DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION MANAGER

OVERVIEW

Make a difference in your community.

Become a part of the Kitsap County Team!

Do what you love while serving the citizens!

Kitsap County Board of Commissioners has an exciting opportunity

for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager to join the team!

Under the direction of the Board of County Commissioners, this position leads as the subject matter expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for the County. The manager will lead the creation and implementation of a Strategic Plan for Institutionalizing Equity within the culture, policies, programs, budgets, initiatives, legislations, sytsems, and infrastructure of Kitsap County governance. The Strategic Plan will supplement and inform existing comprehensive planning efforts.

The manager will increase awareness, recommend County policy and direction, and ensure the County delivers equitable and inclusive services. This position will lead/coordinate internal and external committees furthering DEI efforts. The incumbent will provide outreach to the community, create forums for community members to interact with each other and County staff, and produce community meetings and events to promote engagement, collaboration, and partnership.

The position will provide guidance to retain, promote, and develop diverse talent for the organization, as well as help develop, implement, and conduct DEI training and development programs for employees in coordination with the County's employee education program. The incumbent will provide strategic guidance and recommend policies to increase the diversity, equity, and inclusion of the County's workforce.

The manager will continuously researching the most current DEI best practices, resources, and policies to provide ongoing guidance and mentorship to internal staff. In addition, incumbent will engage with external organizations to form partnerships with peer institutions with similar programs.

The ideal candidate will have a passion for developing environments that celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion and will possess the skill set and courage to walk effectively with colleagues down the long road of organizational culture change supporting diversity, equity & inclusion. The incumbent will have experience researching and integrating best practices in DEI implementation and will possess strong leadership skills and experience in dealing with highly sensitive, complex and political situations to advance racial justice and equity with tact and diplomacy. In addition, the ideal candidate will demonstrate they are results-oriented, skilled in managing multiple competing timelines in a fast-paced changing environment, and highly competent in communicating complex concepts to diverse audiences. The manager will have a fundamental understanding of current issues and challenges facing individuals from underserved communities including sensitivity to racial equity/diversity.
This posting will be open continuously until filled. The first review of applications will occur on August 28th with interviews scheduled on September 18th.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's Degree in Public or Business Administration, Public Policy, Organizational Development, Public Relations, or a closely related field; AND
• 5 years of progressive experience with an emphasis in diversity, equity and inclusion, civil rights laws such as EEO, ADA and Title VI, and DEI work which includes at least 2 years of leading and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in an organization and in community outreach.
• Any equivalent combination of experience and education that provides the applicant with the desired knowledge, skills and ability required to perform the work.

PREFERED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in the public sector preferred.
• Experience working with midsize organizations in organizational development.
• Experience with education/training programs.
• Experience with community outreach.
• Experience with a variety of computer programs and virtual software in developing materials and promotional media, including program text and graphics.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
(The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Kitsap County provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• Work is performed primarily in an office; however, this position may be approved to partially work from home. Participation in community meetings during non-business hours will be required.
• This position requires periods of intense concentration over extended periods of time and is subject to frequent interruption for questions and advice.
• Stress associated with competing demands for services and meeting timelines is always present.
• Positions in this class are distinguished by greater ambiguity in assignments, increased decision-making, and greater responsibility for implementation of recommendations following communication with and approval by highest level of management.
• Incumbent is expected to exercise independent judgment and discretion in the choice of work methods, personal deadlines, and the nature of recommendations made.
• Incumbent works with detailed, complex, and sensitive materials and exercises considerable communication, supervision, and human relations skills as a routine part of the job.
• Incumbent typically handles numerous projects or programs simultaneously.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Work closely with leadership teams to create, design & implement organizational development philosophy, initiatives, programs, tactics, and processes that impact leadership development, employee engagement, customer experience, career paths, and related areas.
• Work closely with community members to create an empowered Race Equity Advisory Body, made up of community members who will advise the County Commissioners on using a race equity analysis to assess the organizational culture, policies, programs, budgets, initiatives, legislation, systems, and infrastructure of the County, and taking action to dismantle systemic norms of racism and white supremacy within those areas.
• Lead the creation and implementation of a Strategic Plan for Institutionalizing Race Equity within the organizational culture, polices, programs, budgets, initiatives, legislation, systems, an infrastructure of Kitsap County governance.
• Work with all entities in the County to ensure that the principals of diversity, equity and inclusion are woven into the fabric of the organization, decision making, and delivery of core services.
• Demonstrate knowledge of theories, principles, and practices of effective project management and strategic planning process and techniques.
• Provide understanding of social, political, and environmental issues influencing equity program development and implementation.
• Demonstrate knowledge of cultural competency, equity, and inclusion outreach practices to ensure inclusive and broad participation.
• Demonstrate knowledge of effective institutional change management principles and practices.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal and group communication techniques.
• Bring together diverse opinions around collaborative values.
• Commit to improving County effectiveness to deliver meaningful, real-world results.
• Serve as a change agent utilizing experience in change management.
• Influence areas without direct reporting relationships.
• Communicate County vision and strategic direction, both internally and externally.
• Facilitate and mediate to achieve outcomes.
• Lead and manage multiple, complex projects at the same time.
• Prioritize short, mid, and long-terms goals within the County, managing competing demands.
• Develop evaluation plans and metrics of success.
• Interpret laws, regulations, and policies related to equity, inclusion, and diversity and apply them in a variety of situations.
• Elicit team involvement in establishing and accomplishing specific goals and work assignments.
• Work with diverse individuals.
• Effectively supervise projects and accomplish all necessary work in a team environment.
• Analyze policies, code, practices, and complex problems with a DEI lens, identify unintended consequences, and create viable options for solutions.
• Work cooperatively with others as the leader and as a member of a service-oriented team.
• Plan, organize, coordinate, assign and evaluate the work of others.
• Gain compliance with policies and procedures.
• Establish a sound working partnership with internal teams, community leaders, and customers served.
• May be assigned to supervise staff or consultants.
• Prepares, negotiates, and monitors contracts and budgets with local service providers and manages the service delivery system for the assigned area.
• Manage program and any assigned staff; coordinate program activities and ensure program deliverables are achieved; evaluate program progress, effectiveness, and results; prepare reports as required.
• The Equity and Inclusion Coordinator is accountable to the Board of County Commissioners for the successful completion of all self-initiated or assigned projects, duties, and responsibilities.
• Strict adherence to confidentiality is required.

