Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director

About the Community

Located on the east side of the Bay across from the San Francisco Peninsula, commonly referred to as the “East Bay,” the County of Alameda (County) is the geographic center of the San Francisco Bay Area. The region has been the fastest growing in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than two decades due to its desirable location, incredible diversity, ideal climate, broad economic base, welcoming communities, and business opportunities. The County itself is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the country, offering a variety of popular destinations including theatre, world-class symphony performances, dining, and many top-rated accommodations. The County is also home to many popular attractions, including The Oakland Museum, Chabot Space and Science Center, and the Livermore, Tri-Valley Wine Country and more, along with numerous parks, trails, and championship golf courses to enjoy. The University of California, Berkeley and California State University, East Bay are just two of the distinguished academic institutions in the area serving Northern California. Urban transportation options are extremely accessible including the Oakland International Airport, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, and the San Francisco Bay Ferry system.

About Alameda County

Alameda County is a major urban county that delivers a full spectrum of services, including general government and internal services, health care, social services, public works, criminal justice, and other public safety services for its community. Driven by a mission to enrich the lives of residents through visionary policies and accessible, responsive, and effective services, the County seeks to realize its vision is to be recognized as one of the best counties in which to live, work, and do business. With a growing population of over 1.7M million residents, Alameda County is the second largest county in the Bay Area and seventh largest in the state. Established in 1853, the County encompasses 14 cities including Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, and Union City as well as 6 unincorporated communities and rural areas spanning a total of 738 square miles. With an annual budget of over $4 billion for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, Alameda County employs over 10,000 employees working in 21 different agencies and departments.

For more information on the County of Alameda, please visit https://www.acgov.org/

The Opportunity

Leading the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office for County of Alameda (County), the DEI Director will be a strategic, entrepreneurial leader who will clearly envision, build, and navigate the office’s scope, role, and collaboration across departments within the County. As the County moves to more deliberately embrace and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, the DEI Director will lead the DEI team to implement strategies, initiatives and policies, partner with critical constituents to achieve transformational change, and manage and supervise the office of DEI programs, projects, and processes.

Reporting to the County Administrator, the DEI Director will lead the DEI office within the County Administrator’s Office (CAO). As the County’s primary DEI leader, the DEI Director will develop and implement a strategic plan that will include vision and mission, core competencies, operating principles, and strategic goals aligned with the County’s Vision 2026 Strategic Plan and supporting action plan. Beyond the DEI office, the DEI Director will also provide internal consulting services and leadership coaching to departmental lines of business to further department-based strategies, such as supplier diversity, that align with County goals, mission, and core values for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Examples of Key Responsibilities:

• Lead role in facilitating the development and implementation of strategies, policies, guidelines, and programs that advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion across the County.

• Plan, organize, direct, and manage the DEI operations and staff, reporting directly to the County Administrator.

• Provide county-wide DEI direction/support/communication and related compliance matters in conjunction with County Counsel and Human Resource Services. Act as DEI thought leader with the CAO, Board of Supervisors and Department/Agency Heads, and other key constituents on DEI trends and best practices.

• Chair the DEI Executive Leadership Council and the DEI Departmental Task Force.

• Provide support for DEI related initiatives from the Board of Supervisors.

• Interact with all County departments/agencies, to enhance existing programs and support the development of new programs that encourage active engagement and further demonstrate the County’s commitment to DEI.

• Establish relationships and partnerships through collaboration with County departments and agencies, state and regional DEI-focused organizations, community-based organizations, and residents to advance DEI in Alameda County. Attends and participates in organizational and community meetings and committees, as necessary.

• Research and apply for grants and other resources that support advancing DEI work within the County.

• Develop and monitor the budget and resources within the DEI office and across departments to assess and evaluate initiatives and programs.

• Prepare reports and make presentations to internal and external constituents such as County leadership, employees, Board of Supervisors, and impacted community and advocacy groups.

• Collaborate and coordinate with individuals who are overseeing DEI efforts within individual divisions and agencies.

