Director of Diversity and Equity at Centering Healthcare Institute

About Centering Healthcare Institute
Centering Healthcare Institute is a non-profit organization that collaborates with healthcare providers across all sectors to transform healthcare. Our mission is to improve health, transform care, and disrupt inequitable systems through the Centering group model. We empower patients, strengthen patient-provider relationships, and build communities through three main components: health assessment, interactive learning, and community building.

We are dedicated to creating a future where the risk of preterm birth, the inequities faced by Black women in pregnancy-related outcomes, and the disparities in early childhood are significantly reduced—ensuring that every child has the potential to enjoy better life chances, social and economic opportunities, and overall well-being. With more than two decades of experience as the leading resource for group care, we have developed and sustained the Centering model in nearly 500 practice sites and some of the largest health systems in the world.
For more information about our mission and work, please visit www.centeringhealthcare.org. 

About the Opportunity
This pivotal role will impact Centering Healthcare Instiute’s internal culture and shape its diversity and equity practices across the broader external healthcare landscape. The Director of Diversity & Equity will bring significant field expertise to lead CHI’s comprehensive diversity and equity vision and priorities, including how those priorities, strategies, and activities will make CHI a more inclusive, equitable, and anti-oppressive organization and community. The Director will develop and implement strategies and initiatives that enhance the understanding of biases and 'isms' and how these manifest in CHI’s policies, processes, projects, programs, and daily interactions, internally and externally. The Director’s charge to champion diversity, identity, intersectionality, and programming through a race and health equity lens, will help to ensure that all of CHI’s values are embedded into the core of its organizational culture and programming.

The Director of Diversity & Equity will collaborate across CHI’s departments to build competencies around diversity and equity, providing leadership and guidance on best practices. Their work will include tracking and analyzing data related to diversity and equity, conducting equity reviews, and ensuring accountability across all levels of the organization. Additionally, they will support the development of programs and initiatives that celebrate cultural identity and heritage, promote intersectionality, and foster a deeper understanding of racial and identity dynamics within the workplace. The Director of Diversity & Equity will also partner with the Human Resources and Employee Engagement teams to support diversity, identity, and race lens work related to engagement programs, including: partnering with the Vice President of Employee Engagement on overseeing race and diversity programs; diversity training and coaching; and identity, culture, and heritage learning projects. They will be instrumental in driving change management efforts to enhance identity awareness and equity, aligning these efforts with CHI's Strategic Plan priorities.

In addition to internal leadership, the Director of Diversity & Equity will provide support to staff members who offer expert consulting services, driving cultural transformation and implementing data-driven diversity and equity programs. They will focus on health equity, addressing health disparities impacting marginalized communities, medical racism and bias, and the historical context of health and healthcare in the United States. The Director of Diversity & Equity will leverage their deep knowledge and proven track record of creating inclusive environments to influence change at all levels of CHI and its community of partners and providers.

This role will involve working closely with cross-functional teams and the Engagement department to manage and support future EIB (Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) initiatives. By fostering collaboration and guiding these teams, they will ensure that CHI's commitment to diversity and equity is reflected in every aspect of its operations. 

This position reports to Centering Healthcare Institute’s Chief People and Culture Officer and has one direct report.

Areas of Leadership 

This job belongs to the Director job classification. As such, it manages an entire portfolio within the organization, exercising considerable discretion and independent judgment over significant matters. Directors supervise managers and other non-manager employees, provide strategic direction, and report to a Vice President or Chief. They are responsible for aligning departmental goals with organizational objectives and driving significant initiatives.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to excel in each of its essential functions. Centering Healthcare Institute’s Director of Diversity & Equity  brings experience and a passion for leadership in the following areas which are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with differing abilities to perform these functions. 

