Executive Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training and Development

General Position Description

The Executive Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training and Development will design and deliver high-level, comprehensive, multimodal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professional development training experiences for all university employees and students. The Executive Director will administer strategic visioning as well as grass-roots educational and professional development efforts that are grounded in Catholic Social Teaching principles. A major responsibility will be to develop, lead, implement, and assess an all-encompassing professional development and training plan for DEI by formulating long and short-term programmatic goals and objectives, delineate resource allocation to support them, and establish metrics to evaluate program success to ensure effective and efficient engagement and outcomes.

Working collaboratively with institutional leadership, department and unit heads, and many others is critical in order to build relationships, share resources, and help create an integrated vision and shared responsibility for advancing institutional DEI goals while fostering and affirming a campus culture of equity and inclusive excellence. In collaboration with the ASPIRE Office, a dashboard will be developed to monitor, assess, and make periodic reports of the professional development training results. The Executive Director will report to the Vice President for Equity and Success and serve on the Center for Student Engagement and Success Leadership Team and Mount’s Inclusive Excellence Committee.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Advance the rich principles of Catholic Social Teaching - Social Justice and Solidarity - as a professional development training foundation and grounding which affirms the dignity and respect of the human person and that we are one human family.
• Lead the design, development, coordination, implementation, management, assessment, and oversight (full training cycle) of our cutting-edge, neuroscience influenced campus-wide DEI professional development training initiatives which must be aligned with our University mission and strategic plan.
• Work closely with Vice President for Equity and Success and other appropriate university leaders to conduct an institution-wide training needs assessment to identify skills or knowledge gaps that need to be addressed.
• Select and market appropriate training methods or activities to employees and manage necessary enrollment and logistic planning efforts.
• Provide leadership, strategic planning, and thoughtful development of procedures and policies to ensure that professional development training opportunities are in keeping with a goal of equity and access for all.
• Support and collaborate with the Student Life Division (e.g., Dean of Student Life Office, Center for Student Diversity, Center for Campus Ministry, etc.) on programs and initiatives related to student development and training.
• Support and collaborate with Academic Affairs to develop and implement professional development training regarding culturally-responsive teaching and learning and high-impact instructional practices and provide ongoing assessment with the Center for Instructional Design and Delivery (CIDD) programs and services that support faculty in the development of and support of DEI instructional and accessible materials.
• Maintains and enhances DEI resources (articles, books, podcasts, etc.) available to faculty, administrators, staff, and students.
• Actively solicit and manage new funding to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives through grants, fundraising, and other third-party sources.
• Demonstrate and role-model in the campus community, the behavior and attitudes wanted and needed within the overall community.

Core Competencies

The successful candidate will possess these key competencies in order to successfully meet the expectations for this role:

1. Communication: shares and receives information using clear oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
2. Diversity and Inclusion: models and promotes the University’s Code of Ethical Conduct and complies with MSMU policies on Inclusion and Non-Discrimination.
3. Employee Engagement: demonstrates commitment to the job, colleagues, the University and its mission by acting in ways that further the accomplishment of its goals.
4. Innovation and Change Management: uses personal knowledge and professional experience to envision the future, anticipate change, capitalize on opportunities, and develop innovative options that further the strategic direction of the Mount.
5. Job Mastery and Continuous Learning: demonstrates responsibility for one’s own career path and continuous learning by identifying and applying new skills as needed to perform successfully on the job.
6. Resource Management: demonstrates integrity, accountability, and efficient stewardship of University resources in a manner consistent with the Standards of Ethical conduct and other policies.
7. Result Orientation and Execution: demonstrates the ability to analyze situations or problems, make timely and sound decisions, construct plans, and achieves optimal results.
8. Service Focus: values and delivers high quality, professional, responsive and innovative services.
9. Teamwork and Collaboration: collaborates with colleagues in order to achieve results in alignment with the operations and mission of Mount St. Mary’s University.

Job Requirements: Education, Experience, & Skills

• Have demonstrated commitment to the Catholic, liberal arts mission of the University including familiarity with and use of Catholic Social Teaching principles.
• Ability to write/create DEI professional development training that is timely and reflects current and relevant research and practices in culturally-inclusive and accessible higher education setting.
• Have extensive experience in the field of DEI professional development training in higher education and demonstrated ability to mobilize that expertise into a professional development training vision with highly effective practical outcomes.
• Ability to work with, train, and facilitate to all levels in our community, including but not limited to students, professional staff, support staff, faculty, alumni and our broader community.
• Ability to apply consultative skills to determine professional development needs.
• Have demonstrated ability to articulate and build consensus for a professional development training model for DEI at the University; to define the goals, accomplishments and needs both internally to the campus community and externally to a broad range of constituencies; and to continue to develop and realize a strategic plan for the initiatives to achieve that vision.
• Have capacity to work with leadership campus-wide to lead and leverage efforts on behalf of DEI; working collaboratively while insisting on progress; ability to act as a strategic thinker; and proven ability to work across complex organizations.
• Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with campus constituencies across disciplines and responsibilities, in face-to-face large group and individual settings, as well as mediated modes, such as email, Zoom, phone, etc.
• Strong working knowledge of online tools used to support professional development.
• Have a passion for the work, strong presence, ability to challenge and motivate, be welcoming of a wide variety of perspectives and modes of action, ability to help people converse about difficult topics.
• Ability to provide culturally sensitive feedback on a variety of DEI topics.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with experience in facilitation/presentation.
• Knowledge of and ability to master use of social media tools (such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) to promote Office of Equity and Success professional development and programming.
• Results oriented with an understanding of organizational change and transformational leadership.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive communication with employees.

Education

Ph.D. preferred, master’s degree required in a related field supporting DEI efforts in an institution of higher education.

5-8 years of experience creating, managing, and delivering high quality, comprehensive training and education programs (experience in higher education preferred).

Salary

This is a full-time position with full benefits and annual, holiday, and sick leave. Competitive salary commensurate to experience.

Ways to Apply:

Please send a cover letter, vita, teaching statement, and three letters of recommendation, at least one of which addresses teaching, to resume@msmary.edu. Applications accepted immediately. The position will remain open until filled.

Mount St. Mary's University is a dynamic, Catholic, liberal arts university with over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students. As a Catholic university, Mount St. Mary’s graduates ethical leaders who are inspired by a passion for learning and lead lives of significance in service to God and others. The university has a strong institutional commitment to excellence through diversity in its educational programs and employment practices. We actively seek and welcome applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. EOE.