Executive Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Executive Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Episcopal Academy invites nominations and applications for the opportunity to lead diversity, equity, and inclusion work beginning July 2022. Over the last decade, The Episcopal Academy (EA) has been working towards building a more inclusive community where all students feel a sense of belonging and are respected, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, as well as other meaningful aspects of identity. Identifying and addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion involves overcoming both micro- and macro-level challenges and requires a schoolwide commitment.

This is a senior leadership position and the Executive Director will report directly to the Head of School. Responsible for advancing EA’s strategic commitment to equity and inclusion, the Executive Director will capitalize on the momentum of foundational and purposeful work. Partnering with the current Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and a team of Coordinators, along with other school leaders, the Executive Director will lead the school’s efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive community, one where all community members are able to thrive, participate, and contribute to their full potential/ability.

Who You Are

There are many paths that would make you well-prepared for this position. Major competencies for this role include:

  • You’re a strategic thinking and an action-oriented “do-er,” capable of setting vision without losing sight of the required day-to-day operations to make necessary change happen.
  • You’re an inspiring change-maker, with a demonstrated ability to envision, design, and execute on significant organizational change; you lead change through influence, not only through power.
  • You’re a strong communicator, capable of connecting with different constituent groups, with varying levels of familiarity and comfort with diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, using various channels as appropriate. You can be persuasive, but also recognize the importance of deep listening.
  • You’re a social connector and a team player, able to build trusting, meaningful relationships across constituent groups. You thrive on bringing people together to do great work. 
  • You’re data savvy, able to use research and insights to identify opportunities, troubleshoot and course correct, and generate stakeholder buy-in when necessary.
  • You’re an experienced team manager, capable of supporting and developing talent, and fostering a culture of excellence.
  • You’re comfortable with budgets and act as a good steward of resources.

What You’ll Do

While certainly not an exhaustive or exclusive list of what you’ll do as the Executive Director, you will use your time in the following ways: 

  • Ensure our continued focus on the Commitments and the work necessary to achieve the objectives articulated in Our Commitment to Building An Inclusive Community; keep the community informed on the progress and the impact this work is having on our students, faculty, staff, and parents
  • Embed a lens of equity and inclusion in how we solve problems, in how we build strategy, and in how we execute on initiatives, helping to make those values part of all the work we do.
  • Champion our school’s diversity and inclusion work, both internally and externally, highlighting the impact, benefit, and meaning of this work to various constituent groups.
  • Collaborate with academic leaders to ensure our PreK-12 curriculum reflects and honors the varied experiences and realities of all social groups, both in what we teach and how we teach.
  • Identify areas of school life where full participation for all students is hindered, either by structure or culture, and partner with student life leaders to address these barriers. 
  • Establish the Office of DEI as an expert resource and go-to partner for all community members on topics related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
  • Leverage data to identify opportunities for change in our processes and in how we execute on our day-to-day work.

A Little More About Us

Located on an expansive campus in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, The Episcopal Academy is an independent day school serving 1,250 students in grades Pre K-12. Founded in 1785 with the mission to challenge and nurture mind, body, and spirit, EA is one of the top independent schools in the country, drawing students from 100 communities in southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.

While each employee at Episcopal brings a unique set of competencies and skills to their work, we believe all employees should:

  • Be student-centered, embraces school and life and shows it through actions and interactions with students, colleagues, and parents.
  • Embody and live The Stripes.
  • Consistently maintain high standards for their own work and motivates others to achieve the same standard of excellence.
  • Demonstrate a desire and willingness to constantly grow and learn, both personally and professionally, and sees others – especially students – as having the ability to learn and reach success.
  • Foster a positive culture by being optimistic, selfless, flexible, and collaborative.
  • Demonstrate a belief in and commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse school community.

Our review of materials will begin on October 15, 2021. Please send nominations and applications, including a cover letter and résumé, in confidence to:                     

Staci Williams Seeley, Managing Associate

Sherry Coleman, Partner

Storbeck Search

EpiscopalAcademyExecutiveDirectorDEI@storbecksearch.com

The Episcopal Academy does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability and familial affiliation or any other characteristic protected by law. We seek candidates who hope to help foster a school environment where all people are valued and where all perspectives are respected and appreciated, as described in our Diversity and Inclusion statement