Reports To:  Head of School

Oldfields School, an all-girls’ international boarding and day school, grades 8-12, located in northern Baltimore County, seeks applicants for a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). This is a full-time, exempt position with a July 1, 2021, start date. This is an outstanding opportunity for a person with a high degree of integrity and a deep commitment to the value of a single sex independent school education.

The Director of DEI will work with the Head of School and in partnership with other administrators to define and lead the School’s DEI vision and strategy, including to establish plans, programs, and metrics to evaluate systems, policies, and practices to ensure they meet the needs of diverse populations in the school community, including students, families, employees, and alumni. The ideal candidate will inhabit this role as a community builder and serve as an active listener to students, employees, and other constituents to support their needs, assess the effectiveness of School’s DEI work, and identify areas for additional programming or other work. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative: 

A member of the School’s leadership team, the Director of DEI is an essential participant in all institutional conversations and makes decisions that are aligned with, and informed by, the School’s strategic initiatives; creates a vision for future professional growth of faculty and staff; assists with developing proactive strategies and practices to recruit and retain a diverse faculty and staff; ensure that the School’s climate and culture are healthy through the regular collection and analysis of data to inform strategic decision-making and action; and oversees the DEI budget.

Student/Parent Education: 

The Director of DEI develops and leads workshops for families and students; hosts speakers/consultants in order to enhance the understanding of equity and justice issues in our community and beyond; partners with faculty and staff to develop curriculum and programming, and works with students in support of student groups, assemblies, and equity-related activities; provides support, resources and guidance for all members of the school community, including students from diverse backgrounds and international students; and works in collaboration with the Dean of Students to implement Restorative Justice practices.

Outreach and Support:

The Director of DEI participates in meetings of the various diversity and affinity groups of the School, and/or receives regular feedback from these groups; coordinates efforts among groups and individuals and provides administrative support for their activities, where appropriate; initiates activities to engage all members of the community; develops programming for all constituencies, including students, faculty, parent associations, and current and prospective families on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion; partners with the Admissions Office to recruit, welcome, and retain students from diverse backgrounds; works with the Development and Alumni Offices to create a proactive approach to engaging alumni from all backgrounds. 

Communication and Liaison: 

The Director of DEI coordinates programming and communications (internally and externally) with the School’s administration, faculty/staff, students and other constituents; serves as a liaison with the Board of Trustees through the DEI Committee; and is the liaison with any outside diversity consultants and organizations, facilitating the consultant’s activities. 

Advocacy: 

The Director of DEI responds to issues as they arise, identified by or through the Director or other administrators and faculty/staff members, parents, students, and trustees; acts as an advocate for staff, students, or parents who encounter equity-related issues, and support them when dealing with particular concerns; serves as a resource for faculty/staff, trustees, parents, students, and administrators seeking information about diversity, equity or inclusion-related issues. 

Qualifications:

• The successful applicant will have a bachelor’s degree; a master’s degree or equivalent years of experience is also required.
• Teaching and/or training experience is essential, with a minimum of three to five years of experience preferred; experience as a leader and manager; and skill as an evaluator of others’ performance will also be preferred.
• Candidates should have demonstrated leadership ability with adults, both individually as a group facilitator.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including letters, social media, miscellaneous correspondence, timelines, and reports.
• Enthusiasm for developing, nurturing, and strengthening relationships, while creating opportunities for deeper engagement.
• Demonstrates personal commitment to professional growth and to receiving and acting on constructive feedback.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as warranted by meetings, events, or other school-related needs.