Mission and Vision

• Be a champion for improving health, trans­forming care, and disrupting inequitable sys­tems through the Cen­ter­ing group model
• Demonstrate commitment to and knowledge of CHI’s priority focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and its values of advancing high-quality, evidence-based group care; creating an environment that inspires relationships of collective power in the health system; and disrupting the structures and systems that drive poor health to co-create communities where everyone has an equitable opportunity to thrive
• Serve as a culture leader who can contextualize, in history, and tell Centering Healthcare Institute’s story to inspire engagement, partnership, and commitment to equity across networks and audiences.

Diversity and Equity Expertise and Team Leadership

• Develop and implement comprehensive diversity and equity strategies and training programs that align with organizational goals, working in collaboration with the Human Resources and Employee Engagement teams
• Advise the Human Resources and Employee Engagement teams and senior leadership on diversity and equity best practices and emerging trends and work with the Recruitment team to develop outreach programs to attract diverse talent 
• Organize and lead trainings, coaching sessions, and workshops on topics related to diversity and equity, including partnering with the Engagement Manager on programs that support cultural identity and heritage appreciation.
• Lead a range of internal programs that focus on diversity and equity, including affinity-groups that are based on identity, diversity, equity and anti-oppressive management efforts in the manager program, diversity training and coaching, and identity learning projects
• Support the organization’s change management efforts through lenses of race, identity awareness and understanding, and equity
• Supervise role, prioritizing their professional development, including initiating coaching, training, and mentoring opportunities to grow their expertise in the field.
• Manage the budget for CHI’s diversity and equity programs and initiatives.

Organizational Compliance and Reporting

• In collaboration with the Human Resources and Employee Engagement team, ensure organizational compliance with relevant equal opportunity and non-discrimination laws
• Work with the Human Resources and Employee Engagement teams to establish metrics to measure diversity, equity, and inclusion progress and report on outcomes
• Support team and dept leads on creating department plans, work plans and goals around D&E and tracking progress.
• Conduct regular Diversity and Equity scans and reviews of all policies, procedures, projects, initiatives, and programs to ensure the material or program is aligned with the D&E values and best practices.
• Prepare and present regular reports on diversity and equity initiatives and outcomes to senior leadership, funders, external stakeholders and the Board, including coaching and supporting the Board’s diversity and equity work

External Client Support and Community Engagement

• Support an Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Specialist and client-facing staff in providing consulting services to healthcare clients on diversity and equity initiatives, including conducting assessments and developing customized action plans; supporting product development for diverse communities, including Medicaid and Black Birthing communities, and facilitating workshops and training sessions for client organizations as requested by the Programs Team; and offering guidance on creating inclusive policies and practices
• Facilitate the training and development of staff to lead workshops and training sessions for client organizations by focusing on health equity, health disparity impacts on marginalized communities, medical racism and bias and historical understanding of health and healthcare in the United States and root cause inequity. Coach client-facing staff around their day-to-day work and challenges that arise from their client-facing work involving change management and dismantling inequitable systems in the medical community.
• Build partnerships with diverse community organizations and educational institutions
• Represent Centering Healthcare Institute at relevant industry events and conferences
• In support of our Strategic Plan, work with key teams to support the development of targeted strategies, product and outreach for Black birthing & Medicaid patients using a targeted universalism approach. Support the tracking of materials impact on these communities.