• Collaborate with County lines of business in the design, development, and implementation of leadership skills training curricula into leadership training programs, classes, eLearning, and seminars.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a visionary, relationship-oriented leader with the entrepreneurial spirit needed to craft foundational structures and programs to support a broad scope of departments and services within Alameda County. As the County’s key resource on diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and initiatives for all County staff, this leader will deftly navigate county-level agencies, build relationships across departments, and foster collaboration and cooperation among colleagues that will support successful implementation of new DEI initiatives.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following attributes and competencies:

Visionary & Entrepreneurial Leadership

• Develop foundational principles and practices for DEI efforts that enhance the understanding of County employees.

• Define and clearly communicate a scope of work with results-based metrics and foster organization-wide investment in resources dedicated to DEI programs and needs.

• Intentionally plan around the strategic intent of the County while keeping in mind larger future goals.

• Strong leadership skills, including experience on a Senior Leadership Team or other decision-making body in an organization. Comfortable speaking up at a meeting to ensure DEI issues are identified when policies are being discussed.

• Expert-level facilitation skills of difficult and complex subject matter that supports organizational culture change.

Expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• Deep knowledge of frameworks, models, and best practices around internal DEI practices and change management for staff at all levels.

• Experience developing and implementing organizational DEI concepts and the design, development, and implementation of DEI strategic plans, training, education programs, and accountability metrics on topics of (but not limited to) anti-racism, cultural competency, implicit bias, generational differences, gender differences, inclusive leadership, and building a climate of equity and inclusion.

• Possess understanding of, sensitivity to, and respect for diverse racial, socio-economic, ethnic, academic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, as well as various staff identities, e.g. gender identity, sexuality, and disability.

Relationship Building & Leading Through Influence

• Successfully navigate across departments and their politics with a high level of emotional intelligence and fluency.

• Demonstrate high emotional quotient and build and maintain trust, credibility, and engagement across a broad and diverse constituency.

• A creative and thoughtful problem solver with an openness to understanding and attempting multiple approaches amidst changing priorities.

An Effective Communicator and Collaborator

• Able to effectively communicate complex concepts and tailor messages to a range of different audiences through varied written and verbal formats, including presentations, group facilitation, and consulting engagements.

• Flexible in adapting to organizational and departmental cultures while continuing to move work and partnerships forward across multiple projects.

• Create and sustain positive, respectful, and productive working relationships with Board members, staff, colleagues, and other constituents.

• An active listener who seeks to build consensus whenever possible through two-way communication methods that are open, honest, clear, respectful, and professional.

In addition, the ideal candidate will possess the following attributes and competencies:

• Successfully prepare accurate, thorough, and well-organized detailed information.

• Take initiative to ensure timely compliance with deadlines and the resolution of pending matters.

• Maintain tact, discretion, and confidentiality.

Minimum Qualifications

• The equivalent of four (4) or more years of professional human resources or related diversity, equity, and inclusion experience working in a senior management/executive level in a public or private setting; OR four (4) additional years of professional human resources or related diversity, equity, and inclusion experience working in a senior management/executive level in a public or private setting will substitute for the bachelor’s degree requirement.

Compensation & Benefits

The annual salary range for this position classification is $165,464.00 to $201,156.80. Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. Alameda County also sponsors many different employee discounts, fitness, and health screening programs focused on overall wellbeing.

These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans

• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans

• Vision or Vision Reimbursement

• Share the Savings

• Basic Life Insurance

• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)

• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

• County Allowance Credit

• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance

• Short-Term Disability Insurance

• Long-Term Disability Insurance

• Voluntary Benefits - Long-Term Care plus Universal Life Insurance, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services

• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)

• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays

• 4 Floating Holidays

• Vacation and sick leave accrual

• Vacation purchase program

• Management Paid Leave**

• Catastrophic Sick Leave

• Pet Insurance

• Guaranteed Ride Home

• Employee Wellness Program (At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)

• Employee Discount Program (theme parks, cell phone, etc.)

• Child Care Resources

• 1st United Services Credit Union

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement. This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

**Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

Contact

Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Express interest in this role by https://apptrkr.com/5618995. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

County of Alameda is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.

About Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group

Koya Partners, a Diversified Search Group company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

Diversified Search Group is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

Learn more about Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group via the https://apptrkr.com/5618995

To apply, visit: https://apptrkr.com/5618995

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director