Director of DEI Programs

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.

NRDC is seeking a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to work with the DEI team in our New York or other NRDC offices.

Position Summary
NRDC is seeking an experienced Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to help assess and revamp NRDC’s
current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and implement best/next-practice, outcomes-oriented
programs and initiatives that optimize impact.

NRDC is committed to infusing the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion into its work and workplace because it aligns with our core values, enriches the work environment, and enhances our effectiveness as an advocate for the safeguarding of our earth, and environmental justice. NRDC is looking for a Director to enhance and expand the good work we have done thus far and who will influence, challenge, and educate leadership and other key stakeholders within NRDC on DEI initiatives and strategy bringing fresh and relevant perspectives and ideas. The Director will report to the Managing Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion also includes DEI Leads and is supported by a DEI Coordinator.

This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled DEI practitioner who is adept at data-driven qualitative and
quantitative analysis and has significant experience in program implementation and change management. The Director will be an exceptional relationship builder and communicator with a strong metrics and outcomes orientation, who can champion the vision and hold individuals accountable, at all levels, to successfully advance and achieve NRDCs audacious goals around DEI. The successful candidates will be bridge builders and institutional collaborators who demonstrate a genuine alignment with the values of NRDC and seek to apply their professional experience in the field of DEI and passion to help embed diversity, equity and inclusion practices and principles in the people, strategy, and structures that NRDC uses to advance its mission.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute organization-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs in collaboration with HR, Senior Leadership, Communications, ERGs, and DEI working groups.
• Collaborate with Managing Director in developing annual organization-wide DEI workplan and goals and implementing accountability measures and metrics to ensure goals are met; this includes benchmarking, analyzing data, tracking, and communicating metrics to all staff.
• Develop and implement a Leadership Accountability Framework including the creation of a shared set of behavioral expectations for employees linked to our values, and a shared understanding of good management with diversity, equity, and inclusion goals embedded within the performance review process.
• Partner with DEI Learning to develop and build out a new mentorship and sponsorship program.
• Partner with the HR Client Services team (HR Partners, Learning and Development, Employee Relations, Recruiters) to assess current practices and design a process to update programs, policies, and trainings to ensure effective DEI practices are embedded into every phase of the employee life cycle including talent acquisition and retention, people development, communications, etc.
• Partner with department leaders to support and provide guidance during implementation of departmental DEI plans and goals that are effective and aligned with NRDC’s Global DEI strategy.
• Work in collaboration with HR Learning & Development and DEI Learning to define ongoing learning and development solutions and build a curriculum of education and application with strong ROI to support an equitable, just, and inclusive environment.
• Support our efforts to close the diversity data gap by providing a true picture of diversity across NRDC. Define and articulate appropriate metrics/ stretch targets to measure all aspects of DEI in a global setting and work with key partners to ensure each country is making progress on their goals.
• In partnership with Communications and the MD DEI, collaborate to ensure that external messaging aligns with internal strategies and efforts to external brands.
• Help build and elevate the expertise and capacity of the team and Office of Diversity, Equity, and
• Inclusion by coaching and mentoring colleagues and across the institution.

Qualifications

• A track record of effectively advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, including initiatives related to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.
• Demonstrated experience in best practice program implementation, including those with significant change management processes that require building buy-in and leading across a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong diversity, equity, and inclusion analysis and experience successfully steering the integration of DEI throughout organizational policies, practices, management, and culture.
• Experience and understanding of leadership in a multi-racial, multi-generational setting, and the ability to coach others to be inclusive leaders.
• Proven ability to translate strategic thinking about complex challenges and organizational gaps into measurable, executable plans to deliver on strategic imperatives and solve problems large and small, and measure progress towards goals.
• Leadership strength, including the proficiency at motivating disparate colleagues and influencing decision making.
• Highly skilled communicator (oral and written) and experience presenting to large groups as a subject matter expert and facilitating in-person and virtual group discussions.
• Demonstrated ability to balance diplomacy with challenging the status quo, ensuring necessary topics are brought to the attention of executive leadership.
• Emotionally intelligent.
• Able to quickly and organically build strong relationships at all levels cross functionally and globally, as well leverage and extend internal and external networks to develop strategic partnerships.
• Data and insight driven DEI professional that can understand the root causes of DEI issues and appropriately translate into commitments and targets.
• Keen understanding of how to empower people, influence colleagues, and work across departments in a complex organization.
• Strong cultural awareness and the ability to work with, collaborate, and influence diverse teams and groups and across geographies.
• Enjoy rolling up your sleeves and providing hands-on support.
• Highly analytical with the ability to convey information to senior leaders.
• Detail oriented DEI practitioner who is also a systems thinker and can apply practices across an evolving organization.
• Thoughtful and patient communicator who will strengthen NRDC’s efforts to establish shared norms, vocabulary, and practices around DEI.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. For this position, the salary is $165,000 to $190,000. Internal equity considerations will be reviewed before making a final offer.

Our offices are open and we are operating in a hybrid model. We offer NRDCers flexibility, we ask them to come into the office and spend meaningful time there in collaboration with their colleagues.  We call this purposeful presence.

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.

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