• Job Description

  Req#: R0068515

  About Our Job

  Why Denver Public Library?

  Denver – one of the nation's top places to live, work and play – needs the best people working for the residents of Denver. Denver Public Library (DPL) is one of the few places in the city where all people, from all backgrounds and life circumstances, are welcome free of charge. We have 26 branch libraries, in addition to our downtown Central location, which is undergoing a $60 million renovation to reimagine our customer-friendly and innovative spaces.

  The community's recognition of the Library's vital role prompted the passage of the Strong Library Strong Denver ballot measure, allocating an additional $37+ million annually in funding. This financial support reinforces our commitment to fostering a thriving community for all and bolsters our greatest asset: our dedicated team members - who strive to uphold our core values of Welcoming, Curiosity, Connection, Equity, and Stewardship, ensuring DPL remains an indispensable resource for all who call Denver home.

  The Equity & Strategy Division

  The nascent Equity & Strategy division stands as the vital nexus within DPL, encompassing subdivisions that encapsulate the essence of our organization. Positioned uniquely, this division wields significant influence over our library's culture, reinforcing our steadfast commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, shaping our communication with stakeholders, and defining our strategic goals. Guided by our esteemed Chief Equity and Strategy Officer (CESO) in tandem with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), our reservoir of knowledge and experience continually fortifies DPL's role as a pioneering force in the urban public library domain. This ensures that the services we provide to the Denver community remain agile and responsive to its diverse array of needs.

  Job Summary

  DPL seeks an accomplished Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to advance our EDI work to the next level; to grow staff competencies and provide actionable resources; to create and enhance structures and systems for collaboration and engagement with DPL staff; and to support the continued improvement of a culture of inclusion.

  In this position, you will develop and lead the EDI strategy for the organization. You will work collaboratively with the Leadership Team to fully integrate equity and inclusion into everything we do today and prepare the organization for the future. You will work to understand the needs of employees at all levels of the organization and incorporate them in the EDI strategy. The ideal candidate will bring experience leading a complex organization on a journey that results in more equitable experiences, increased diversity and a culture of inclusion.

  Essential Duties & Responsibilities

  The ideal candidate for this position brings experience in putting EDI commitments into practice. Because EDI is central to all of our operations, you will bring a track record of working collaboratively and cross-departmentally. As our EDI leader, you will support a team of EDI managers and work with them to drive organizational change. We need your leadership in some combination of the areas described below.

  Policy & Advocacy

  • Guide and advise the Executive Leadership Team on diversity, equity and inclusion. Collaborate with library leadership and staff groups to plan, create, implement and monitor programs designed to ensure equitable operations.

  • Lead the organization in implementing prioritized EDI strategies, including a time-phased work plan aligned with DPL’s broader strategic roadmap; and a process to monitor, assess and adapt the library’s policies, goals and actions related to equity, diversity inclusion, and accessibility.

  Culture & Engagement

  • Lead efforts to increase staff engagement aligned with organizational priorities.

  • Foster change management through facilitation, education and coaching of staff while encouraging courageous conversations. This will also include introducing tools and processes to collect, interpret, and act on employee feedback.

  Learning & Development

  • Partner with the HR Learning and Development team to build and sustain a culturally responsive approach to learning, with a specific focus on new employee onboarding, required learning, and supervisor / leadership development strategies.

  • Develop targeted programs to promote a more welcoming and inclusive environment.

  Evaluation

  • Develop and prioritize the use of EDI change metrics to monitor, evaluate and modify EDI strategies.

  • Develop EDI learning competencies and skills to support and differentiate for employees on their individual EDI learning journey

  About You

  Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

  • A Bachelor's Degree in social justice, ethnic/cultural studies, sociology, public administration, human resources, or other interdisciplinary degrees, or a related field; a Master's degree in a related field is desirable.

  • Three to five years of experience advancing EDI in an organization and/or leading EDI-based community based change initiatives.

  • A combination of professional and/or lived experience with/as one or more of the cultural groups that are historically underrepresented in the area of library and information sciences.

  • Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategies to lead an organization significantly closer to a more equitable community and organization.

  • A background in change management, facilitation, and training and development

  • Supervisory experience that includes building and leading teams of managers and specialists charged with the day-to-day execution, monitoring and continuous improvement of EDI programs and initiatives

  • Skill in coaching and leading individuals and teams creating a culture of trust and collaboration

  • Ability to manage and negotiate conflicts

  • Ability to think strategically and develop objectives in achievement of long-term goals

  • Ability to inspire and influence others, foster effective relationships throughout the entire organization with a forward-looking vision that encourages innovation, continuous learning, and accountability.

  • Ability to navigate uncertainty and ambiguity and to prioritize work efforts to achieve overall strategy

  • Strong knowledge of culturally responsive models of teaching and learning, wellness, and / or customer service

  • Experience with budget management

  Preferred:

  • Bilingual or multilingual

  • Experience in a leadership capacity at a large urban library or similar complex multi-facility nonprofit or government organization

  • DEI Certifications

  The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.

  Denver Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

  About Everything Else

  Job Profile

  LA2854 Director

  To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

  Position Type

  Unlimited

  Library Hiring Range

  $103,977.00 - $137,770.00

  Starting Pay

  Agency

  Denver Public Library

  Assessment Requirement

  The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

  It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.

  Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

  For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.

• About the company

  Denver, officially the City and County of Denver, is the capital and most populous municipality of the US state of Colorado.

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