The Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Initiatives reports to the Head of School and serves on the School’s leadership team. This position plays a critical role in advancing the school’s values of social justice, inclusivity, multiculturalism, and belonging as articulated in the Strategic Plan and the School’s core values and vision.
The Director of DEIB will amplify the school's long-standing dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging by playing a critical role in integrating these values into the school's fabric. This work will involve building staff capacity, fostering partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, and supporting student and adult affinity groups. The role establishes the Director as the leader of the school's strategic and programmatic initiatives, and positions the individual to strengthen the school's commitment to inclusion.
Duties/Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership
Assist the Board of Trustees in evaluating and tracking the progress of DEIB objectives with clear milestones and metrics
Support the Board of Trustees and Head of School in implementing the school’s strategic plan and accreditation action plan goals in support of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
Assist, support, and advise the Leadership Team in evaluating, advancing, implementing, and optimizing programs, policies,practices, and procedures in the areas of curriculum, wellness, admissions, hiring practices, communications, and operations
Update existing programs and introduce new ones to foster an inclusive culture among students and staff of all identities, abilities, and backgrounds
Curriculum Design, Integration, and Collaboration
Advise the Program Team on best practices in DEIB integration across the curriculum
Collaborate with the Program Team on curriculum mapping and development
Provide resources and guidance to teaching staff for integrating diverse concepts, texts, and perspectives into classroom teaching
Collaborate with teaching staff to design classroom environments where students are empowered to be their authentic selves, fostering both academic and personal development where students are empowered to be their authentic selves, fostering both academic and personal development
Policy Development
Assist Human Resources in personnel matters related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
Support the Board of Trustees DEIB Committee, including providing strategic direction for policy development and implementation
Community Engagement
Partner with the Admissions, Development, and Communications teams to maintain and evolve outreach strategies that reflect the diversity of the broader community
Build alignment with families through education, communication, dialogue, and by serving as a liaison between the school and parent groups
Provide direct and indirect counsel and support to students and families within each school division on issues of identity development
Serve as an accessible, visible, and effective resource to community members, student and adult affinity groups, and other groups aimed at furthering inclusion and belonging
Metrics and Reporting
Measure and analyze data about the student, staff, and family experience and identify areas of progress, targets for improvement, and next steps to drive the attainment of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging goals
Use qualitative and quantitative data to identify areas of strength and opportunities, foster a culture of accountability, and facilitate progress on DEIB goals, the Strategic Plan, and the accreditation action plan
Student Engagement and Leadership
Program Planning and Implementation
Coach staff in translating DEIB vision into daily practice; provide tools and support for navigating complex conversations
Create, develop, communicate, and implement a coherent, thoughtfully aligned schedule of DEIB programming for the community (e.g., annual staff DEI professional development,
community Shabbat dinner, Social Justice Day, LPSC International and Multicultural Fair, guest speakers)
Hold regular meetings with the parent affinity group leaders
Facilitate partnerships and attendance by members of the Lowell community at key diversity and inclusion events and conferences
Recruitment and Retention
Collaborate with Human Resources to support equitable hiring, retention, and professional growth practices for staff
Attend job fairs to support hiring and retention of staff
Required Skills/Abilities:
Engaging and collaborative with a proven ability to amplify these values throughout a community successfully. Relational, with a genuine interest in and enthusiasm for working with both children and adults.
Courageous, humble, and able to hold complexity and maintain focus while also holding multiple perspectives and discomfort.
Strategic and able to move easily between the micro and macro levels of decision-making, prioritizing what is in the best interests of the school, its mission, and strategic program.
Demonstrated abilty to teach, leadprofessional development, and integrate DEIB into curriculum design.
Demonstrated evidence of a deep understanding of equity, justice, inclusion, and belonging in independent school contexts, as well as a strategic mindset and the ability to navigate the changing landscape of DEIB work. Ability to ensure that all constituencies are valued and seen as their authentic selves
Possess experience in using sound judgement to manage sensitive situations with thoughtful communication and empathy
Value and understand the importance of student agency and voice while maintaining clear adult leadership and boundaries across all developmental stages
Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
Minimum of three years of leadership in DEIB or social justice-related roles
Systems thinker with the ability to sustain and scale equity and inclusion practices and policies across divisions and departments
Strong facilitation skills; SEED facilitator training preferred
Proven experience in designing curriculum, building staff capacity in DEIB topics and concepts, and teaching students between the ages of 5 and 14
An understanding of child and adolescent development
Experience in programming, event coordination and execution, and budget management
Experience in data gathering, analysis, and summarizing to share with stakeholders
Excellent communication, presentation, and collaboration skills across diverse stakeholders
Commitment to Lowell School’s mission, vision, and core values
Physical Demands:
Employees must be able to hear and speak to communicate in person, via phone, and see to read materials and communicate in writing
Employees in this position are working with students and will regularly need to be able to stand for extended periods of time, bend, twist, stand, walk (sometimes over uneven terrain such as the playground), sit in chairs and on the floor, kneel, stoop, and squat.
Occasionally, employees in this position will need to push, pull, move, lift, and carry objects up to 20 lbs.
Employees will also regularly need to grasp, finger, handle, and manipulate teaching materials.
Employees must also be able to regularly see both close up and at a distance, have the ability to adjust focus, and use peripheral vision.
Occasionally, employees may need to reach and/or extend their regular range of motion.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform a certain duty of the job.
This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may be changed or assigned at any time, with or without notice.
Lowell School is committed to building a diverse and equitable staff. Lowell does not discriminate based on a person's race, color, sex, gender, identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other ground prohibited by federal or District of Columbia law.