Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Commonwealth School invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) reports directly to the Head of School. The Director works closely with all members of the Commonwealth community including students; senior leadership; faculty and staff; families; trustees; and alumni/ae to promote a welcoming, diverse, and equitable experience at Commonwealth. The Director will lead the school’s diversity efforts, including in faculty recruitment, faculty and staff development, student recruitment and retention, diversity programming, curriculum, student life, and trustee engagement and alumni/ae engagement.

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH SCHOOL

Commonwealth School is an independent day school in Boston enrolling 154 students of all genders in grades 9-12. Its mission is to educate young people from diverse backgrounds to become knowledgeable, thoughtful, and creative adults, capable of careful analysis, fruitful cooperation, responsible leadership, and deep commitment. Occupying two brownstones in Boston’s Back Bay, Commonwealth is known for its academic rigor, strong program in the arts, and extensive use of the city of Boston. Commonwealth attracts students from a variety of racial, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds who hail from 42 cities and towns in the Boston metropolitan area. Fifty-six percent of students identify as people of color. Highly accomplished faculty (eighty-three percent of whom hold advanced degrees), many of whom have taught at colleges and universities, are drawn to Commonwealth by the strength and dedication of its students, the small seminar-like classes, and the chance to serve as both mentors and teachers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

As a member of the school’s administrative team and a strategic leadership in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will:

• Develop, implement, and revise a diversity and equity plan, based upon the school's mission and evolving goals.

• Promote and cultivate, in concert with faculty and staff, a school culture that welcomes, serves, and includes students from diverse, especially underserved backgrounds, and helps students from more privileged backgrounds develop the cultural competency that permits collaboration, conversation, and friendship across lines of class, race, religion, nationality, gender, and other identities.

• Collaboratively create and support diversity programming and supports for students, such as affinity groups, assemblies, diversity days, connections to community resources, and mentorship.

• Assist with Dive In, a multi-year summer and Saturday program created to attract middle school students from underserved backgrounds and prepare them for Commonwealth. Collaborate on recruitment, programming, and student support over the summer and during the school year.

• In collaboration with the Head of School and the Dean of Faculty Hiring and Support, improve effectiveness and success in recruiting and retaining diverse faculty and staff.

• Serve on the Student Life team to assess student needs and provide tailored supports. Serve on or consult with the Discipline Committee to ensure that processes and consequences are equitable and constructive.• Work with the admissions team to recruit, welcome, and retain students from diverse backgrounds. Forge relationships with schools and youth-serving organizations in Greater Boston to strengthen recruitment.• Work collaboratively with faculty and staff to identify equitable and inclusive practices and provide professional development to address DEI needs.

• With the Assistant Head, Department Convenors, and faculty, evaluate, advise on, and support development of a curriculum that is inclusive of the voices and histories of diverse communities and whose methods and techniques support students from varied educational settings.

• Provide support to the Board’s DEI Committee and assist with building Board capacity and knowledge of DEI.

• Network with diversity coordinators at other independent schools as well as off-campus cultural resource organizations.

• Pursue professional development opportunities; attend conferences and professional meetings in order to remain current with diversity and inclusion issues that may affect the school. Depending on skills and background, the DEI Director may be asked to teach or co-teach a course and/or serve as an academic advisor to a small number of students.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree as well as substantial training or experience in diversity work, including supporting students from underserved backgrounds in privileged educational settings and working within schools to foster increased inclusion, access, equity, and representation for diverse students. The salary range for this role is approximately $125K-$140K. Commonwealth School offers a dynamic and supportive work environment and a generous benefits package.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Evaluation of candidate materials will begin immediately and will continue until a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is named. The start date for this opportunity is July 1, 2024. Interested candidates can apply using the following Talent Profile link:https://talent-profile.diversifiedsearchgroup.com/search/v2/20948 

Inquiries and nominations may be sent in confidence to: [email protected]. 

For more information about Commonwealth School, please visit https://www.commschool.org/.

Commonwealth School is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, veteran status, military service, application for military service, or any other status protected by applicable law. Commonwealth will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.