Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Engagement - Chicago, United States - Northwestern University

Description

Department: Law Student Services
Salary/Grade: EXS/16

Target hiring range for this position will be between $177,589 to $221,986 year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary:

The Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Engagement will serve as a critical member of the Law School's senior leadership team. Reporting directly to the Dean, this position will collaborate closely with the Dean, other law school and university leaders, the ODEIE and student services teams, students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The Dean has also committed to adding an additional staff member to the ODEIE team and the new Associate Dean will play a lead role in shaping that position and in the search. The Associate Dean will work in partnership to develop and advance the law school's next steps forward.

As a proactive, not reactive leader, the Associate Dean will be a skilled and experienced professional, with their finger on the pulse of the diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices in leading schools across the nation and the globe, and a thoughtful eye for partnership opportunities to advance this work across the University and beyond. This visionary and strategic thought-leader will bring a relational savvy to influence, convene, and collaborate with a wide array of stakeholders. They will be adept at encouraging broad community-building, engagement, and accountability, acknowledging that this work cannot fall to one person.

The Associate Dean will work to bring constituents into alignment and empower them to fully engage in building an equitable and inclusive law school where all students, faculty, staff, and alumni can participate fully as their whole selves. They will promote a culture of open communication and dialogue, striving to increase feelings of belonging for all stakeholders, deliberately and collaboratively emphasizing and deconstructing the historical and structural factors that inhibit such experiences for underrepresented and historically excluded groups.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Scientific Writing: Produce high-quality written content for peer-reviewed journals, grant proposals, research
• Lead collaborative efforts to develop a strategic plan, programming, and initiatives around diversity, equity, inclusion, and engagement as part of the Law School's strategic planning.
• The Associate Dean will partner with the dean, senior leadership, students, faculty, staff, and alumni to shape the strategy and coordinate school-wide efforts around diversity, equity, inclusion, and engagement and fostering a welcoming and inclusive learning and working environment. This strategic planning process for DEIE will be part of a broader law school strategic planning process and part of the commitments of the law school through that process. Most importantly, this leader will have a focus on concrete action that addresses areas that the community identify as needing progress and proactively advances diversity, equity, inclusion, and engagement. They will develop and implement a vision in partnership with these key stakeholders. This vision will help guide a comprehensive and integrated approach to DEIE, synchronizing and leveraging current efforts and initiatives and introducing new concrete action to move the Law School forward in this crucial area. They will also examine the Law School's existing diversity education and training infrastructure and will strategize on increasing access, broadening content, deepening engagement, and ensuring cross-university cohesion in service of the student experience. They will embark upon a consultative approach to working with all of the key stakeholders regarding inclusive practices, programming, and advocacy for all.
• Continue to develop ways to empower faculty, staff, students, and alumni to engage with the DEIE work.
• As a key Law School leader in advancing organizational change, the Associate Dean will empower others by identifying the needs of the Law School and collaboratively developing and implementing an integrated plan of action. The Associate Dean will be a key force in translating the key concerns of key stakeholders into action through an inclusive approach that cultivates and supports DEIE leadership in students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The Associate Dean will serve as a connector, facilitator, and convenor, partnering with academic and administrative units across the Law School to embed diversity, equity, inclusion, and engagement into all facets of education, recruitment, retention, mentoring, and professional development. The Associate Dean will form strong partnerships with faculty, staff, student, and alumni leaders in the Law School and the greater University and provide advice, counsel, resources, support, and training.
• Support the recruitment, development, and retention of a diverse faculty, staff, and student body.
• In collaboration with the Dean and other senior leaders of the Law School, the Associate Dean will support efforts to recruit, retain, and develop diverse faculty, staff, and students, and identify policies and practices that support the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, administrators, staff, and students. The Law School's HR Initiative and the practices around hiring it has been implementing this past year will form an important part of this effort, and the Associate Dean will serve as a key partner to the Dean and those leading the HR Initiative in its implementation. They will ensure that recruitment procedures reduce implicit bias and hiring barriers. To advance these efforts, the Associate Dean will also continue to build out pipelines and networks connecting the Law School to underrepresented groups, and via enhanced programming, will proactively increase engagement and support for those already at Northwestern. Importantly, the values of diversity and inclusion will be further embedded in the selection, training, support, and advancement of faculty, staff, and students at all levels. The Law School's success depends not on any single project but on a sustained, systemic effort across its strategic priorities to achieve greater diversity of membership in the community. The Associate Dean will ensure that all senior leaders, faculty, and staff have the knowledge, tools, resources, and support they need to meet their goals and objectives. They will make critical investments in the team and will ensure that the principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are embedded in the organizational culture and structure.
• Advance efforts to strengthen the sense of belonging among an increasingly diverse community.
• The Associate Dean will work collaboratively with all members of the Law School community to create a culture where all students, staff, faculty, and alumni can safely and freely engage while simultaneously identifying and grappling with the systemic structures and historical decisions that continue to impact the achievement of that goal. This is especially important as the Law School's student body is becoming more diverse. The Associate Dean will cultivate a climate and culture at the Law School that affirms, recognizes, and lifts up the experiences of those who have been underrepresented and historically excluded from legal education and practice. The Associate Dean will serve as a resource to the community regarding diversity and belonging. Specifically, the Associate Dean will work closely with all stakeholders to build skills and capacities and create opportunities for wholistic community input. Inclusion cannot be adequately addressed without explicitly addressing the systemic disenfranchisement, marginalization, and violence many groups face, especially in the context of the United States legal system.
• Promote programs and initiatives that align with institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion values and priorities.
• The Associate Dean will build on the law school's existing programs and initiatives to advance equity and foster a welcoming, inclusive, and representative learning and working environment. This may include continuing to develop career-oriented programming in collaboration with the Career Strategy Center such as alumni from traditionally underrepresented groups presenting on their paths, discussions of addressing bias in the profession, and preparing students to be culturally competent lawyers. This may also involve partnering with affinity groups to develop programming on important topics, such as the collaborative programming with BLSA this year on colorism, or with faculty on issues such as validity and bias issues with teaching evaluations. The Associate Dean may also continue to develop anti-racism, microaggression, unconscious bias, and similar trainings with a focus on what next steps should look like; for example, many units have done general trainings but not ones specifically focused on their area of work, which might be of value. They will be a proactive leader, mindful of local, national, and global issues in the ever-evolving DEI space. The Associate Dean will lead program development with a mind toward the many intersectional facets of DEI work, including curriculum development, recruitment, resource use and allocation, and student support.
• Provide thought-leadership and cultivate key partnerships internally and externally.
• The Associate Dean will be a key leader in the Law Schools efforts to innovate for impact. As a thought leader and trusted partner to the Dean and senior leadership, the Associate Dean will help to engender a better understanding of the complexity of the issues involved in creating and maintaining a more inclusive and diverse law school and collaborate to develop effective concrete action. The Associate Dean will cultivate positive relationships internally and externally and develop innovative new initiatives with those partners that create models for how to advance DEI and build on Northwestern Pritzker Law's longstanding work through its Bluhm Legal Clinic and Center for the Public Interest on social and racial justice. The Associate Dean will partner with the Dean and Associate Dean for Alumni Relations and Development in crafting and presenting development opportunities to potential philanthropic, foundation, and corporate partners.