Key Qualifications

• At least 5 years in a health equity/diversity and inclusion role with experience designing, developing, and leading the execution of measurable and scalable diversity and equity programs and initiatives with the majority of that time in a progressive, national nonprofit health or maternal equity organization; healthcare industry knowledge preferred. 
• Well-versed, with a strong understanding of, how to work with and adapt to both internal and external audiences and policies, including advanced training skills
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of health, maternal and birth root cause analysis, historical knowledge and institutionalized inequity within healthcare and medical systems in the United States required
• Experienced public speaker with the ability to translate controversial or hard to understand diversity and equity theories into practical solutions and concise messaging for all audiences
• Curriculum design and content development skills are a plus
• Commitment to upholding CHI’s core values of Accountability, Diversity & Equity, Partnership, Data-Driven decision-making, and Community
• Demonstrated ability to maintain the highest ethical standards, including confidentiality and handling sensitive situations and information with the utmost discretion and diplomacy
• Strong knowledge of diversity and equity best practices, trends, and relevant laws
• Helpful, but not required, to have experience in a remote team and startup environment, creatively leveraging lean resources to support change management and organizational development
• Strong communication, presentation, teaching and facilitation skills; curriculum and content development skills a plus
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of an organization
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and project management software (Asana, Monday, or equivalent)
• A demonstrated commitment to ideals of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and to fostering an anti-racist work culture and anti-racist principles and learning through:
  • Intersectionality awareness: The ability to recognize and address how multiple social identities (race, gender, sexuality, disability, etc.) intersect and impact individuals' experiences in healthcare settings
  • Health equity understanding: Deep knowledge of health disparities affecting various communities and how social determinants of health contribute to these inequities
  • Cultural humility: An openness to continual learning about diverse cultures and a willingness to challenge one's own biases and assumptions
  • Language sensitivity: Awareness of the importance of inclusive language and the impact of terminology in healthcare communication
  • Religious and spiritual competence: Understanding of how various religious and spiritual beliefs may influence healthcare decisions and experiences
  • Generational awareness: Recognition of how different age groups may have varying perspectives on diversity and inclusion in the workplace and healthcare settings
  • Socioeconomic sensitivity: Ability to address class-based disparities and their impact on healthcare access and outcomes
  • LGBTQ+ inclusivity: Strong understanding of LGBTQ+ health issues and the importance of creating welcoming environments for all gender identities and sexual orientations
  • Disability awareness: Commitment to accessibility and inclusion for individuals with various physical and mental disabilities in both workplace and healthcare contexts
  • Global cultural competence: Familiarity with diverse cultural norms and healthcare practices from around the world, particularly relevant to immigrant and refugee populations
  • Trauma-informed approach: Understanding of how historical and ongoing traumas affect various communities and their interactions with healthcare systems
  • Implicit bias recognition: Skill in identifying and addressing unconscious biases in healthcare delivery and workplace interactions
  • Power dynamics awareness: Understanding of how organizational hierarchies and societal power structures impact diversity and inclusion efforts
  • Intersectional feminism: Knowledge of how gender intersects with other identities in healthcare and workplace contexts
  • Neurodiversity acceptance: Recognition and support for neurodivergent individuals in both patient care and workplace settings
  • Anti-Oppressive practice: Understanding of how systematic oppression has created inequities and privileges today and how these show up in work and medical systems

Salary, Benefits & Location
The starting salary range for the Director of Diversity and Equity role is $118,000-130,000, based on the qualifications and number of years of relevant experience the selected candidate brings. 

Centering Healthcare Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to: health, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, 401(k) retirement plan with a 100% matched employee contribution of up to 6%, and flexible vacation time (unaccrued vacation time that full-time eligible staff can utilize after three months working with CHI), among many other health and wellness offerings.

The organization’s headquarters office is in Boston, MA and all of CHI’s team works remotely nationally. This role can be based anywhere in the continental U.S. and the person in this role will need to be able to travel nationally, approximately 15% of the calendar year, to various venues for team retreats and in order to meet with clients and community partners.

Work is sedentary in nature and performed in a remote office environment and will involve frequent phone and email contact with stakeholders. 
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Vaccination Requirements 
We are a healthcare consulting company committed to putting health and safety first for our staff, partners, constituents, and the larger communities in which we live and work. Staff who join Centering Healthcare Institute, will, as a condition of employment, be required to have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine prior to their start date with the Centering Healthcare Institute and be fully vaccinated (as that term may be defined by the CDC) within 30 days from that date, unless approved for an exemption.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Centering Healthcare Institute actively seeks to build a diverse staff that is reflective of the populations we aim to serve and the communities where we work. CHI encourages multiple perspectives and experiences and strives to hire and retain a diverse workforce. Our employees are passionate, curious, and eager for the challenge of changing healthcare.