Managing Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.

NRDC is seeking a Managing Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to work with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team in one of our NRDC offices.

Position SummaryNRDC is seeking an experienced Managing Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to assess NRDC’s current diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) framework and lead the design and execution of a strategic plan to scale and optimize the impact of NRDC’s internal DEI efforts across all of its policies, procedures, and activities.

NRDC is committed to infusing the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion into its work and workplace because aligns with our core values and it enriches the work environment and enhances its effectiveness as an advocate for the safeguarding of our earth, and environmental justice. NRDC is looking for a Managing Director to enhance and expand the good work we’ve done thus far to ensure that policies and processes across the organization are fully aligned with DEI principles and values. The Managing Director will be a Direct Report to the Chief People and DEI Officer and will lead a team of DEI professionals deployed across NRDC to impact internal practices, educate managers and employees and drive deep institutional change.

This is an excellent opportunity for a dynamic expert in the DEI field who is a motivational leader with significant experience leading large-scale culture change. The Managing Director will be an exceptional strategist, communicator, and facilitator who can champion the vision, execute the roadmap, and hold individuals accountable, at all levels, to successfully advance and achieve NRDCs audacious goals around DEI. The Managing Director will work in close partnership with the Chief People & DEI Officer and will lead and have the support of a team of DEI professionals to champion equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging organization wide. Further to that, this leader will be expected to partner with and leverage the resources and expertise of our Environmental Equity and Justice Center. A unique opportunity that NRDC has to make strides and impact internally as well as externally through a coherent strategy that marries our internal and external DEI-related conversations and goals. The successful candidates will demonstrate a genuine alignment with the values of NRDC and seek to apply their experience and passion to help embed diversity, equity and inclusion practices and principles in the people, strategy, and structures that NRDC uses to advance its mission.

Responsibilities

• Serve as chief strategist, leader, and advocate of NRDC’s efforts to ensure DEI across all aspects of the organization’s work and efforts.
• Assess NRDC’s current DEI structure and lead the design process that results in a refined and revamped framework for NRDC’s DEI initiatives.
• Establish and communicate annual DEI workplan and goals for the advancement of NRDC’s DEI agenda throughout the organization, and create accountability measures, and metrics to ensure these goals are met; this includes benchmarking, analyzing data, tracking, and communicating metrics to all staff.
• Partner with HR colleagues to work across the organization at all levels and within all departments to ensure alignment with DEI principles.
• Ensure that the objectives and underlying values of NRDC’s DEI work are clear, communicated, and understood, and are reflected in NRDC’s culture and substantive advocacy.
• Promote accountability throughout staff for engaging in genuine, effective DEI-related work and provide guidance and support in implementing those goals.
• Communicate and collaborate with existing DEI groups and initiatives and other individuals and groups who have been leading DEI work internally to ensure clarity of purpose, efficacy, and coordination across efforts.
• Design and implement intentional development and retention programs for all employees, with a targeted focus on staff from historically and systematically marginalized groups.
• Conduct organization-wide DEI audits and surveys to further review processes and make recommended enhancements; identify the unique DEI needs and improvements in individual functions, programs, and countries.
• Serve as a key advisor and coach to leadership at all levels on DEI-related issues and provide guidance and advice for executive team members’ work as equity-focused leaders and managers.
• Identify and manage external consultants to advance DEI goals, as needed.
• Create, deliver, and facilitate training and group discussion opportunities for employees globally; topics could include, but are not limited to: unconscious bias, anti-racism, cultural awareness and sensitivity, creating an inclusive workplace, disability inclusion and belonging, LGBTQIA+ inclusion and belonging, and cultivating diverse teams.
• Develop and create overall organization DEI training plans and curriculum for all employees.
• Participate in national and international DEI networks to ensure the organization is up to date on best practices and trends.
• Lead and help build the expertise and capacity of the team and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
• Provide strategy and support on behalf of any NRDC DEI fundraising efforts, helping to ensure that fundraising strategies reflect DEI principles as well as support efforts to secure funds for DEI-focused initiatives.
• Identify, build, and sustain strategic partnerships with community and diversity organizations.

Qualifications

• A track record of extensive leadership in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, including initiatives related to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.
• Demonstrated experience in significant change management processes that require building buy-in and leading across a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong diversity, equity, and inclusion analysis and experience successfully leading the integration of DEI throughout organizational policies, practices, management, and culture.
• Experience and understanding of leadership in a multi-racial, multi-generational setting, and the ability to coach others to be inclusive leaders.
• Proven ability to translate strategic thinking about complex challenges and organizational gaps into executable plans to deliver on strategic imperatives and solve problems large and small, and measure progress towards goals.
• Leadership strength, including the proficiency to motivate disparate colleagues and influence decision making.
• Highly skilled communicator (oral and written) and experience presenting to large groups as a subject matter expert and facilitating in-person and virtual group discussions.
• Demonstrated ability to balance diplomacy with challenging the status quo, ensuring necessary topics are brought to the attention of executive leadership.
• An emotionally intelligent, results-driven leader who can inspire staff and volunteers at all levels, collaborate across departments, and provide feedback and coaching to support the achievement of complex goals.
• Keen understanding of how to empower people, influence colleagues, and work across departments in a complex organization.
• Aptitude to take risks, see opportunities and pivot when called for by circumstances.
• Thoughtful and patient communicator who will strengthen NRDC’s efforts to establish shared norms, vocabulary, and practices around DEI.
• Ability to serve as an organizational spokesperson and inspire internal colleagues with diplomacy, passion, and gravitas.
• A passion for learning, a team mentality, creativity, and a positive “can-do” “yes-and” spirit.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. For this position, the salary is $176,000 to $220,000. Internal equity considerations will be reviewed before making a final offer.

Our offices are open and we are operating in a hybrid model. We offer NRDCers flexibility, we ask them to come into the office and spend meaningful time there in collaboration with their colleagues.  We call this purposeful presence. 

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.