Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Washington, DC)

This position on our Executive team will create and drive forward strategies and practices that ensure the firm meets our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This role will serve as a strategic partner to key stakeholders, including executive leadership, business unit leaders and our Culture and Talent team. The Director will be a key partner to implementing our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy across recruiting and human resources practices, culture, applying an equity lens to our work with clients and communications. 

Essential Responsibilities

Design and lead firmwide diversity, equity and inclusion strategy

• Designs, implements and manages a comprehensive strategy to achieve the firm’s overall diversity, equity and inclusion goals (current strategy expires in 2020)
• Helps identify and frame diversity, equity and inclusion challenges and opportunities across the firm, in partnership with staff and executive leadership
• Serves as lead champion and influencer for diversity, equity and inclusion practices across the organization, including using effective change management practices
• Creates and implements an internal diversity, equity and inclusion communications strategy
• Stays well informed of trends and innovations related to diversity, equity and inclusion in and outside of the philanthropic sector, to inform on-going strategy and tactics
• Manages all program content, logistics and budget related to our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy
• Provides training and coaching to staff

Support and accelerate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across teams

• Serves as an advisor and facilitates coordination across multiple firm-wide diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• Coordinate with team members to harmonize diversity, equity and inclusion related external communications
• Coordinate and advise with client service teams
• Drive diversity, equity and inclusion related HR initiatives including facilitating employee resource groups and building equitable management competencies of staff

To Be Successful in This Role, You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Development, Human Resources, or related field
• 5 - 8 years of experience developing and executing diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and programs in a growing organization
• Strong project management skills to drive projects to completion
• Demonstrated change management skills and experience
• Strong facilitation skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Effective written and oral communication skills
• Strong teamwork and relationship building skills with a collaborative approach to working with others at all levels of seniority
• Ability to effectively navigate ambiguity

Our Core Competencies:

• The ability to provide excellent service, including being able to effectively manage resources, create and implement enhancements across the firm to efficiently achieve service standards, and to coach junior teammates on how to address complex service challenges
• The ability to oversee and advise on multiple complex projects, including encouraging workflow and work plan innovations, and ensuring deliverables are high-quality and meet clients’ needs
• The ability to coach colleagues in how to understand stakeholders’ perspectives and to handle high-level stakeholder challenges
• The ability to effectively communicate difficult messages, to represent the firm to external audiences, and to mentor colleagues in how to adapt style, tone, and content to various audiences
• The ability help teams overcome collaboration challenges and promote compromise, inclusion, and openness; promote and lead activities that support an open, safe, and inclusive organization; understand the context in which we work and build critical cross-team connections; and share useful knowledge firm wide
• The ability to regularly integrate learnings to improve team operations, to lead learning opportunities that enhance team performance, and to be a mentor to others
• The ability to empower teammates to solve problems and provide guidance only when necessary; to solve complex challenges without clear owners or solutions by identifying innovative approaches; and to facilitating coordination with others and to coach colleagues in thinking through solutions

About Arabella Advisors

Arabella Advisors helps foundations, philanthropists and investors who are serious about impact achieve the greatest good with their resources. We work on issues ranging from the social and economic advancement of women and girls, and conservation of our climate and planet, to reducing poverty and inequity in the United States and around the world. Our staff members are mission-driven and action-oriented, and have a unique combination of experience in philanthropy, business, nonprofits, government, finance, law, and other fields. We combine creative, strategic thinking with knowledge and networks developed through decades of hands-on experience. The fastest-growing philanthropic advisory firm in the nation, Arabella is also a certified B Corporation. 

Working with Us

We are committed to having a passion-driven, inclusive, transparent, collaborative, healthy, and fun culture. We invite you to visit our careers page to learn more.

To encourage work/life balance, we offer flexible work options. Our office is an open space with cubicles and informal work areas. Our salaries are closer to the range of a nonprofit and our benefits are excellent. You’ll start with three weeks of vacation, 80 hours of personal time, and 20 hours of paid time to volunteer at an organization of your choice. In addition to seven federal holidays, you get to pick four more from a list of inclusive religious holidays and your birthday.

We have a competitive health package that includes medical, vision, dental, and prescription insurance. We also provide funds for professional development, a fitness benefit, and cover part of your personal cell phone plan.

How to Apply

Submit a resume and a one-page cover letter here online. The cover letter should address why you’re excited to work at Arabella and why you’re qualified for this specific job.

We value diversity and inclusion and encourage all qualified people to apply. If we can make this easier through accommodation in the recruitment process, please let us know.

While Arabella is open to individuals from various locations applying to join our team, please note that we generally are unable to pay for relocation expenses.

We will review applications as they are received and look forward to hearing from you.