Supervisory

• Supervises 1-2 staff &/or provide work direction.
• Provides training to staff within or outside of immediate dept or division in regard to function.
• Completes other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a master's or JD or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 10+ year's related experience.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Significant experience as a diversity leader with experience in diversity, inclusion, equity, affirmative action, change management, organization development, and/or human resources.
• An in-depth knowledge of principles, practices, and theories in diversity, inclusion, and equity.
• Ability to be both visionary and strategic, as well as tactical, in conceiving and executing initiatives, and in considering how current plans will be affected by future events.
• Familiarity with student services, pipeline initiatives, and enrollment management practices designed to support the recruitment, retention, and graduation of students of underrepresented and historically excluded backgrounds.
• Understanding of evolving issues and demographic trends impacting higher education institutions, especially as they affect legal education.
• Familiarity with legal education.
• Familiarity with AA/EEO, Title IX, and Civil Rights laws and regulations.
• Ability to work collaboratively in order to influence direction and decisions.
• Excellent skills around project management, active listening, analytical, written, and verbal communications.
• Ability and experience in analyzing data and surveys, producing narrative and data reports and presentations, and developing tools to measure progress towards programmatic goals.
• Experience in higher education or research setting strongly preferred, knowledge of the operation and culture of academic departments and institutions.
• Experience garnering the trust and respect of senior colleagues and students.
• Significant successful experience with creating and implementing institutional diversity programs in a collaborative way.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills, as well as strong communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to building and sustaining relationships.
• Experience effectively communicating with staff, faculty, and students and at all levels, working as a team member and handling confidential data with appropriate discretion.

Benefits:
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