Assistant Vice President for Diversity Operations

Job no:

R-0000001007

Position Title:

Assistant Vice President for Diversity Operations

Faculty or Staff:

Staff

Full Time or Part Time:

Full time

In-Person, Hybrid, or Remote:

Hybrid

Minimum Starting Rate of Pay:

$115,225.00

Rate of pay commensurate with experience

Start Date:

08/01/2024

Job Description:

Reporting to the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, the Assistant Vice President will serve as a senior administrative leader to the Vice President for Equity and inclusion and will play a crucial role in developing organizational capacity and effectiveness across the institution. As a senior leader, the AVP will provide strategic leadership and vision with daily oversight of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The AVP will work with key constituencies across campus to design policies, strategies and programs with goals of advancing diversity, equity and inclusion through coordinated and consistent engagement. As a thought partner and collaborator, the AVP will work with the College’s senior leadership as well as the Alum Association. The AVP will assist with the development of criteria to assess DEI initiatives, manage the daily operations of the DEI Office and support the ideation and implementation of campus-wide diversity action plans consistent with the College’s strategic plan.

With advanced knowledge of the challenges and contemporary issues that impact campus climate, the AVP will be instrumental in responding to the needs of the community. Their focused efforts to develop curricula, training programs and workshops will enhance learning and engagement, and foster a more inclusive campus community.

The AVP will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders and provide project management to ensure the implementation of vital initiatives. Along with preparing presentations, documenting activities and supervising the day-to-day operations of the DEI Office, the AVP will serve as a central contact for campus constituents on key priorities related to the anti-racism action plan and the strategic plan of the College. The AVP will meet regularly with the Alum Association Executive Director to ensure that the vision for diversity, equity and inclusion extends to the more than 38,000 alum of Mount Holyoke College.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and supervision of key DEI staff members.
• Collaborates with the Department of Human Resources on specific initiatives to recruit and retain employees to ensure a diverse workforce at the institution with a specific focus on creating affinity-based programs, serving on search committees, and developing vital resources for historically excluded and underrepresented faculty and staff.
• Uses a variety of strategic indicators to continuously learn from the experiences of historically excluded, underrepresented and affinity-based groups and assess the College’s efforts to support these community members including alum, students, faculty and staff. The AVP thoughtfully analyzes the data and, as needed, develops responsive initiatives to address campus culture and increase support for impacted groups. The AVP provides regular reports on this data for the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion among other campus leaders.
• Leads strategic, campus-wide data collection efforts working collaboratively with the Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness and departments and divisions across campus to develop a strategic diversity action plan.
• Creates and implements a vision for strategic engagement with students, faculty, staff and alum.
• Makes data-driven determinations about the structures and processes needed for the department to excel in providing support to the broader campus community.
• Collaborates with other senior leaders at the College to recruit and retain underrepresented employees and students.
• Works collaboratively with key DEI staff to develop and disseminate DEI communications.
• With 25% of the role specifically being focused on alum, the AVP will work closely with the Executive Director of the Alum Association to identify and implement strategies for advancing the vision for DEI within the Association.
• Collaborates with the Alum Association staff and Board of Directors to support the development of a strategic plan for diversity with a specific aim of engaging diverse alums and building capacity among staff and volunteers across departments who work closely with alums.
• The AVP will be a key College communicator on DEI, chair of mission-critical committees and work in an advisory capacity as needed to support senior leaders who have diversity initiatives they seek to implement.
• Supports the development of curricula and training sessions focused on providing a robust diversity, equity and inclusion education program.
  
  
  

A successful Assistant Vice President of Diversity Operations will:

• Communicate in a clear, courteous and helpful manner with internal and external community members. Respond to internal and external inquiries in an informed and timely manner.
• Work as part of a team as well as independently on a wide variety of projects.
• Prioritize work duties, and demonstrate effective time management skills.
• Multi-task and transition quickly between projects to address specific situations, manage multiple concurrent projects, and meet strict deadlines.
• Work effectively under pressure, and with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Possess strong relational and interpersonal skills and maintain effective, professional and cooperative working relationships.
• Have the ability to interpret and apply pertinent College rules, regulations, policies, and procedures in the course of carrying out their role.
  
  
  

Education and Experience

• Ph.D./Ed.D. preferred. Master’s degree with at least 8-10 years of experience working in diversity, equity and inclusion or another closely related field.
• Preference given to those candidates with experience in an academic institution of higher education.
• Experience as an assistant or associate dean, director or senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion is required to be considered for this leadership position.
• Strong relationships with alum communities will be an asset to anyone interested in this position.
• Demonstrated collaborative decision making and project management skills required.
• Experience serving as a strategic, values-based leader and thought partner is desired.
• Advanced knowledge of analytical, statistical and data visualization tools as well as strong budget management skills.
• Must be organized, have exceptional attention to detail and possess effective communication and project management skills. Must be able to maintain the highest level of confidentiality at all times.
• Thrive in a professional and fast-paced work environment. The ability to handle multiple projects and tight deadlines.
• Should be able to work as a team player and use good judgment.
• Maintain a professional demeanor at all times, along with exhibiting tact, grace, discretion and a sense of calm.
  
  
  

Working conditions:

• Requires high level of social contact and communication with students, alum, staff and faculty daily by telephone, e-mail, and/or in person.
• Mostly an indoor work environment.
• Flexible, hybrid working environment.
• Will require irregular hours such as evening and weekend events particularly for programs engaging campus community members.
  
  
  

Background Checks:

Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.

Special Instructions for Applicants:

Apply online; application materials must include:

• A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
• A complete resume or curriculum vitae
• For faculty positions, statements on mentoring, teaching, and research will also be required.
  
  
  

Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)

Mount Holyoke College, the leading gender-diverse women’s college, is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. We are a diverse community of staff, faculty, and students, united in our mission to offer an intellectually adventurous education in the liberal arts through academic programs that are renowned internationally for their cross-disciplinary excellence, experiential approach, and commitment to diversity.

Mount Holyoke College is a welcoming and inclusive environment that values and respects individuals of all backgrounds. As an EOE, we encourage members of historically underrepresented groups or nontraditional backgrounds to apply for open positions at our institution. The College has a long-standing tradition of providing women and other historically underrepresented groups with access to an innovative educational experience that prepares students for purposeful leadership by integrating hands-on opportunities into the curriculum. We firmly believe that diversity enriches our community and enhances our ability to prepare students for success in an increasingly globalized world.

We are dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all qualified applicants and to building an exemplary workforce that reflects the diversity of our student body and the communities we serve. Our ultimate goal is to produce graduates who are capable of engaging thoughtfully, effectively, and boldly with the world.