Kirby School, a highly respected 6th through 12th grade independent college preparatory school in Santa Cruz, is seeking a full-time Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director. The DEI Director at Kirby drives incremental cultural change towards the development of a more diverse, equitable and inclusive learning environment. The DEI Director is a savvy leader who has the day-to-day care, engagement, creativity, and fortitude to steer an organization through complex change.
Position Summary
The Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will strengthen collaboration across all efforts related to identity and belonging, including faculty recruitment, development and retention; student recruitment and retention; curriculum and pedagogy; and student life. The director will promote the school’s commitment to DEI by providing leadership to individuals and community engagement teams, establishing protocols for measurement and accountability, and supporting affinity spaces for students, parents, faculty and staff. The director is a member of the senior leadership team.
Key responsibilities and tasks include:
-
Receiving, documenting, and escalating reports about DEI infractions to the Dean of Students or Dean of Faculty where appropriate
-
Serving as the primary advisor for students, faculty and staff to safely discuss DEI issues
-
Coordinating and advising the summer social justice internship program
-
Organizing and training leaders for staff, student, and family affinity/reading groups
-
Working with administrative leadership to recruit and retain a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff
-
Developing, delivering, and attending programs and professional development events that promote anti-racism, anti-bias, and heritage celebrations
-
Maintaining a DEI Resource Board on the Kirby Portal with DEI reference materials and a DEI calendar
-
Communicating and publicizing DEI issues, activities, successes, and celebrations with the community at large
The DEI Director will be supported by:
Major Areas of Responsibility
Strategic Planning:
-
Devise metrics to measure and report the success of DEI goals
-
Through surveys and outreach, ensure that DEI goals represent input of all Kirby community constituencies
-
In partnership with administrative leadership, offer education and activities to challenge all community members to listen, self-reflect, respond to new information and change behaviors
Growing and Sustaining a Diverse Community; Anti-Racism and General Anti-Bias:
-
In collaboration with the Head of School, Assistant Heads of School, Deans, Admissions office, and Department Heads, improve effectiveness and success in recruiting, welcoming, mentoring, validating and retaining diverse faculty, staff, and students
-
In partnership with administrative leadership, lead the Kirby community to address systemic and behavioral racism, and other inappropriate expressions of biases within the Kirby institution and community
Faculty Leadership:
-
Develop measurement tools that give insight to the efficacy of inclusive and equitable design as it relates to:
-
Curriculum development
-
Assessment
-
Instruction
-
Classroom management
-
Validate and support faculty from historically marginalized demographics, in particular, faculty of color
Community Leadership & Cultural Development:
-
Advise on elements of Kirby culture and student life to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion is paramount in student life
-
Develop DEI-focused education, programs, professional development, and events for faculty, staff and community groups
-
Lead or coordinate affinity groups for students, parents, trustees, and staff
-
Lead teams of faculty, staff, administration, parents and trustees to attend outside professional development
-
Lead teams of student-leaders to attend outside development activities and conferences
Communications:
-
Provide monthly educational content for the Kirby community to continuously increase awareness of history and current events pertinent to diversity, equity and inclusion
-
Work with the Communication Office to publicize and market DEI-related events, educational opportunities, workshops, etc. for students, faculty, staff and families
Preferred Qualifications:
-
Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
-
High emotional intelligence; ability to maintain confidentiality, professionality, and safe spaces to negotiate DEI issues
-
Bachelor’s degree in Education, Organizational Behavior, Communications, Instructional Design, Human Resources, Ethnic Studies or comparable experience in a related field.
-
Experience in measuring and reporting the progress of broad initiatives
-
Track record of facilitating cultural change leading to improved recruitment and retention of diverse community members
-
Ability to forge strong community connections both within and external to their institution of employment
-
Prior experience fostering Anti-Racism in educational or corporate settings
-
Project management skills including implementing complex programs and supervising personnel
-
Expertise in the areas of facilitating, problem solving, and conflict resolution
-
Experience with cross-cultural communication
-
Expertise in curriculum design and pedagogy
-
Enthusiasm for working in an academic atmosphere
-
A passion for working with youth and guiding them to lead
-
Excellent organizational skills; ability to prioritize tasks by volume, urgency, etc
-
Technologically capable
-
Desired: Bilingual competency (Spanish preferred)
Please send a cover letter and resume to Cindy Pipes, HR at: deihire@kirby.org.
Salary range is $85,000-$105,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
Full Covid-19 vaccination required (subject to title VII & ADA reasonable accommodation provisions).
Kirby’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is reflected in our hiring practices; we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at the Kirby School will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Kirby School does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of age, race, religion, color, handicap, gender identity, physical condition, developmental disability, sexual orientation, national origin or any other characteristic protected by law.
