At a Glance:

Job Title: Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Location: Friends School of Baltimore - Baltimore, MD 21210

Reports To: Christian Donovan (Head of School)

Position Type: Full Time, Exempt

Pay rate: $110,000-130,000

Start Date July 2026

Friends School of Baltimore seeks a thoughtful, relational, and empathetic leader to serve as its next Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Founded in 1784 and widely recognized as Baltimore's first school, Friends is an independent, coeducational Quaker day school serving students from 6 weeks through grade 12. Relationships between students and teachers are central to the educational experience, and classrooms are places where ideas are explored openly, differences are engaged with care, and young people are encouraged to grow not only as scholars but also as thoughtful participants in a community that values listening and understanding.

Reporting to the Head of School, Christian Donovan, the Director of DEI serves as a senior member of the administrative leadership team and works closely with divisional principals, faculty leaders, and trustees to guide initiatives that shape community life across the program. The Director helps coordinate efforts across divisions, supports a network of divisional DEI coordinators, and partners with colleagues throughout the school to advance shared priorities. At Friends, progress often begins with listening: leaders are expected to understand the perspectives within the community before seeking to move initiatives forward. In this way, the Director's work unfolds within a culture informed by Quaker decision-making practices, where thoughtful reflection, careful listening, and consensus-building guide how the school approaches complex questions.

Strategic Priorities

By working in close partnership with the Head of School and other key stakeholders, the Director will prioritize the following:

• Guide the community in engaging thoughtfully with complex questions related to identity and difference, including emerging conversations around gender identity and inclusion, while ensuring these discussions remain grounded in the school's mission, Quaker values, and commitment to respectful dialogue.
• Partner with school leadership to strengthen adult capacity for inclusive teaching and leadership, designing and facilitating professional learning opportunities that help faculty and staff navigate questions related to diversity and equity with confidence and care.
• Support the development of a culture of civil discourse in which students and adults feel equipped to engage respectfully with complex social issues and differing viewpoints, creating space for reflection, inquiry, and thoughtful engagement.
• Work collaboratively with parents and the Parents Association to support conversations about belonging, facilitate parent affinity groups, and strengthen communication around the school's efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Partner with the Head of School and Board of Trustees to support the continued development of the school's approach to belonging and inclusion, contributing to Board learning, advancing Board-level priorities, and ensuring alignment between governance discussions and the lived experience of the school community.
• Strengthen and further develop the school's DEI leadership infrastructure by supporting divisional DEI coordinators, aligning initiatives across the school, and helping ensure that these efforts remain connected to the broader mission and strategic direction of the institution.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• A bachelor's degree required; an advanced degree in education, leadership, or a related field is preferred
• Knowledge of Quaker principles, or an interest in and openness to understanding how Quaker values and practices shape the life of the school
• Demonstrated experience leading diversity, equity, inclusion, or community-building initiatives in a school or educational setting
• Experience working in a PK–12 environment, with strong preference for candidates familiar with independent school communities
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate learning and dialogue around complex issues such as race, identity, gender, and belonging
• Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to engage constructively with a wide range of perspectives

Interested candidates should CLICK HERE to submit the following materials confidentially in a single PDF file:

• A cover letter indicating your particular interest in and qualifications for the position
• A current resume
• A statement of educational philosophy that includes your philosophy on diversity, equity, and inclusion
• The names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of five references, including your current Head of School and at least one other recent supervisor. References should speak to your ability to be an effective educator and administrator, to work successfully with children, and to work collaboratively and collegially with adults (references will be contacted only with the candidate's permission). Please indicate your relationship with each reference (i.e. supervisor, colleague, or direct report).

Please address any questions by email to ara@strategenius.org.

To learn more about Friends' commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, click here.