Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Faculty and Staff Engagement

SAICFor more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman. ABOUT THE POSITIONThe Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for Faculty & Staff Engagement reports to and takes direction from the VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The Director plans, coordinates, implements, and promotes the Office of DEI’s strategic initiatives in partnership with academic and non-academic units at SAIC. The Director works to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism (DEIA+AR) at SAIC by offering technical assistance, tools, resources and support aligned with the academic mission of SAIC. The Director coordinates diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racist trainings and educational programming for faculty, staff, and the greater campus community; the role provides Orientations for New Employees, including new faculty at SAIC; this role serves as a collaborator with the office of the dean of faculty, academic affairs, academic departments and community partners; this role collaborates with the Director of DEI for Student Engagement and supervises student workers. RESPONSIBILITIES Staff Supervision - Supervises graduate students. Provides workflow, communicates expectations, and monitors progress; provides on-going direction & feedback about performance through weekly 1:1 meetings; assists in the recruitment and hiring of DEI student workers, including reviewing applicant materials, conducting candidate interviews, and offering recommendations for hiring to the VP of DEI; coordinates and provides training and professional development opportunities.Engagement and Educational Programming - Contributes to the development and execution of DEI strategic initiatives; Plans, promotes, implements and assesses programs, workshops, lectures, and institutes for the campus community, with a focus on faculty and staff development; Serves as DEI Office lead for faculty outreach and engagement; Plans and coordinates meetings, trainings/workshops, events, etc., designed to increase DEIA and anti-racist awareness, knowledge and skills; Promotes Office of DEI’s goals and objectives to build internal and external relationships and networks across the SAIC; Develops and disseminates engaging and comprehensive arts education related DEIA educational materials and resources; Utilizes data and DEIA best practices to guide and inform future initiatives; Contributes to an annual calendar of events for the Office with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti- racism; Coordinates events (workshops, programs, lectures, etc) sponsored by the DEI Office and in partnership with other SAIC campus offices; Stays apprised of best practices in the DEIA field, social practice, and art and design education to support the Office’s programming, policies, procedures, tools, resources, trainings, and broader institutional work; Partners with Student Affairs and the Flaxman Library + Special Collections to recognize, acknowledge, and educate community members through heritage month programs; Creates DEIA and anti-racist resources in support of curricular development and campus engagement; Collaborates on drafting campus-wide messaging to bring widespread awareness to the significance of heritage and cultural observances; Collaborates with the Director of DEI for Student Engagement to ensure integration of the campus-wide DEIA and anti-racist programmingTraining and Development - Develops and implements professional development programs and faculty workshops to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti racism; Identifies faculty and staff engagement opportunities in the Chicago area; Encourages compliance with SAIC’s required DEIA training module required for all faculty and staff; Partners with the Provost, Dean of Faculty, the Faculty Senate, Undergraduate Dean, and Graduate Dean to coordinate anti-bias trainings for faculty searches and admissions. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-racism collaboration with Campus and Community Partners - Works collaboratively with other campus partners (e.g., Center for Teaching & Learning, Workplace Accommodations and Accessibility Committee, Ombuds, HR, Faculty Senate, Title IX, Wellness Center, Community Engagement, Siskel Center, Homan Square, Dean of Faculty) at SAIC on DEIA related issues and initiatives; Serves as a liaison for connecting and coordinating DEIA initiatives and efforts across SAIC to build capacity and engagement; Develops relationships with individuals, organizations, and communities beyond SAIC, leading to a greater impact of SAIC’s Citizen Artist mission and to explore future social impact opportunities and collaborations; Utilizes SAIC’s formal policies, procedures and structures (e.g., Title IX, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation, Accommodations, Ombudsperson and Faculty Handbook); In partnership with the Graduate Division, participate in the AICAD Fellows Retreat and AICAD Symposium; As requested, works with the Faculty Representative for Diversity on faculty searches and outreach; Stays abreast of current affairs and campus community issues; Partners with VP of DEI, Director of DEI for Student Engagement, and other school leadership to strengthen the campus climate and to foster a culture of belonging for all at SAIC.Assessment - Develops creative qualitative and quantitative assessment tools as part of program planning that capture level of engagement, learning