Executive Director, Equal Opportunity & Access

Executive Director, Equal Opportunity & Access

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati embarks upon its third century – building on the past and defining the future by leading urban, public universities into a new era of innovation and impact through its strategic direction, Next Lives Here. Underscoring the power of creativity, ingenuity, invention and inclusion, what’s Next will accelerate our unrivaled momentum, evidenced by eight straight years of record enrollment and rankings that include placement among America’s top 100 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. Home to a diverse student body of nearly 47,000 and more than 4,200 distinguished faculty, the university combines its Research 1 (Very High Research Activity) Carnegie Classification with a physical setting that The New York Times recently acclaimed as “the most ambitious campus design program in the country.

Job Overview
The University of Cincinnati embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values that empower individuals to transform their lives and achieve their highest potential. By using talents of people from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, this vibrant, urban research university demonstrates its commitment to creating a community that values the contributions of all its members.

The Division of Equity, Inclusion & Community Impact is seeking to fill an Executive Director for Equal Opportunity & Access position.  Reporting to the Vice President, this person will guide efforts to conceptualize, define, assess, nurture, and cultivate UC's objective in achieving an open, diverse, equitable and inclusive learning, living, and working environment by ensuring compliance with Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and other Equal Opportunity laws at both the State and Federal levels. May serve as a campus designated Deputy Title IX Coordinator.

Essential Functions
Affirmative Action

  • Serve as the university's designated civil rights and affirmative action officer. Responsible for day-to-day application and review of university policies and practices as designed to ensure compliance with Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and other Equal Opportunity laws at both the state and federal levels.
  • Manage the development, coordination, and implementation of a university-wide affirmative action plan in compliance with federal and state statutes.
  • Establish and maintain protocol for data collection, management, and analysis of employment statistics. Ensure statistical and narrative reporting compliance.
  • Make good-faith efforts for remediation, underutilization and/or other identified barriers to equal employment opportunity. Create, implement, and audit progress on related goals.

Equal Opportunity & Access Coordination

  • Ensure university compliance with all applicable federal and state non-discrimination laws and applicable UC policies, including but not limited to: ADA, ADEA, VEVRAA, Title VII, and ORC 4112.
  • Administer and oversee case management plan for reported incidents to ensure timely, impartial, and thorough investigations of complaints in collaboration and consultation with internal partners and others to ensure accurate and consistent application of university policies and practices.
  • Serve as the central resource for all constituencies on issues related to protected class discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
  • Document facts, analyze findings, summarize investigations, and make recommendations that ensure the safety of the impacted reporting party and the community.
  • Provide consultation and campus-wide strategy to senior management at the university on all EEO related matters.

Programming, Education, and Outreach

  • Develop and implement effective educational programs related to civil rights, equal opportunity, and equitable search, hiring and promotion practices.
  • Design, implement and oversee a communications plan regarding EEO matters for the Division.
  • Advise and collaborate with colleagues and others as appropriate, on the status of initiatives, case management trends, challenges, and resource needs.

Leadership & Management

  • Coordinate employee development and succession planning for staff within OEOA and across the organization.
  • Advance inclusive excellence across the university community.
  • May provide direct and/or indirect supervision to exempt and non-exempt staff (i.e., hiring/firing, performance evaluations, disciplinary action, approve time off, etc.).
  • Perform related duties based on departmental need. This job description can be changed at any time.

Required Education
Bachelor's Degree

Required Experience

  • Ten (10) years of progressive relevant experience. Experience may be in Higher Education Administration, Legal Services, Counseling, Human Resources, Equal Opportunity, Social Work, or a related field.
  • A minimum of three years of supervisory experience.
  • Knowledge of federal/state regulations related to employment and employee relations, including but not limited to EEO, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, and Title IX.
  • Knowledge of the principles, practices and procedures of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity.
  • Experience and/or training in responding to complaints of harassment and discrimination as well as complaint investigation, resolution, and grievances.
  • Experience collaborating with other departments to develop campus/company-wide strategies for the implementation of prevention programs.
  • Strong organization, planning, analytical, and problem resolution abilities; demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to understand the needs of the campus and to work collaboratively with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community partners.
  • Demonstrated leadership advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within an organization, team and/or campus environment.

Additional Qualifications Considered

  • Master's Degree, JD, Ph.D., or other terminal degree in a relevant field and seven (7) years of progressive EEO experience, including affirmative action plan development and investigation and investigation management across a complex organization.
  • Prior experience drafting policy, developing a communications plan to promote it and designing a training module on it.
  • Prior experience utilizing visualization software (e.g., Tableau, ERP) to communicate meaningful metrics.
  • Demonstrated success working with external community partners on diversity, equity and inclusion matters.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

  • Office environment/no specific unusual physical or environmental demands.

Please apply online at https://bit.ly/3myqhpg

The University of Cincinnati, as a multi-national and culturally diverse university, is committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and diverse place of learning and employment. As part of a complete job application you will be asked to include a Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion statement.

As a UC employee, and an employee of an Ohio public institution, if hired you will not contribute to the federal Social Security system, other than contributions to Medicare. Instead, UC employees have the option to contribute to a state retirement plan (OPERS, STRS) or an alternative retirement plan (ARP).

The University of Cincinnati is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer / Minority / Female / Disability / Veteran.