Executive Director Of Racial And Educational Justice

Thank you for your interest in a career with us! The Northshore School District is committed to a diverse workforce that reflects our students and our community, one that embraces and models equity and cultural competency.  

Job Summary: Northshore School District is seeking a talented, engaging, and compassionate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, & Social Justice Executive Director to help us advance our vision of being an inclusive community of learners that provides an outstanding education for every individual in a diverse student population. We are looking for someone who can work effectively independently as well as part of a team. We need a leader who understands best practices in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and who is passionate about enhancing the lives of our students and community. We need a leader who shares our belief that a culturally rich and inclusive school community provides students with the best possible environment for a quality education.

The Executive Director’s role is to bring a contemporary point of view of equity and inclusion that understands both foundational barriers to social justice and economic equity and new paradigms for addressing them, taking a learning orientation and co-creative approach to designing and implementing strategies to address issues specific related to a k-12 educational system.

The Executive Director of Racial and Educational Justice will be responsible for developing and championing the long-term vision, strategic plan, and goals of the Northshore School District Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

This list of essential functions is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary in consultation with the employee(s) involved.

1. Facilitate the district’s focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion, in partnership with all administrators, staff, families, and the community.
2. Develop, track, and communicate progress on activities, and strategies in support of racial justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity.
3. Create and lead all our school and district trainings, events and initiatives designed to increase diversity and inclusion at every level of the school district.
4. Work to further our deep cultural commitment to inclusivity, educational justice and belonging with our communities.
5. Partner and collaborate with administrators and departments within the district.
6. Support the development of inclusive and equitable curricula, assessment, and pedagogical practices.
7. Support student success through equitable and inclusive practices, policies, and procedures.
8. Develop and report on metrics for measuring the effectiveness of department goals and initiatives.
9. Examine, adjust, and inform instructional practices by leading social justice and equity focused professional learning that builds awareness, increases knowledge, reduces bias, and grows skills in culturally responsive instructional practices.
10. Develop, support, implement, and coordinate supplemental curriculum and instructional programs to meet the needs of each learner.
11. Collaborate and work in partnership with the district and building leadership teams to develop and implement District-wide professional learning, consistent with District goals and compliant with applicable laws.
12. Coach all employees through inclusion and bias situations as they come up, ultimately helping them become more effective allies.
13. Develop and nurture a network of diversity and culture student ambassadors that help serve our schools and community.
14. Oversee, lead, and advocate for students, parents and staff of color to ensure their perspectives are represented.
15. Work closely with the Human Resources and Recruiting team to ensure diversity strategies are fully embedded in all recruiting processes, and that we have robust pipelines of candidates from all backgrounds, at all stages of the interview process.
16. Implement critical retention strategies and training initiatives for diverse talent.
17. Develop programs, policies, trainings, and other resources to increase knowledge and awareness that supports inclusive behaviors in the workplace.
18. Create and manage partnerships with external organizations to increase community engagement through event programming.
19. Oversee the district Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program.
20. Support schools with the implementation of AVID.
21. Represent Northshore School District at local and national events as a school district that fully appreciates and values diversity and inclusion.

Reporting Relationship: Reports to the District Superintendent. Supervises the Racial and Educational Justice Department.

Working Conditions: Works in an office environment; maintains confidential information; required to meet inflexible deadlines; experiences interruptions from telephone and office visitors; required to deal with distraught or angry people; requires substantial visual concentration on detail, dexterity, and precision; requires occasional prolonged exposure to visual display terminal; occasionally required to attend meetings beyond normal working hours.

Minimum Qualifications: 

Education and Experience

• Master's Degree in Multi-Cultural studies, Education, Social Work, or other relevant field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading diversity and inclusion initiatives and programming
• Minimum of 2 years of experience hiring and supervising staff
• Experience or background in, diversity, change management and external engagement
• Experience engaging student learning in multiple contexts, including student employment, advising of student organizations, and teaching
• Experience leading long-term vision, strategic planning of progressive experience in responsible diversity or social justice leadership
• Experience in developing, implementing and assessing equity and inclusion strategies, initiatives and programs
• Experience with project management, strategic operations, strategy consulting, and designing data-driven equity program strategies.
• Experience working with multiple partners to develop multi-year plans, identify appropriate resources and partnerships needed, and develop breakthroughs to ensure continued growth and delivery of desired outcomes
• Demonstrated experience working with minoritized communities with a focus in diversity, equity and social justice

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of and commitment to diversity, justice, and sustainability, intersectionality, and power and oppression and ability to apply in curriculum design and inclusive advising
• Demonstrated investment in student engagement, persistence, retention, and success
• Ability to meet deadlines, handle multiple complex and abstract tasks, be detail-oriented, and work independently as well as part of a team
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituents, including students, faculty, staff, and community members
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and social justice for minoritized groups
• Demonstrated excellent record of leadership, managerial, supervisory, and administrative skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• High level of critical thinking and ability to navigate through district policies to accomplish goals
• Innovative and strategic thinking
• Demonstrated awareness and understanding of multiple dimensions of identity including (but not limited to): race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, generational sexual orientation, ability, linguistic, professional, and other differences that make us unique
• Ability to clearly articulate a compelling vision and strategy
• Strong analytical skills with experience developing financial plans, expense budgets and business cases
• Ability to create a strong, mutually supportive work spirit and culture of accountability where people can do their best
• Establishes trust and inspires others
• Makes effective organization and people decisions in a manner consistent with District values and goals.
• Operates with a high level of professionalism and integrity
• Champions the organization and advocates solutions in the overall organization's best interest
• Well-developed skills in listening to and responding to people from diverse backgrounds across the institutional spectrum that includes students, faculty, staff, and community partners

Salary: 2023-24 Northshore Assistant Superintendents Chief Officers & Executive Directors (NASCOED) Salary Schedule (Level II); placement on the salary schedule will be determined by Human Resources DOE. FLSA Exempt.

Work Year: 12 month position, 260 days per year, 8.0 hours per day.

Benefits: Washington state health insurance coverage (SEBB) and a Washington state retirement package, for eligible positions. Generally, you are eligible for SEBB benefits if you are anticipated to work at least 630 hours per school year (September 1 through August 31).

The School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) benefits include:

• Medical plans with prescription benefits
• Dental plans
• Vision plans
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Medical Flexible Spending Arrangement
• Dependent Care Assistance Program

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory results of background checks with prior employers and/or character references; satisfactory outcome of a criminal history background check (includes fingerprinting); satisfactory outcome of sexual misconduct information from prior school district employers; and approval by the Northshore School Board. 

Click here to view our Non-Discrimination Statement and Accommodation Policy