outcomes, and impact ; Facilitates process-oriented discussions on events/programs and annual planning sessions to guide and inform future programming and academic supports; Documents programmatic outcomes, and creates annual reports that reflect the efforts and contributions of the DEI Office; Conducts continuous quality improvement assessments and explores opportunities for future growth and development; Serves as a lead writer for the DEI Office’s Annual report; Stays apprised of best practices in the DEIA+AR, inclusive pedagogies, and arts and design education and continuously incorporates these into programming, policies, procedures and broader institutional work; Collaborate with VP for DEI, Dean of Faculty, Faculty Senate, Human Resources, and Institutional Research, to build an assessment plan that reflects the recruitment, experience, retention, and advancement rates of faculty and staff across demographic categories; Serve as thought partner on institutional research and assessment projects efforts that inform SAIC’s commitment to DEIA and anti-racism. Administrative - Manages the administrative functions of the Diversity Infusion Grants (DIG) including the promotion of grant opportunities to faculty members, the application process, the selection of the awardees, award distribution and ongoing faculty engagement in collaboration with the office of dean of faculty; Maintains/tracks all DIG grant awards and outcomes; Processes and manages the payment of all expense reimbursements, invoices, independent contractors, and one-time payments within the guidelines of AIC accounting procedures providing timely payment to vendors. Keep current on SAIC academic processes, policies and procedures Budget Management - Manages operating budget; Provides monthly, quarterly, and annual Budget reports to the VP for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Attends all budget trainings and meetings; Becomes familiar and stays current with all School finance and budget policies; Knowledgeable on running, sharing, and interpreting financial reports.; Provides recommendations for biennial operating budget requests.Marketing & Communications - Promotes the Office of DEI programming and events by developing a comprehensive communications plan that informs and engages the campus and greater community; Establish & maintain partnership with Marketing and Communications (MarCom) team; Serves as the point of contact between the MarCom team and the DEI Office; Coordinates with graphic design team on deliverables; Reviews assets for MarCom approval; Communicates revisions with the graphic design team; Facilitates review process and gains approval from VP of DEI and President’s Office; maintains DEI Office website. Other Duties as Assigned - Some evening and weekend commitments are expected to assure the faculty and staff engagement goals of the DEI Office are achieved. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTSAbility to perform basic job functions both electronically and in-person, as directedSitting and/or standing requiredQUALIFICATIONS Master’s Degree required, higher education studies, arts education, ethnic studies, education in general or public policy fields preferredMinimum 3-5 years of professional experience working in higher education requiredDemonstrated knowledge of and commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Anti-Racism issues in higher education requiredDemonstrated interest in and dedication to working on behalf of supporting the retention and success of faculty and staff from historically underrepresented populations within higher education settings requiredDemonstrated experience with supporting the LGBTQIA+ community requiredDemonstrated competency in facilitating or organizing faculty and staff development, trainings, and workshops requiredMinimum 2-3 year experience in planning, managing, implementing and evaluating programming and initiatives in higher education settings and with faculty Experience in Inclusive teaching and pedagogies preferredExcellent communication and engagement skills-written, verbal, interpersonal, and technological requiredAbility to work effectively and in partnership with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse campus community Experience navigating confidentiality, privacy, and sensitive topics Ability to work effectively in a collaborative work environment and ability to take initiativeand work independently to meet expectations and deadlinesPossesses strong projectanagement and organizational skillsA broad interest in and knowledge about arts in higher education and the art and design world preferred Must be informed of the needs of a diverse, urban, artist population Demonstrated leadership ability Skills in crisis management, mediation, and referralsSALARY GRADE 8BENEFITSWe offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package:Generous paid time offPaid holidays (up to 14 days)Medical, dental, and vision insuranceGenerous parental, caregiver, and medical leave benefitsCompetitive retirement plan (up to 9% matching contribution)Tuition remission and Tuition Exchange ProgramGreat employee discountsComplimentary general admission to participating cultural institutionsWant to stay abreast of the latest job openings at the Art Institute and the School of the Art Institute? Sign up for our Employment Opportunities E-announcements.CLOSING STATEMENT The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu.UNION INFOThis position is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Council 31