This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/611633500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
The Smithsonian’s Head Diversity Officer is a newly created role that will lead and manage the Institution’s commitment to fostering a Diverse, Equitable, Accessible, and Inclusive (DEAI) organization.
08/20/2021 to 09/17/2021
$175,000 - $199,300 per year
SL 00
1 vacancy in the following location:
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
No
Permanent - This is a Federal position.
Full-time
Competitive
00
Yes
No
EX-21-13
611633500
This position is open to current Federal employees and former Federal employees with permanent status or reinstatement eligibility. Individuals who are eligible for a special appointing authority may also apply such as Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A), former Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Vista volunteers; certain Military Spouses, or individuals eligible under various programs for Veterans (VRA, VEOA,30% disabled).
POSITION SUMMARY
The Head Diversity Officer (HDO), is part of a leadership team committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive organization in which everyone—regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, gender, sexuality, ability, religion, and other identities—has an opportunity to thrive. As a leadership team dedicated to our mission, we believe that by harnessing the power of a diverse workforce in which people feel included, we can better serve the public, both here in our nation, and around the globe.
Consistent with our role as a national leader for learning and the diffusion of knowledge, we are committed to facilitating dialogues within communities and around our country on diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) topics. In order to better position our organization, as well as our 6,000+ staff, to deliver on this goal, we also need to ensure the organization is leading, developing, bolstering and addressing diversity efforts, needs and gaps. With the creation of a HDO, who will serve as the Smithsonian’s central leader on DEAI issues, we strive to build a world-class capability in support of our role to serve the public.
The HDO, who will report to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary, will be expected to conceptualize and execute an institutional DEAI strategy. This strategy will consist of a set of specific goals, initiatives, and metrics to measure success, and will unify, coordinate, or integrate existing programs across our 60+ organizational units. In developing and implementing the strategy, the DL will work collaboratively with senior leaders from across the Institution, as well as key partners, such as the Office of Equal Employment and Supplier Diversity, Human Resources, and other important partners.
ROLE RESPONSIBILITY
- Collaboratively develop and drive a Smithsonian-wide DEAI strategy.
- Be a thought leader and industry expert on how DEAI can improve mission performance and employee engagement.
- Act as a trusted advisor to the senior leadership team, enabling them to identify and implement opportunities for meaningful change and outcomes.
- In collaboration with senior leaders, develop a robust set of training and other experiential activities to develop a common set of skills among staff at all levels.
- Collaborate with unit directors from across the Institution to ensure all leaders understand and avoid bias, promote equal representation, and invest in content with clear DEAI objectives and outcomes.
- Serve as a spokesperson on DEAI topics, and actively and frequently communicate and interact with staff.
- Collaborate with HR leadership and other stakeholders to examine current policies and processes—such as those that guide hiring, performance management, and professional development—to remove unintentional barriers to equity.
- Identify strategies and lead efforts to improve representation across the Institution at all level, including senior levels.
- Actively collaborate with others to pursue funding for DEAI initiatives, both through federal sources and philanthropy.
- Externally represent the Institution on DEAI topics through written publications and/or speaking opportunities.
- Cultivate external relationships and collaborations with diverse communities and organizations.
- Engage with, and be responsive to, the Board of Regents on DEAI issues.
- Develop metrics for assessing goals; analyze and present data trends that inform strategies or changes for improvements.
EXPECTED COMPETENCIES
- Deep expertise in DEAI topics; a recognized expert in the field.
- Highly collaborative, skilled at working effectively across organizational lines and at all levels.
- An ability to excel in a decentralized and geographically dispersed environment.
- Deep expertise in facilitating organizational engagement on DEAI topics.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Mission-driven, with an appreciation for the Smithsonian’s public service orientation.
- An ability to develop, drive, and support change initiatives.
- A curious and continuous learner who can adapt quickly and influence direction in a complex environment.
- Extensive experience presenting to stakeholders such as donors, boards, external partners and internal audiences.
- An experienced leader with the ability to set clear priorities, lead change, achieve outcomes, and develop people.
See Qualifications section below.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE
Applicants must clearly demonstrate the necessary level of managerial and leadership skills and competence to perform successfully in this position. This includes a minimum of 15 years of professional experience, with at least five of those years working at the executive level in large, complex organizations. Some experience working in, or with, the federal government is helpful, but not required. Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree desired.
In addition, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-15 level. Specialized experience is defined as least 10 years in the DEAI field—or related fields—with experience designing and implementing DEAI initiatives at an organization comparable in size to the Smithsonian.
The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:
1. Demonstrated experience developing and leading effective diversity, equity, accessible, and inclusive programs and initiatives for a large, complex organization. This includes managing change with an understanding of the contexts and cultures within an organization that impact implementation and achieve results.
2. Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills to build relationships, trust and credibility. This includes ability to effectively persuade and influence stakeholders and to form successful partnerships with a wide variety of constituencies (i.e., senior leadership, boards, donors, and staff) across an organization.
3. Leadership experience at the managerial level that includes goal setting, planning, and implementing programs, and establishing metrics and reporting protocol. This should include ability to use data and leverage analytics to drive strategy.
4. Demonstrated skill and ability as an executive in leading, supervising, challenging, inspiring, and managing a multi-disciplined and culturally diverse workforce. This should include attracting, retaining and motivating employees and displaying a commitment to the EEO/Affirmative Action programs.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS
The incumbent reports to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and is expected to conceptualize and execute an institutional DEAI strategy. The Head Diversity Officer independently plans, designs, implements and evaluates the overall program and determines methods and approaches to be used. Work is evaluated in terms of results achieved and objectives met.
SECURITY LEVEL
This position has been reviewed to determine the level of POSITION SENSITIVITY. Based on the nature of the work, the position has been determined to be Public Trust/HIGH RISK. This designation will require 1) a pre-employment Security Agency Check (SAC) for the prospective incumbent; and 2) a subsequent comprehensive background investigation and favorable adjudication in order to continue in the position.
EEO
The Smithsonian Institution does not discriminate against any employee or any applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization or other non-merit factors.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
The Smithsonian provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the contact person listed in this announcement. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
RELOCATION
Relocation expenses will not be paid.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
The qualifications listed in this document will be used along with your resume and your responses to the questions posed in the electronic application process to determine the candidates who will move forward in the evaluation process. When preparing your responses to the questions, please provide concise, detailed information on your background and experience.
Important Note: Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to the major duties and qualifications criteria listed for this position.
PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid work on the same basis as for paid experience. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. To receive credit for such experience you must indicate clearly the nature of the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the average number of hours per week spent in such employment.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Your Resume
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note:
After you apply and the position has closed, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We usually have a large response to senior level positions and it may take some time to effectively review application packages. We will contact you by email as decisions are made.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Your Resume
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note:
After you apply and the position has closed, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We usually have a large response to senior level positions and it may take some time to effectively review application packages. We will contact you by email as decisions are made.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/611633500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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