Assistant Director for Gender, Sexuality, and Diversity Learning

Job Summary

This position has two functional focus areas, student diversity, equity, and inclusion educational development and training and leadership of areas that support centers, programs, and activities that include Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expressions (SOGIE), including the Gender Equity Center, Men & Masculinities, and the Pride Center.

Under the general direction of the Director of Student Diversity and Belonging, the Assistant Director is responsible for a range of administrative coordination and programmatic facilitation responsibilities on a day-to-day basis. The incumbent will consult with the Director in the development, planning, promotion, implementation and evaluation of student DEI training, workshops, and other programming for students including lead peer education training efforts for on-boarding new students (i.e., SLO Days and Week of Welcome) and student leader training (i.e., Student Assistants, Student Ambassadors, Student Organizations,).

The Assistant Director will supervise professional staff leading SOGIE program and centers that nurture pride in students’ identities that ultimately supports their academic success and retention. The Assistant Director develops relationships across campus to assist in meeting the mission and goals of Student Diversity and Belonging. The incumbent provides direction and supervises student services professionals, while also providing support to graduate assistants and undergraduate student assistants.

The Assistant Director performs highly complex tasks and reviews difficult individual, group and/or organizational problems, and, as a result the incumbent will develop and recommend courses of action and develop resources that promote student-centered DEI learning and facilitate SOGIE center collaborations.  The incumbent executes assignments that require the application of a high degree of judgement, or persuasiveness, innovative ideas and professional skills and knowledge in intergroup dialogue, diversity competencies, intersectionality, allyship, and gender and sexuality frameworks, as well as a general understanding between diversity education and affinity-based student support.

Department Summary

Student Diversity and Belonging (SDAB) is a collaborative sub-division of community centers that serve an active role in creating a culturally enriching environment at Cal Poly’s campus and in San Luis Obispo.  We instill understandings of diversity and inclusive excellence by facilitating identity-affirming spaces of belonging and student-centered programming, student support services, and peer educational learning opportunities.  Our unit is comprised of the following campus community centers: Black Academic Excellence Center (BAEC), Dream Center, Gender Equity Center (GEC), Latinx/e Center for Academic Success and Achievement (La CASA), MultiCultural Center (MCC), Pride Center, the Men and Masculinities (MnM) Program, and the Native American and Indigenous Cultural Center (NAICC).   

Key Qualifications

• Understanding of diversity education, cultural competence, and intergroup dialogue program frameworks.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds in circumstances which involve the denial of requests or the necessity to persuade others to accept a different point of view.
• Ability to communicate with ethnically and culturally diverse campus populations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of effective personnel management practices and supervisory skills, including training, professional development, and conflict resolution, with the demonstrated ability to effectively model appropriate professional behavior.

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree and three years of professional experience in one of the student services program areas or in a related field.

Salary and Benefits

The anticipated hiring range for this role is $80,000 - $90,000 Per Year. Note that the offer is calculated based on the background and relevant years of experience of the individual selected.

Cal Poly offers a best-in-class benefits program, including health, dental and vision insurance, retirement participation in the Public Employees' Retirement System, and educational benefits for eligible employees. See our benefits website for additional information. 

Cal Poly

Cal Poly is a nationally-ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, and known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year more than 20,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on philosophy, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California and the world. For more information, visit calpoly.edu.

Diversity Statement

At Cal Poly, we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees and our community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds, experiences and value systems fosters the innovative and creative thinking that exemplifies Cal Poly's values of free inquiry, cultural and intellectual diversity, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility.

Cal Poly's commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. Cal Poly is an equal opportunity employer. 

Supplemental Information

Following a conditional offer of employment, a background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate may start work with Cal Poly. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may result in the withdrawal of the offer of employment. Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive.

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

This position may be "Designated" under California State University's Conflict of Interest Code. This would require the filing of a Statement of Economic Interest on an annual basis and the completion of training within 6 months of assuming office and every 2 years thereafter.

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is not a sponsoring agency for staff positions (i.e. H-1B visas).