Job Summary

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution invites applications for a Diversity Coordinator, reporting directly to the Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer (CDEIO). This is a regular, full-time, exempt position, and is eligible for full benefits. This position has direct responsibility for day-to-day high-level organizational and operational support to the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer/Office.

The Diversity Coordinator will support the CDEIO in implementing DEI strategies, providing informed thought leadership on DEI matters to foster a culture of connection, community, equity, and belonging.

The Diversity Coordinator will help prepare communications and support the roll out of initiatives that engage members of the WHOI community including the Senior Administration, Staff Council, and WHOI’s Board and Corporation. The candidate will also help lead collaborative efforts with students, postdocs, and Academic Programs Office staff, as well as People Operations, the Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI), Workplace Climate Committee (WCC), and other committees and staff across the Institution.

WHOI is seeking an individual with subject matter expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion with a demonstrated ability to support and/or lead effective initiatives and programs. Experience working in a scientific research environment and federal grant writing is especially welcome. The successful candidate will engage, influence, and work within our team and leaders of cross-functional teams, building strong relationships as a trusted leader and advisor to drive change.

This is a highly visible position responsible for confidential tasks, often necessitating handling of sensitive information. The position requires the ability to exercise a high degree of judgement, initiative, discretion, and independence.

The work arrangement for this position can be in person in Woods Hole, MA, hybrid or fully remote, with the expectation of travelling on-site quarterly and when needed for special events. The annual salary range for this position is $70,000-90,000, which is based on experience and qualifications. Apply by March 31st.

WHOI is located on Cape Cod in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, a world-renowned center of excellence in marine, biomedical, and environmental science, with proximity to the research hubs of Boston, MA and Providence, RI. Its mission is to advance our understanding of the ocean and its interaction with the Earth system, and to communicate this understanding for the benefit of society. WHOI is the largest private, non-profit oceanographic institution in the world, with staff and students numbering approximately 1,000. Together with an additional ~500 affiliated personnel associated with the scientific endeavors of the Institution, WHOI is home to a vibrant scientific community that has a strong international component.

WHOI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. WHOI believes diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential components that support our academic excellence. We strive for a diverse and inclusive workforce, and encourage women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply.

Essential Functions

• Significant grant writing support for the DEI office as well as serve as a resource to WHOI PIs developing grants with DEI implications and Broader Impacts.
• Support the roll out of a strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion plan across the organization, identifying and preparing key metrics and goals to measure progress.
• Ability to support strategic budgeting efforts.
• Support the implementation plan, leveraging DEI focused committees and groups to maintain community engagement and momentum, including the Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI); the Workplace Climate Committee (WCC); Women and Gender Minorities Employee Resource Group (WoGems); WHOI PRIDE; the Woods Hole Diversity Advisory Council (DAC), and staff in the Academic Programs Office (APO) and People Operations Departments.
• Support work with recruitment committees for research and non-research positions, People Operations, and APO to evaluate and refine search, recruitment, and hiring practices at all levels to develop best and inclusive practices, including interviewing practices and attracting and building a diverse talent pipeline for employment, and for educational opportunities.
• Support work with the WHOI Board and Corporation, People Ops, APO, and other internal groups to solicit proposals or directly provide training and development related to diversity, equity, inclusive leadership, belonging, and anti-racism to the Board, students and postdocs, and employees.
• As an individual contributor, serve as the DEI thought leader and influencer to distribute and reinforce accountability throughout all levels of the organization.
• Support Department Chairs, People Operations, and APO to institute policies and practices that support a community and culture of inclusion where all people feel safe and are respected; build and maintain strong relationships and work in concert with members of WHOI’s various internal employee resource groups leveraging their passion and interest in furthering WHOI’s commitment to analyze and improve the organizational DEI climate.
• Research, educate, and stay current with evolving DEI best practices, supporting the tracking and benchmarking WHOI’s progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion against best-in-class organizations; prepare reports on a regular basis using data and metrics; and develop meaningful tools, guidelines, and analytics to measure and evaluate DEI performance and effectiveness over time, in order to enable leadership to leverage data to inspire action and drive strategic outcomes across the organization.
• Support the building of external relationships with diverse professional, academic, cause-driven, and community organizations that focus on promoting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.
• Oversee the coordination and arrangement of speaker series and other DEI programming including complex travel and accommodations for visitors from funding agencies, other institutions, corporations, government officials, and representatives from other countries.
• Communicate effectively with a variety of constituencies, including WHOI Vice Presidents, Science Department Chairs, Science Department Administrators, and senior managers.
• Represent WHOI and be part of WHOI teams at local, regional, and national conferences and other DEI-related events.

Non-Essential Functions

Performs other duties as deemed necessary.

Education & Experience

Required:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Deep understanding of and expertise in DEI, and knowledge of best practices and trends
• Demonstrated success in supporting the execution of DEI strategies, best practices and structural process improvements, minimum of 3 years
• Demonstrated success operationalizing DEI and leading projects within complex, decentralized environments
• Experience pursuing grant funding
• Demonstrated success working with high impact projects and cross-functional teams to develop goals, building metrics to monitor progress toward goals and building processes and practices to meet or exceed goals
• Ability to effectively build partnerships and influence stakeholders
• Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills to build and sustain positive relationships at all levels
• Team-oriented, patient, consensus-builder who understands how to influence and achieve commitment from diverse constituencies and design solutions across a matrix management organization while building and maintaining enthusiasm
• Excellent presentation skills and proven ability to collaborate and navigate all levels of the organization from the employee to the Board
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with a metrics-driven approach to problem-solving and the ability to leverage analytics and insights to create compelling narratives for change and drive positive results
• Ability to take a project management approach toward achieving goals, managing multiple projects at once, establishing deadlines, and benchmarks of progress
• Comfortable and effective working with scientists and engineers
• Proven ability to work independently. Superior communications are essential. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively on specific assignments. Ability to work on multiple projects, on competing responsibilities with discretion, and diplomacy. Ability to develop creative solutions; demonstrated computer proficiency (word processing, excel, databases, cloud based systems, One Drive, Google Drive) required

Desired:

• Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree; preferably in science, engineering, public policy, or psychology
• Experience in a scientific research and/or higher education environment
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion certifications
• Published Papers in DEI research

Physical Requirements

This position is mostly sedentary in nature and involves some repetitive motion such as with data entry. There is also the occasional need for retrieving and replacing files that requires some bending, stooping, pushing and pulling. This position will work alone as well as around and with others. Physical duties are subject to change. 

Further details of the physical requirements, if any, of established essential functions for this position will be addressed during the interview process. If you would like to discuss any accommodations you might need, please email eeo@whoi.edu