Salary range: Negotiable.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

Under the general direction of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer (CDEIO) serves as an executive leader and key strategic partner to the CEO and executive leadership team by leading the Agency’s Office of Civil Rights, Equity & Inclusion. The CDEIO represents Sound Transit to external stakeholders, organizations, partners, and communities; understands the complexity of working in a public agency, serving the public, while advocating for community and staff. This position reports to the Chief Executive Officer and collaborates to achieve the Agency’s mission and vision in alignment with the Agency’s values.

The CDEIO creates strategies and programs to create a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace and ensuring that the agency centers equity in decision-making.  Serving as the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Title VI and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) officer, the CDEIO ensures that the agency is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Participates as an active member of the executive team in identifying key challenges and opportunities; demonstrates joint ownership of Agency decisions that ensure diversity, equity and inclusion to achieve Agency business objectives. The CDEIO positions the Agency for ongoing success by developing and implementing effective equitable responses to the changing landscape of the agency culture, community, passenger experience, service delivery and project implementation. The CDEIO provides strategic advice to the CEO, DCEOs and other organization leaders.

• Plans, directs, and manages the anti-racism, DEI, EEO, Title VI and DBE programs and strategies for the agency.  Ensures the agency is meeting EEO, Title VI and DBE program requirements.

• Creates opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses to thrive and participate on projects.

• Drives performance through influence, relationship building, and rational thinking by creating an agency-wide culture of excellence that maximizes efficient deliverables; sets clear and challenging goals and ensures the CREI Office collaborates and creates efficient cross-functional processes to advance the Agency’s mission; seen as a valued and collaborative partner across agency departments; guides and mobilizes teams to implement ideas and recommendations.

• Actively leads and manages the culture change necessary for creating a best-in-class transit system and acts as a change agent by communicating the need for change while modeling and enforcing new behaviors and norms for the department and creating and promoting an inclusive and positive work environment.

• Manages and leads the day-to-day operation of CREI, which includes Inclusive Culture, EEO, DBE/SBE, Title VI and Equity & Social Responsibility. Responsible for EEO and DBE goals, overall strategic direction, work plan execution, and compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and ensures consistent application and implementation with Agency policies, procedures, and business practices. Plans, directs, coordinates, and reviews the work of assigned staff; assigns work activities and coordinates schedules, projects, and programs. Translates broad organizational goals and strategies into operational objectives and practical action plans for the department; provides high-level direction in terms of division goals and provide effective strategic management and direction that supports those goals and objectives.

• Participates in organizational design, staffing, recruitment, and succession planning efforts, as needed and as the operating system expands. Coaches, trains, and motivates staff; facilitates staff training; manages employee relations staff performance and takes appropriate corrective action when necessary; and provides advice and counsel to staff and guidance to Agency leaders on establishing professional growth and development plans for staff.

• Develops and maintains positive relationships with key stakeholders; represents CREI to other departments, elected officials, and outside agencies; coordinates assigned activities with those of other departments and outside agencies and organizations; plans and presents materials to Board of Directors, Rider Experience Committee, System Expansion Committee and Citizen Oversight panel on policy Civil Rights and DEI reports; serves as representative on various Agency Committees, federal oversight agencies, state oversight agencies, local jurisdictions, and partner transit agencies.

• Develops, administers, maintains, and oversees the annual budgets; makes recommendations and forecasts for future funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; reviews and approves department expenditures and implements adjustments.

• Demonstrates passion and commitment to championing Sound Transit values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the Agency.

• Leads the agency in creating a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit’s Equity & Inclusion Policy.

• Champions and models Sound Transit’s core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.

• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit’s Equity & Inclusion Policy.

• It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.

• It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.

• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field; Advanced coursework preferred. Twelve and fifteen years of progressive experience related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and/or Civil Rights and ten years of leadership, budgetary, planning and workforce management experience; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Licenses or Certifications:

None

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Sensitivity to, and an awareness of, the varied ways in which discrimination occurs.

• Total commitment to Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights goals and objectives.

• Knowledge of civil rights laws, policies, rules, regulations, and guidelines.

• Sufficient authority and ability to work and communicate with others (e.g., department heads) to achieve EEO, Diversity and Inclusion goals and objectives.

• Initiating and leading change in a time of growth, operational scaling and rapidly changing context.

• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.

• Conceptualizing, influencing, developing, and administering goals, objectives, guidelines, and procedures for CREI.

• Demonstrated ability to work with and lead others to work collaboratively; create esprit de corps among different functions, with competing priorities, to achieve organizational goals, objectives and vision.

• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other senior agency leaders, department staff, management, Board members, vendors, outside agencies, community groups, and the general public.

• Ability to think broadly about a topic and gain viewpoints of others to ensure that a situation, task or goal and its potential impact is fully understood by all stakeholders.

• Strong active and equitable listening, problem solving and conflict resolution skills, proficiency in using self-assessment and self-management skills to participate effectively and constructively as a team member to ensure group success over individual goals.

• Capability to use critical thinking and rational processes to analyze and synthesize information in a concise manner, make recommendations on strategies to resolve issues and build complex cross-group/department plans to drive, track, and report execution progress.

• Performing functions with a tolerance for ambiguity.

• Prioritizing resources and spending authority amongst a large and growing Agency list of requirements.

• Leading large, complex projects and making decisions in fast-paced, difficult environments.

• Maintaining confidentiality and communicating with tact and diplomacy.

• Developing, monitoring departmental, and program/project operating budgets, costs, and schedules.

• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:  

• Work is performed in a standard office environment.

• Subject to standing, walking, bending, reaching, stooping, and lifting of objects up to 25 pounds.

• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)