The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

The People and Culture team focuses on all aspects of the talent life-cycle and the employee experience at the Aspen Institute. We ensure that the organization has people in the right roles, with the right tools and resources to accomplish the organization’s mission.  Additionally, we partner with employees at all levels across the organization to ensure a culture of inclusion, valuing diversity, collaboration, equity, and personal development to ensure a healthy environment in which to grow and contribute. The People and Culture team facilitates all aspects of traditional human resources, as well as talent management, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and organizational learning and development.

ROLE OVERVIEW:

The DEI Director will develop, implement, manage and evaluate programs and initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization. A key leader within the People & Culture organization, she/he/they will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies in line with the DEI Action Plan that foster an open, inclusive, and continuous learning environment. She/he/they will assess the current state of the DEI initiatives across the Aspen Institute and surface successes and best practices across the programs, align with executive stakeholders on “must win” goals, and prioritize strategic elements for implementation.

Key areas of focus for this position (all within a DEI lens) include:

• Organizational Learning and Development
• Organizational Management
• Culture and the Employee Experience
• Reporting and Data Analysis

As the ideal candidate you will identify as a change agent and champion of inclusiveness and collaboration, and bring a proven track record of leading culture change in support of diversity, equity and inclusion in a complex, matrixed organization (for profit and nonprofit experience welcome). You bring deep experience in DEI best practices with a global perspective and an “ownership” mentality and are motivated by building programs and initiatives to meet strategic DEI goals to affect tangible and meaningful change.  You enjoy the process of generating buy-in with key stakeholders through effective listening and consensus building. You understand the importance of measuring progress and have experience developing and managing to key metrics for DEI and sharing information and data-driven progress openly across the organization.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a DEI leader who has a demonstrated interest as well as proven track record in driving DEI organizational change

This position will report to the Vice President, People and Culture, and be a key driver of the (already established) Task Force on Equity and Inclusion 2.0; a key partner to the (already established) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council; and collaborator to the many affinity groups across the organization. A hybrid work arrangement is possible for this role, however, accessibility to the Washington, DC office is strongly preferred (and living on the East Coast is a must). We anticipate minor/periodic travel to other Aspen Institute locations a couple times a year.

SALARY RANGE: $135,000 - $150,000

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Organizational Learning and Development

• Provide strategic direction for organizational initiatives that strengthen cultural competency, and understanding of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and other areas of individual identity, designed to increase awareness and support of equity and inclusion values and build a climate of equity and inclusion.
• Drive the achievement of the DEI strategy through the development and execution of action plans across the organization in collaboration with the DEI Council, executive management, program leaders and program staff including HR and central services.
• Develop learning opportunities to educate employees and managers on how to recognize, accommodate appreciate, and honor individual differences and how these can be leveraged to assist in meeting the business objectives.
• Work closely with executive management, as well as HR and Talent Management, in the  development of internal education and global L&D programs that meet the needs of all team members throughout the employee lifecycle.

Organizational Management and Evaluation

• Provide expertise and advice to ensure the inclusiveness of and equity around core people and talent-related processes (e.g. talent acquisition, retention and promotion processes, inclusive policies).
• Manage communication of DEI activities, goals, and outcomes to executive management and program leaders on consistent basis.
• Direct and enhance the organizational SMART goals, as outlined in the DEI Action Plan, by positively influencing and supporting change management and/or program initiatives within assigned areas of responsibility.
• Manage the DEI budget, including developing budget proposals, justifying expenses and monitoring accounts.
• Define metrics that measure impact of DEI programs and associated reporting.

Culture and the Employee Experience

• Oversee key external partnerships, memberships and networking relationships, as well as outreach and evolution of relationships with diversity related organizations.
• Serve as a change agent, consultant, thought-leader, influencer and subject matter expert (SME) on DEI-related issues that impact the Aspen Institute and associated programs.
• Deepen the impact of our affinity groups by engaging them in talent development initiatives, policy review for inclusion, education campaigns and recruitment drives. Further expand the geographic presence of our affinity groups.

KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE:

• Track record of success in DEI, including demonstrated and measurable results from strategies and practices you have implemented.
• Well versed in stakeholder engagement across different levels (executive management, program directors, and junior employees).
• Superior Project Management skills with a track record of strategic planning, program implementation, and managing multiple priorities within a complex environment.
• Experience presenting to and engaging diverse audiences of varying styles and backgrounds.
• Extensive (10+ years) of DEI focused experience and practice, including leadership and managerial experience. Considerable (5+ years) experience advancing DEI and anti-racism outcomes in complex organizations.
• Experience designing, implementing, and facilitating learning initiatives for adult learners.
• Leadership experience in academic, corporate, and/or nonprofit organizations effectively working with historically underrepresented groups, including but not limited to African American, Latino(a)/Latinx, Native American/Alaska Native, LGBTQ+ identified people, and those discriminated against based on religion and disabilities.
• Demonstrated commitment to and passion for the Aspen Institute mission. 

Visit our career page at Work at the Aspen Institute | The Aspen Institute and follow the instructions to upload your cover letter, a sample of your work, and resume. Interested applicants must submit all 3 required documents for consideration. The cover letter should highlight applicant’s qualifications and share why this opportunity is a strong fit.

The Institute has implemented a mandatory COVID vaccination policy for all employees who will work at one of our physical locations, attend any of our in-person events or travel on behalf of the Institute. Staff unable to be vaccinated may request an exemption under certain circumstances.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. The Aspen Institute is committed to having a workforce that reflects diversity at all levels of the organization. We recognize the importance of not viewing individuals based on a single identity, and we thrive on being equitable in our recruitment process as well as in our efforts to be inclusive of all employees. We encourage all applicants regardless of gender, race, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability, or other social identity.