POSITION TITLE: Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and 

Belonging Initiatives 

DEPARTMENT: Diversity

REPORTS TO: Head of School

FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None

Job Summary: 

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. 

See the Complete Position Package 

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

• Support students as changemakers by fostering opportunities for agency, identity development, and advocacy

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 ability to teach, lead professional 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.

About LOWELL SCHOOL

Our mission is to create an inclusive community of life-long learners in which individual is valued and respected. At Lowell, dedicated teachers nurture curiosity and help children develop fundamental skills and deep, conceptual understandings that will last a lifetime. In the Pre-Primary School, opportunities abound for exploration, discovery, and learning. Teachers pay close attention to each child’s social, emotional, and academic development. In the Primary and Middle Schools, a rigorous, integrated curriculum—which includes the full complement of academic classes, as well as arts, technology, and physical education—engages students in active, experiential learning. A strong social curriculum develops interpersonal skills, multicultural understanding, and community engagement. A full array of after-school activities—including sports, swimming lessons, music lessons, and minicourses—are also available for all enrolled students.

Connections working at LOWELL SCHOOL