Located in Boston’s historic Fenway area, Simmons has a strong tradition of empowering women and challenging traditional gender roles. Simmons University was one of the first higher education institutions to prepare women to become leaders and has evolved to become a university offering a women’s undergraduate program and graduate programs open to all.
You’re joining our community at an especially exciting time as one of our strategic goals is to become the most inclusive campus in New England. You’ll find that people who work here are truly committed to our mission of preparing students to become champions of social justice and leaders in their professions and their communities. This commitment and pride make for a dynamic workplace. Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual’s community experience.
As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices–at all levels, for all positions–ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.
JOB SUMMARY
Simmons University seeks a Director for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, who will play a crucial role in enhancing the university's commitment to inclusive excellence. The responsibilities include strategic planning, delivering programs, training, and workshops, and organizing activities reinforcing the university's dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Director's mission is to foster a vibrant Simmons community where every member has the opportunity to thrive. The ideal candidate should possess a deep understanding of DEI pedagogy, a theory of change, and an entrepreneurial spirit to build a welcoming and inclusive environment.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
Leadership and Supervision (30%)
- Supervise, hire, train, and develop teams in the affinity centers.
- Provide leadership oversight to the affinity centers (multi-cultural center and LGBTQ+ center).
- Craft and execute strategies to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment at Simmons University.
- Align affinity initiatives with Simmons University's mission and strategic objectives.
Operations and logistics (20%)
- Manage budget, operations, and logistics for affinity centers (including grant renewal, maintaining membership with external partners, etc.)
.
Training and Programming (20%)
- Oversee ongoing program partnerships (including the Bridge program, First to Finish, and Apsalm)
- Support the AVP of Diversity Strategy and Engagement with developing and/or facilitating university-wide DEI-focused training and educational programs.
- Serve on university-wide and external committees that are aligned with organizational goals.
Stakeholder Engagement (15%)
- Oversee ongoing program partnerships (including the Bridge program, First to Finish, and Apsalm)
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to identify opportunities to enhance programmatic efforts.
- Engage with university stakeholders to advance DEI initiatives.
- Liaise with external partners, including community organizations, to enhance the university's DEI efforts.
- Serve on institutional and or external DEI-focused committees.
Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting (15%)
- Collect and analyze data to evaluate the effectiveness of DEI initiatives at Simmons University.
- Regularly support the AVP of Diversity Strategy and Engagement in abreasting the university leadership team with programmatic data insights.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in higher educational administration, student development, counseling or related field;
- A minimum of 4 years of professional experience in the area of multicultural affairs, diversity and inclusion, student activities or working with traditionally underrepresented student populations;
- Demonstrated success in program planning and implementation, with a strong focus on strategizing and executing high-impact DEI initiatives, including effective supervision and student organization advising.
- Proven leadership and supervisory abilities, with experience in fostering team development, accountability, and professional growth in dynamic environments.
- Ability to work independently and as a member of committees and teams; possessing strong community-building and group facilitation skills, along with excellent written and verbal communication.
- Proven ability to work effectively in dynamic and diverse settings, demonstrating adaptability to change and strong problem-solving skills, including emergency response and sensitive information management.
- Flexibility to accommodate student schedules, including occasional nights and/or weekends, with a capacity to handle sensitive issues with discretion and empathy.
COMPETENCIES
- Problem-Solving
- Analytical and Strategic
- Customer Service Oriented
- Communication (Written, Verbal, Presentation)
- Commitment to Inclusive Excellence and Social Justice
- Teamwork
- Leadership
WORK ENVIRONMENT & CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Full-time (40-hours/week) position with a schedule of Monday through Friday
- Eligible for a flexible, hybrid in-office/remote work setting structure.
- Frequent sitting for long periods; occasional kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling, walking and standing; occasional reaching above and below desk level.
- Frequent lifting/carrying of papers, files, equipment, and material weighing up to 10 pounds; occasional lifting up to 25 pounds.
- Frequent fine manipulation sufficient to operate a computer keyboard; frequent grasping to handle individual papers, write and take notes, and feel individual objects.
- Working on a computer, typing and looking at a screen for the majority of the day.
- Required to work some evenings and weekends.
- Travel may be necessary for conferences, less than 5%.
Required Application Materials:
Salary Grade
S08
Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv, cover letter, writing sample, teaching philosophy, etc.) in the Application Materials box on page 2 ("My Experience") of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).
Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual’s community experience. As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices–at all levels, for all positions–ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.
Read Full Description