Inaugural Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer

 Chautauqua Institution

An invitation to apply for the position of

Inaugural Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer

Chautauqua, New York

The Search

Chautauqua Institution (Chautauqua) seeks a strategic leader, skilled communicator and collaborative partner to serve as the inaugural Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). Reporting directly to the president and serving on the senior leadership team, the CDO will develop an institutional framework around diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (IDEA) work for staff, patrons, leadership, community members and the Institution’s Board of Trustees. The CDO will be a highly respected leader with a strong commitment to building out IDEA work in service of advancing the Institution’s mission.

A truly unique and dynamic institution, Chautauqua is a not-for-profit global convener of dialogue on the most significant issues of the day through engagement across four pillars - the arts, education, religion and recreation. Chautauqua Institution is located on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in Southwestern New York State and comes alive each summer with a unique mix of visual and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship/programs and recreational activities. The Institution has just recently passed a strategic plan, 150 Forward, that endeavors to expand its reach to year-round programming and to harness its brand for continuous impact. In 2020, as a major step forward in that effort, the Institution launched engaging online programming with lectures and performances year-round, offering participants the opportunity to engage in community and learning both on- and off- season.

Creating an inclusive environment is not the responsibility of one person or a single office alone. The CDO will play a critical role in advising Chautauqua leadership and leading initiatives that will provide the Chautauqua community with the strategies, skills, coaching and training needed to engage in difficult conversations and to foster a culture committed to IDEA work. The successful CDO will be a convener and connector, will serve as a bridge builder and will foster a commitment to education, open dialogue and relationship building. They will be an adept and careful listener. They will develop a strategic framework with guiding principles for the advancement of IDEA work across Chautauqua Institution and guide the development and administration of all IDEA related policies, initiatives, programs and assessments. The CDO will collaborate with leaders across the Institution to respond to emerging issues, ideas and challenges and think proactively about how best to position Chautauqua to engage in and support IDEA work for the near future.

Chautauqua has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in the identification and selection of this new role. Confidential inquiries, referrals, and applications may be directed electronically and in confidence to Jackie Mildner, Partner, Keight Tucker Kennedy, Partner, and Joanna Cook, Senior Associate at https://www.imsearch.com/search-detail/S7-644