Director of Community & Equity

Company: CONCORD ACADEMY
Location: Concord
Posted on: February 25, 2021

Job Description:

Concord Academy, an independent, coeducational, day and boarding school renowned for its world-class faculty, dedicated staff, passionate students, and graduates who make their mark on the world, seeks a Director of Community and Equity to begin July 1, 2021. The Director of Community and Equity is responsible for guiding and implementing the school's day-to-day work in the areas of diversity, inclusion, and access throughout the school community. As such, this role is immersed in direct student contact, support, and programming, as well as direct collaboration and rapport with faculty and staff members. The Director of Community and Equity works closely with, and reports to, the Dean for Academic Program and Equity - which is itself a strategically created role at the school. Together, the Dean for Academic Program and Equity, Director of Community and Equity, and the Community & Equity Team lead the school to enliven the central tenet of the school's mission, "striving for equity." The incoming Director of Community and Equity will find many institutional supports for their work: a long institutional history of leading independent schools in DEI work coupled with a desire for continual growth and improvement; a school culture that encourages engaging in DEI and anti-racism work, even when it is challenging or messy; active effort to address concerns from #blackatconcord; a commitment to try to shift from "opt-in" culture to engagement of all community members in this work; thoughtful and ongoing work to develop policies and practices that support transgender, gender non-binary, and genderqueer students; and more than fifteen affinity or social justice groups. The Director of Community and Equity will also find a community eager to investigate issues of access and equity, including the STEM equity task force which examined disparities in learning outcomes among students in those courses. The Director of Community and Equity leads a small team of experienced and passionate faculty and students who together comprise the Community & Equity Team. Soliciting broad input and involvement from students, faculty, and staff, the Community & Equity Team collaborates to shepherd and advance Concord Academy's diversity and equity ideals. View the full opportunity statement here. Strategic Priorities/Opportunities for the Director of Community and Equity include:

• Help define what equity looks like in an independent boarding school setting
• Champion all dimensions of diversity and equity in the community
• Serve as a thought-partner to the Dean for Academic Program and Equity to envision a curriculum that engages every student in social justice learning in the academic program
• Collaborate with enthusiastic and engaged faculty and staff members to knit diversity and equity efforts across the community
• Set goals and objectives for the members of the Community & Equity Team to facilitate their work
• Make direct connections and relationships with students, graduates, and families
• Partner with Health Services to develop a comprehensive Health & Wellness curriculum that supports students of all identities and promotes belonging and equity as central to wellness in the Concord Academy community Essential Functions:
  • Lead and coordinate the daily efforts of the school to support equitable access to the school's mission and program for students, faculty and staff, alumnae/alumni, and families
  • Develop programming that engages community members in the school's vision that equity and belonging are the work of all. Some examples include orientation programming, student leadership training, all-school assemblies, professional development and training opportunities for all Concord Academy employees, and family & alumnae/alumni workshops
  • Consult with the student life office on residential life and programming
  • Partner with the Dean of Faculty and hiring teams to support the recruitment, hiring, and retention of a diverse faculty and staff community
  • Partner with the Advancement & Engagement office to support programming and connections for alumnae/alumni with marginalized identities, as well as programming for all alumnae/alumni, current families, etc., that encourages their support of the school's commitment to equity and the development of global citizens in a collaborative, multicultural world
  • Bring faculty and staff into equity work through discussions, workshops, and meetings relating to community and equity
  • Represent the office at various key events. Examples include Admissions events, Family Weekend, and Board of Trustee meetings
  • Develop goals and objectives with elected student Community & Equity co-heads to define and execute their role and projects, lead the Diversity Coalition, and facilitate Inclusion Council meetings
  • Support an active affinity space culture by providing leadership and facilitation training and support to both student co-heads and faculty and staff advisors
  • Oversee the execution of the Cohort program, which provides community and mentorship for domestic students receiving the highest financial aid awards to help them navigate Concord Academy as their whole selves --- Participate on the Department Heads and Student Support teams In addition, the Director of Community and Equity will:
    • Teach one course per semester in their home discipline or assume another community role
    • Keep current with best practices in schoolbased community and equity work and trends through the pursuit of professional development opportunities and networking connections
    • Manage a team and a budget with an organized, detail-oriented, resourceful, collaborative, and growth mindset approach Qualities of the new Director of Community and Equity The Director of Community and Equity will need to have a track record of leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion work in a professional setting, as well as the ability to articulate a vision for "a more just and sustainable future." The Director of Community and Equity will have a strong sense of self, a healthy self-care routine, and the ability to refresh themselves as they daily support others in DEI work. This position entails supporting individuals and groups to feel empowered to be their whole selves, while expecting growth from all individuals in the community and providing the necessary support or guidance to nurture it. The Director of Community and Equity will model empathy, integrity, and responsibility in their interactions with members of their community as a visible leader, collaborator, and mentor. They will also provide positive and consistent leadership to support the adherence to community standards and values. The Director of Community and Equity will be able to communicate effectively as a speaker, writer and listener, and engage in thoughtful dialogue in difficult moments. Finally, the Director of Community and Equity will lead with good humor, poise, and a positive spirit. Education, Experience, and Skills
      • Degree such as MEd, MSW, or MA in a relevant field and/or training as a DEI practitioner preferred
      • Organized and capable manager of people, program, and budgets
      • Experience working with community-based organizations
      • Ability to take initiative and decipher whether a task should be delegated or shared, as well as develop a work plan to advance the initiative
      • Personal traits to include:
        • Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence
        • Proactive, energetic, and creative presence
        • Ability to have courageous and difficult conversations
        • An ability to bring people together
        • A broad view of diversity, equity, and inclusion
        • Open-minded, sense of humor, and balanced perspective
        • Able and willing to work a flexible full-time schedule, including evenings and weekends in a boarding school setting Procedure to Apply: Concord Academy is an equal opportunity employer and values the strength diversity brings to the workplace. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. We actively seek applicants who reflect and support our mission-driven commitment to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive school community. The school provides a competitive benefits package and salary is commensurate with experience.
          • Cover letter expressing interest in the Concord Academy Director of Community and Equity position
          • Statement of educational philosophy and practice which expresses who you are and how you connect to this work (no more than 2 pages)
          • List of three references including name, title, phone number, email address, and professional relationship (references are contacted only with the candidate's permission) Search Timeline:
            • February 10, 2021: Applications Due
            • February 19, 2021: Semifinalists Interviews
            • March 1-5, 2021: Finalists Interviews
            • March 15, 2021: Announcement-- Please email any questions to jobs@strategenius.org or by phone to Orpheus Crutchfield at (510) 685-0861.

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