the output, outcome and value of the initiatives.
- Serve as a change agent by providing consultation, training, and guidance to staff on implementing bias mitigation practices and use of consistent criteria and behavioral competencies.
- Support agency’s instructional and ELT team with professional development for educators in the area of creating culturally appropriate and inclusive environments for staff, students, and improving student outcomes.
- Act as a Title IX investigator, consultant, and decision-maker for the district.
- Actively engage the district leadership teams to educate and identify effective approaches to integrate and institutionalize bias mitigation practices and embed our values into everyday practices to establish a more inclusive culture with a sense of belonging climate.
- Must have knowledge of and comply with the policies and procedures contained in the Kalamazoo RESA handbook._
- Training in unconscious and implicit bias, the meaning of workplace culture, the importance of a sense of belonging and inclusion, stereotyping, cultural awareness, addressing microaggressions.
- Training and knowledge of culturally relevant practices pedagogy, trauma-informed practices, and supporting individuals with intersecting identities.
- Implement effective change management methods; serve as a resource to departments and a partner to HR team members in compliance with Title IX, Title VII, and other Civil Rights matters.
- Build and maintain strong relationships and establish collaborative partnerships.
- Work with a wide variety of constituents within and across the district to create and implement strategies, policies, programs, and training that supports inclusion and well-being.
- Serve as the district resource available to superintendents and KRESA district leadership teams on culture and belonging related issues and equal employment opportunities.
- Present information and respond to questions from administrators, staff, students.
- Ability to create experiences to immerse KRESA in cultures of excellence.
- Duties as otherwise assigned.

**Supervisory Responsibilities**:
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