Chief Diversity Officer

Chief Diversity Officer

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Chief Diversity Officer

Reporting to the President, the CDO is responsible for providing vision, leadership and strategic
direction for KSU's Division of Diverse and Inclusive Excellence, while infusing DEI mindfulness across
all aspects of university life. This is a high-impact position for a talented and resourceful professional
who is eager to contribute, is ready to be a leader on campus and to external communities, and will
bring strategic direction and support to the respective areas and to the university as a whole. This
position is open to both practicing administrative leaders and tenured (or tenurable) faculty of the
rank of Associate Professor and above.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Further refine a long-term DEI Action Plan and establish clear, measurable goals and metrics to measure and
  monitor success, and the effectiveness of diversity and inclusion initiatives.
  
• Advise University leadership team on issues related to DEI at KSU.
  
• Partner with university administrators to provide guidance on recruitment, appointment and retention processes for all faculty and staff positions in accordance with USG, state and federal laws pertaining to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action.
  
• Identify, assess, and provide ongoing monitoring of campus climate issues and associated actions to ensure students, faculty, and staff are welcomed, respected, valued and supported.
  
• Collaborate with other units on campus (Academic Affairs, Human Resources, Student Affairs) to implement purposeful and sustainable programming and assistance related to KSU needs regarding DEI for faculty, staff and students.
  
• Oversee and meet monthly with diversity liaisons of each college.
  
• Provide strategic direction for training initiatives on cultural competency, gender differences, disability, and other topics designed to increase awareness and understanding of DEI issues and maintaining compliance.
  
• Manage the institution's Workforce Analysis and oversee compliance with the Affirmative Action Plan.
  
• Provide oversight and supervision of the staff within the Division of Diverse and Inclusive Excellence.
  
• Manage the department budget, including developing budget proposals, justifying expenses and monitoring accounts.
  
• Develop and maintain relationships with regional, national and international external partners.
  
  Expectations for Leadership
  
• Provide leadership in DEI to the KSU community: The campus community seeks in this CDO a strategic partner who can communicate a strategic vision for DEI and will build bridges, serve as mentor and guide, and engage with faculty, staff, students, alumni and the broader network connected to the university. Key areas of opportunity include continuing to breakdown silos and institutional barriers, building an inclusive culture of accountability and helping faculty, staff, and students around the mindset of DEI, working to create and sustain a welcoming and inclusive campus culture; and implementation of purposeful, and sustainable DEI initiatives.
  
  
• Assess and determine the structure to meet the goals of DEI: The new CDO will be asked to work in partnership with the senior leadership team, students, faculty and staff to further build comprehensive DEI efforts at the university. The CDO will be expected to assess KSU's current programs and - based on previous experiences, knowledge of best practice, and diversity literature/scholarship - determine what is needed for KSU to further achieve the DEI goals of its strategic plan.
  
  
• Lead and support data collection and analysis for decision-making around DEI efforts: An important priority for the leader is to use data to understand the climate and make appropriate interventions throughout the institution. The CDO will create a culture of continuous improvement through planning and assessment for DEI initiatives and leverage existing employee and student engagement surveys, as well as develop other tools to assess the climate of DEI. The leader will measure the impact of initiatives quantitatively and qualitatively, use
  that data to support informed and collaborative decision making, and report these efforts to develop a culture of accountability
  
  
• Serve as an ambassador on campus and beyond: KSU is committed to diversity, access and affordability. As an institutional leader in promoting and embracing cultural diversity and cultural competence in a community dedicated to honesty, civility and integrity, the CDO will actively engage and help strengthen linkages with the community essential to the success of the institution as a member of the University System of Georgia.
  
  Education & Experience
  
• Graduate degree required.
  
• Demonstrated experience working in a DEI role in higher education, or an equivalent combination of relevant skills and experience.
  
• Minimum of three 3-5 years of supervisory experience.
  
• Record of success in building strategic coalitions and serving as a connector across organizational and cultural boundaries.
  
• P&L budgetary experience preferred, but not required.
  
• Meets the standards of professional practice as outlined by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.
  
  Leadership Skills & Competencies
  
• The ability to lead with vision, purposefulness, and optimism while keeping an eye to new possibilities and emerging challenges.
  
• Strength in interacting with a diverse array of people and perspectives, and the ability to see the world from other lenses and perspectives.
  
• The ability to engage in data informed strategic analysis of opportunities and challenges and assess the effectiveness of diversity and inclusion initiatives and programs in achieving goals.
  
• The ability to shape the narrative of members of the KSU community to promote DEI by creating a shared understanding of how DEI is defined and bolstered in mission and goals.
  
• Problem and conflict resolution skills and ability to mediate controversy and build consensus to reconcile competing interests.
  
• Qualities of creativity, resourcefulness, resiliency, and trustworthiness.
  
• Fosters open and respectful communication that contribute to addressing complex issues that
  encourage and sustain a campus community that values and exemplifies DEI.
  
• Operates as an organizational change agent for DEI.
  
• Contributes to a learning environment that is inclusive/welcoming, collegial, and collaborative for faculty, staff, administrators, and students, and fosters a climate that encourages respect for diversity.
  
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to think strategically and problem solve effectively.
  
• Excellent written, oral, interpersonal, and collaborative communication skills.
  
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate group meetings, work collaboratively with a commitment to providing support, advice and consultation across KSU to enhance DEI and access.
  
• Knowledge of the everchanging landscape of DEI topics, issues, and associated trends and it's impact in higher education (or a comparable complex organization), including but not limited to awareness of and the ability to communicate and act on issues of intersectionality, unconscious bias, and microaggressions.
  
• Motivation, professionalism, integrity, and drive to advance KSU's DEI initiatives.
  
• Strong leadership skills.
  
• Demonstrated ability to navigate different constituencies.
  
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic action plans.
  
• Demonstrated ability to foster relationships and develop partnerships within a local community, businesses and organizations, and serve as a voice within the community.
  
  Interested parties should direct all communications to the consultants supporting this search, John McFarland and Jan Thrapp, via email to KSUCDO@odgersberndtson.com
  
  To apply, please visit: https://www.kennesaw.edu/cdosearch/
  
  To apply, visit https://www.kennesaw.edu/cdosearch/
  
  
  
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