Executive Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Positing Details

Position Information

Position Title:
Executive Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Posting Number:
WPU0052317

University Information:

William Peace University is a nationally-ranked, award-winning institution located in one of the best cities in the United States in downtown Raleigh, NC. WPU provides a culture that values diversity, fosters an energized team environment, builds on our strengths, promotes creativity and innovation, and encourages inclusiveness, respect, and open communication by leading with our actions. Our mission is to prepare our students for careers in the organizations of tomorrow. The ideal candidate will have the ability to embrace the five core values, mission, and vision of William Peace University. Follow your passion and make an impact at WPU

Department:
Human Resources

Purpose of Department:

The Office of Human Resources manages workforce planning, position management, organizational development, recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, employee relations, training and development, performance management, employee wellness, employee engagement, leave administration, compliance, workplace safety, HRIS, and HR data and analytics.

Summary of Position:

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Human Resources, the Executive Director(ED) is the expert, strategist, and change agent who provides overall strategic leadership to advance the University's core value of Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect. The individual is responsible for leading and coordinating the university's inclusive excellence efforts to create a diverse and welcoming environment for all. The ED will develop and execute on a Strategic Plan for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. Given the importance and broad scope of this work, the selected leader will be a visible presence on campus, actively partnering with students, faculty, staff, alumni, senior leadership, and administrators.

To be effective, the ED must demonstrate a strong commitment to serving others and to enhancing a culture of collaboration. While building on our diversity and inclusion commitment and foundation, the ED works to develop multi-year, impactful campus-wide plans to move the university forward. In partnership with:
• Office of Human Resources: Ensuring and supporting equitable practices and policies that positively impact employee knowledge, recruitment, retention, training, workplace culture, professional development, and engagement.
• Office of Academic Affairs: In collaboration with the Director of Faculty Development and Immersive Learning and the Teaching and Learning Committee, design and implement professional development programs focused on inclusive teaching practices, cultural awareness, a sense of belonging, and equitable learning environments.
• Office of Enrollment Management and Marketing: Research, recommend, and implement best practice initiatives to increase recruitment and retention of a diverse body of students.
• Office of Student Life: Develop, promote, and oversee initiatives and events that promote inclusiveness, understanding, and belongingness among the student body, in student leadership, and among staff whose primary purpose is the education and service of our students and their families.
• Senior Leadership Team: Defines, tracks, assesses progress, and regularly reports on key metrics and milestones.

Essential duties and responsibilities:
• Build upon the completed climate survey, focus groups, and bridge plan to develop a Strategic Plan for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. The strategic plan should be prepared in collaboration with university stakeholders and include goal setting, outcome metrics, reporting, and assessment.
• Provide expertise, experience, and strong leadership to ensure that WPU embodies an inclusive culture for students, faculty, staff, and stakeholders.
• With input from leadership, develop, promote, and embody a new "brand" for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (ODIB). Ensure consistent branding and messaging across programs and communication mediums.
• Serve as the university's DIB data steward, assessing the university's progress on its measurable goals, preparing university reports, and creating effective communication channels.
• Serve as a consultant to staff, faculty, and administrators on a broad range of strategies, opportunities, and initiatives. Work with university leaders to develop and model actions that support the core values of Diversity and Inclusion.
• Research and identify current and emerging trends, issues, and opportunities relating to diversity and inclusion; develop programs and processes based on best practices to promote diversity and inclusion.
• Build a database of current and future community partners and stakeholders engaged with Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging programming.
• Represent ODIB at events for internal and external programming, audiences and partners.
• Manage the ODIB budget, including co-sponsoring opportunities with campus partners.
• Work with campus partners to examine University policies, practices, and procedures with an equity lens, make recommendations, and support actions to improve equity and inclusion across campus.
• Serve as a member of the Traditional Undergraduate and School of Professional Studies retention committees.
• Work with the Office of Student Life to:
- Engage students, parents, friends, volunteers and other key partners to support ODIB goals and programming.
- Serve as a subject matter expert for programming, committees, and student groups. Develop and deliver training programs and activities.
- Provide oversight to student leaders in clubs, organizations, and activities.
- Foster effective partnerships with student facing offices and athletics
• Work with the Office of Human Resources to:
- Develop strategic initiatives that will positively impact recruitment, selection, and retention of people of color and individuals from marginalized groups.
- Identify recruitment resources and assist with development of employee-aided recruitment efforts.
- Collect, compile, and analyze data to develop recommendations and initiatives to advance the University's employee-related diversity and inclusion efforts.
- Develop meaningful support, training/development, and engagement activities to further awareness of and proficiency in navigating a culturally diverse student body and workforce.
- Represent the university in a positive manner while supporting employees, sharing experiences, mediating issues, encouraging trust and respect, promoting a culture of inclusion, and enhancing the employee experience.
- Collaborate on employee communications, events, and training to support the university's inclusive values.
• Lead the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee composed of a diverse group of faculty and staff to strengthen the campus climate for diversity and inclusion. Create a committee purpose/charge/charter, goals/initiatives, delegate project assignments, and work in concert with committee members to achieve goals.
• Oversee leadership of Employee Resource Groups and/or affinity groups to enhance inclusiveness, engagement, and retention.
• Work effectively with a diverse population of employees, students, vendors, visitors, and guests.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum Education and Experience Qualifications include...
• Master's Degree in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in the development, implementation, assessment and leadership of diversity, inclusion, and belonging strategies and practices

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required to perform this role effectively include...
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, including ability to build rapport and collaborate with diverse constituents both internally and externally.
• Excellent leadership, diplomacy, and team management skills with the ability to engage others through a participative process, while serving as key decision maker.
• Demonstrated ability to establish effective partnerships with campus community members including student, faculty, and staff organizations, academic units and departments, as well as community and alumni constituents.
• Demonstrated leadership in the creation and/or delivery of organizational diversity, inclusion, belonging, cultural competency, and bias training programs.
• Demonstrated excellence in budget preparation, decision-making, supervision, personnel management, long-range planning, organization, and conflict management.
• General understanding of laws relating to equal opportunity, affirmative action, and claims of discrimination and harassment (e.g., Title IX).
• Evidence of nuanced, broad, contemporary, and sophisticated understanding of identity and intersectionality.
• Demonstrated strengths in public speaking and presenting.
• Ability to successfully plan, prioritize, schedule, and coordinate numerous simultaneous activities
• Experience working autonomously effectively; ability to work independently; judgment and discretion to make recommendations and decisions based on university policy, precedent, and best practice
• Ability to consistently perform well under stress and diffuse conflict situations, maintain confidentiality, and work as a collaborative team member
• General computer, applications, and cloud-based solutions competence
• Ability to be appropriately proactive and astutely reactive, take initiative and make decisions, and understand the need for urgency in actions but also the importance of accountability

Preferred Qualifications:
• Master's Degree in student affairs, higher education, human resources management, sociology, psychology, counseling or related field with significant relevant leadership experience in higher education diversity and inclusion programming.
• Bilingual with preference for Spanish proficiency.
• Teaching experience.

Hours per week:
Full Time

Job Posting Date:
08/28/2024

Priority Deadline:
09/20/2024

Priority Deadline Information:

Priority consideration will be given to applications received by the Priority Date; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

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