OTHER POSITION RELATED INFORMATION

• Who May Apply: This position is open to the general public. Applications will be screened for qualifications and completion of all the required materials and forms. The most competitive applicants may be contacted for further steps in the selection process, which may include testing for office and computer skills.
• This position is classified as exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• This position is classified as "at will". Incumbent's continued employment is at the discretion of the Board of County Commissioners.
• Kitsap County is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please contact our Human Resources Office.
• This recruitment is being used to fill an existing open position and may be used to fill future openings for up to six (6) months.
• The hiring process will generally consist of two-rounds of panel interviews. The panel members will consist of internal and external stakeholders.
• Work hours for this position are typically Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Remote work opportunities are available. Evening hours will occasionally be required.

Kitsap County has been an active GARE member for two years and is excited to continue to leverage the GARE network and resources. For more information, click here .

This posting will be open continuously until filled. The first review of applications will occur on August 28th with interviews scheduled on September 18th.

At Kitsap County, we strive to take care of our team! Our employees are the greatest asset of Kitsap County, and we take pride in offering a highly competitive compensation and benefits package to all eligible employees.

County Paid Benefits Include:
Medical - Kaiser Permanente (HMO) or Aetna (PPO)
Dental -Delta Dental or Willamette
Vision - VSP
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Life Insurance - Basic, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Voluntary Term Life Insurance (VTL)
Disability - Short-term disability & Long-term disability
Voya Voluntary Insurance
Transportation incentives
Employee Assistance Program
Travel Assistance Program
Wellness program https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Wellness.aspx
Benefits become effective on the first calendar day of the month following the month in which the employee is hired except if the employee's hire date is the first calendar day of the month, benefits begin on the day of hire. More information about employee benefits is available on the county's website at: https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Benefits.aspx or the Kitsap County Digital Benefits Guide .

*Voluntary benefit options also available at the employee's expense

Retirement:
Employees are covered under the PERS retirement plan provided through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security.

Deferred Compensation (IRS Plan 457b): tax-deferred savings program

Holidays
11 paid holidays and 2 additional floating holiday per year

Vacation Leave
New employees are credited with 48 hours of annual leave upon hire and will be begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 360 hours from one calendar year to the next. Annual leave accrual will increase upon tenure, as follows:

Upon completion of 3 years: 15 days per year (10.00 hours per month)
Upon completion of 5 years: 20 days per year (13.33 hours per month)
Upon completion of 10 years: 25 days per year (16.67 hours per month)
Sick Leave
All new hires will be credited with 48 hours of sick leave upon hire and will begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 1200 hours from one calendar year to the next.

***Part-time employees benefit contributions and leave accruals will beprorated***

Current County Employees
If you are transferring or promoting into this position you are responsible for reviewing these benefit changes; prior to accepting a position. In addition, it is your responsibility to notify the Auditor's Payroll Division of a change in union status.

NOTE: This is a general overview of the benefits offered through employment with Kitsap County, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts or is incorrect with the provisions of the Personnel Manual, applicable laws, policies, rules or official plan documents they will prevail. The Personnel Manual is available at: https://www.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Personnel-Manual-2019.aspx

Closing Date/Time: Continuous