Team Lead - Economic Equity

Overview

Job Summary

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) department within the Office of the CEO/Chief of Staff division supports the Authority’s commitment to growing New Jersey’s economy and increasing equitable access to opportunity. The NJEDA believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are inherent to creating a stronger and fairer New Jersey economy and building a diverse workforce increases business performance. The Authority is guided by the concept of “diversity on purpose,” the idea that diversity at the NJEDA and in the businesses and communities the Authority serves should not only be recognized but intentionally fostered. This principle guides the NJEDA in producing top-quality, innovative programs and services that serve New Jersey’s diverse residents, communities, and businesses. The Team Lead, Economic Equity supports the Product Development lifecycle across all NJEDA products to ensure inclusive, equitable opportunity for businesses and workers across the state.

$85,680 - $107,100

Note: The NJEDA currently offers a hybrid work schedule for up to 2 days of telecommute work from home. To participate, you will be required to have high speed home internet access and a managers approval. This program does not supersede the "New Jersey First Act", which requires newly hired NJEDA employees to establish and then maintain, principal residence in the State of New Jersey.

Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Helps mentor and coach new Project Officers within the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Operations team, including review of work and providing subject matter expertise. Also includes guidance and feedback around developing skills and behaviors to enhance performance.
• Demonstrates a leadership and ownership mindset within the team, including suggesting new ideas for how to improve the division.
• Assists in managing workflow for the team.
• Responsible for the more challenging and complex projects within the department.
• Leads independent work and small project teams in the development of sector specific products.
• Interprets Legislation and Regulations to ensure that established policies and emerging products and programs conform to legal standards.  
• Works with management and staff across all business units of the Authority as a subject matter expert on DEI within the unique context of specific Authority programs, products, services, and policies. 
• Supports the development, piloting, and scaling initiatives for programs that support and strengthen diversity within the state’s work economy and increase equity in focus industries; these efforts may include: contributing to the development of sector and issue-focused strategies and programs, identifying and engaging key companies and broader stakeholders, conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses, defining program implementation plans, impact metrics, budgets, etc.
• Develops organizational and industry expertise for EDA through project-based research and analysis; these efforts may include tracking industry and organizational trends at the state, regional, and national level, identifying which key equity issues state government could help to resolve, providing updates to internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborates with Product Operations, Product Development and other relevant departments as new products are created to ensure each product’s unique statutory DEI measures are met, DEI scoring processes are developed and supported, and products are designed with a focus on DEI throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Liaison with the Legal Affairs department to ensure consistent reviews of proposed program, process, and/or policy changes (including but not limited to diversity-related supplemental program application forms, rule writing in partnership with the Office of the Attorney General, and DEI-focused applicant scoring), utilizing Lexis Nexis (or other comparable products) and other resources to source, review, analyze, and interpret all legislation, regulations, code, or other legal and statutory governance with the potential to impact proposed DEI-related changes and development to NJEDA programs and products.
• Helps to institutionalize best practices; defines and implements needed systems.
• Supports other DEI strategic initiatives as necessary
• Promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, EDA staff and external customers.
• Must complete annual and semiannual self-assessment as required.
• Performs other duties or special projects, as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong ability to learn and develop best practices in workforce and workplace diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging.
• Demonstrated knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion as relates to economic and community development, including supplier and workforce diversity.
• Ability to develop and understand the life cycle of industry specific economic development programs from inception through administration and audit
• Ability to draft clear cross-organizational and product policies and processes
• Must possess advanced research ability and information technology skills
• Demonstrated proficiency in creative and analytical problem solving, including structuring issues, framing solutions, and executing complex analyses with limited errors and oversight
• Strong ability to synthesize findings and propose actionable solutions
• Strong written (presentation, memos, and emails) and oral presentation skills
• Ability to work on small project teams tackling complex and challenging work
• Knowledge of or ability to understand and communicate complex program legislation, rules & requirements
• Ability to prioritize workload, must be highly organized, detail-oriented, handle various tasks simultaneously and work independently within limited time constraints with little or no supervision
• Ability to obtain thorough knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the Authority
• Ability to work effectively as part of a cross-functional team
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; proficient in grammar, spelling and editing; and foster communications with business professionals and EDA staff
• Ability to understand and learn details of a highly regulated environment in order to meet all requirements for compliance
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality and deal effectively and diplomatically with business professionals and EDA staff
• Demonstrates respectful behavior and promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, EDA staff and external customers
• NJEDA utilizes Microsoft as the core application platform and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite is preferred.

Qualifications

Qualifications

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, governmental affairs, DEI, policy, or other related fields, and/or equivalent experience
• Minimum seven years’ experience in business, governmental affairs, DEI, legal analysis and/or project management
• Direct experience working with clients or businesses across multiple industries and/or trade fields
• Experience drafting policies, reviewing legal documents and use of third-party legal software (e.g. Lexis-Nexis)
• Knowledge of current and historic issues and trends in DEI, financial principles, and public policy
• Demonstrated ability to partner and collaborate across multiple NJ State Agencies and/or Authorities alongside key stakeholders

Advanced degree or industry specific certification may be substituted for 1 year of experience

Physical Demands

• Minimal
• Ability to work outside normal business hours, as needed

Travel

• As necessary to events, meetings, businesses, etc.

Certificates and Licenses Required

• License: Staff are required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essentials duties of the position.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job description. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope, general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job.  This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

Your employment at NJEDA is voluntary and subject to termination by you or NJEDA at will, with or without cause, or with or without notice, at any time.  Nothing in this job description shall be interpreted to conflict, eliminate or modify the employment-at-will status of NJEDA employees. 

This position is considered exempt and is excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers under the FLSA.

NJEDA reserves the right to amend/revise this job description as necessary to meet current and changing business needs.

Equal Opportunity Employer

NJ SAME Program

Position Requirements

• Foreign degrees/transcripts must be evaluated by a reputable evaluation service at your own expense and must be submitted prior to a start date. If this cannot be provided within 21 days of an offer the offer will be rescinded.
• Must comply with the “New Jersey First Act” which requires employees hired after September 1, 2011 to reside in New Jersey. Non-New Jersey resident employees must relocate to New Jersey within one year of their date of hire and provide proof of residency to Human Resources.
• Must complete an Outside Activity Questionnaire (disclosure of outside office or employment) on an annual basis.
• Must review the required NJEDA Ethics Guidelines.
  • Those guidelines to can be found here:
    • https://www.nj.gov/ethics/docs/ethics/plainlanguage2021.pdf
    • https://www.nj.gov/ethics/docs/ethics/2022_uniformcode_april.pdf

Salary : $85,680 - $107,100