Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Kenyon College is conducting a search for a qualified candidate to fill the position of Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADDEI) – who reports directly to the Dean for DEI and Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the Division of Student Affairs – is committed to ensuring that all students have the tools they need to succeed in the classroom, residence, and co-curricular experience. The Assistant Director has direct responsibility and administrative oversight for specific Kenyon programs designed to ensure student success, including the Kenyon Educational Enrichment Program (KEEP) and the Recognizing Each Other’s Ability to Conquer the Hill (REACH) Peer Mentoring Program.
The Assistant Director works closely with College faculty, and staff to support the retention of students from all ethnic, socioeconomic, religious and national backgrounds. The Assistant Director also assists the Dean and academic departments in providing campus-wide
programming to enrich the campus climate and quality of life for the entire Kenyon College community, creating programs open to all community members. The Assistant Director will partner with the Office of Student Engagement in providing direct support and coordination of multicultural student organizations. Within the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI), this position will have a particular focus on supporting students by identifying and addressing barriers to their success, and carrying out efforts to support them.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Campus Programming

• Develop and implement programs that support institutional initiatives designed to ensure that all students develop a sense of belonging at Kenyon;
• Coordinate the Kenyon Educational Enrichment Program (KEEP), working closely with KEEP Faculty Co-Directors, faculty, staff, and students. Supervise the KEEP Summer Coordinators and serve as advisor to the first-year & sophomore class cohorts of KEEP Scholars;
• Coordinate the REACH Peer Mentoring Program for students, including hiring, training and supervision of the student coordinators and mentors;
• Assist students requiring additional support with their transition to college and remain accessible to them in order to provide assistance with academic, personal and social matters, and monitor retention for these students;
• Assist multicultural student organizations with general support including, but not limited to advising, budget planning, programming and leadership development through the Affinity Group Collective;
• Assist with the planning and coordination of cultural and heritage month celebrations, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Dialogue, and the Knox County MLK Celebration Breakfast (which alternates hosting colleges), among others;
• Coordinate with Alumni and Parent Engagement to plan the Alumni of Color Mentoring Initiative weekends and other affinity group anniversary celebrations.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Provide sound financial management for specific ODEI budget line items, including authorization of expenditures, and evaluation and presentation of budgetary needs;
• Produce reports on student progress to further identify and address barriers to success, so students may reach their maximum potential.

ASSOCIATED FUNCTIONS

Liaison with Admissions Office

• Coordinate the KEEP cohort selection process in collaboration and guidance from the Office of Admissions;
• Collaborate with the Office of Admissions in efforts that aid in recruitment.

Liaison with Office of Student Engagement

• Assist Office of Student Engagement with programming and leadership development for multicultural student organizations and their members;
• Coordinate with Student Engagement staff in planning and implementing college-wide programming and events.

Student Affairs Division/College Responsibilities

• Advise students placed on academic conditional enrollment;
• Support the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Dean for ODEI on special projects and responsibilities within the Student Affairs Division;
• Attend Student Affairs Division staff meetings;
• Provide the Dean of ODEI a year-end report and other reports as requested;
• Fulfill on-call/on-duty responsibilities, as required, to provide assistance and support to students and staff;
• Participate in College and Student Affairs Division events and programs;
• Cooperate with other Student Affairs staff in conducting initial and in-service training programs for students on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

The Assistant Director must have a demonstrated commitment to working for and knowledge about how to achieve cultural inclusion and create an environment that is welcoming to all students and helps ensure that all students develop a sense of belonging. It is also critical that the applicant appreciate the value of a liberal arts education. The Assistant Director also must have demonstrated experience and effectiveness in working with faculty, staff, and students to achieve program goals. Program planning, implementation and evaluation skills are required, as are excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstrated effectiveness in advising students and student organizations is essential, as is creativity and the ability to manage multiple priorities. This position also requires working with multiple constituencies.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Assistant Director supervises the KEEP Summer Coordinators, student coordinators of REACH, and the Snowden student managers.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This is a full-time, 12-month salaried position. The work of the ADDEI does not lend itself to a regular 8:30am-4:30pm day, and includes evening and weekend responsibilities, including the on-call/on- duty rotation (approximately 2-3 weeks each semester)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Three to five years of experience working in education;
• A master’s degree in higher education, student personnel or a related area;
• Experience working with students in a college setting;
• Experience with providing linguistically diverse resources and support;
• Demonstrated effectiveness in advising student organizations
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Academic advising experience;
• Demonstrated experience and effectiveness in working closely with faculty, staff, and students to achieve common goals;
• Demonstrated skills in activity planning, implementation and evaluation.

Kenyon College is a nationally prominent, private liberal arts college where academic excellence goes hand in hand with a strong sense of community and close relationships among students and professors.

Compensation and Benefits

Salaries at Kenyon are competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition to an attractive salary, Kenyon offers benefits for employees and their family members. Children of employees are eligible for 100% tuition waivers at Kenyon, and through the Great Lakes Colleges Association, children of employees are eligible for 90% tuition waivers at twenty-two other of the nation's finest liberal arts colleges.

We also offer health, dental and vision insurance, TIAA retirement, and many other benefits, including provisions for a spouse, families, and domestic partners. Details about benefits as well as conditions of employment are described more fully in our Staff Handbook.

Kenyon College is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all qualified individuals. It is the College's policy to evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical and/or mental disability, age, religion, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by institutional policy or state, local, or federal law. Kenyon College has a strong commitment to an inclusive environment that welcomes all voices and perspectives.