Georgetown Day School opened its doors in 1945 as the first integrated school in a segregated city. Governed by a Board of Trustees elected by the parent body and administered by an appointed Head of School, it was founded by seven families who wanted to create a school committed not only to academic excellence and educational innovation but also to a value system emphasizing appreciation and respect for others. Believing that diversity was the ground out of which all deep and rich learning occurs, they established a school where all children would be welcome, celebrated, and challenged to be their best selves.
Today, the School's philosophy, programs, and position in the national educational landscape strongly reflect its roots. Having grown from 12 children in 1945 to 1075 students in PK-12 today, GDS is recognized as one of Washington, D.C.’s and the nation’s most dynamic educational institutions.
Since the school’s founding, GDS has called eight different locations home. In the fall of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools were all joined on one extraordinary campus.
About the Position
The Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) plays an essential role in fostering an inclusive, equitable, and affirming school environment where all members of the community feel valued and supported. This position collaborates with students, faculty, staff, and families to co-create initiatives that promote belonging and equitable experiences across all aspects of school life.
Reporting directly to and working closely with the Assistant Head of School for Equity and Inclusion, the Associate Director helps lead strategic efforts to embed DEI principles of good practice into school culture, programs, and policies. This is a full-time, 12-month position dedicated to strengthening community engagement, programming, student support, and professional development in alignment with the school’s mission and commitment to equity and inclusion.
Division: All School
Department: Diveristy, Equity, and Inclusion
Location: On-site at 4200 Davenport Street, NW, Washington, DC
Date: Immediate
Type of Opportunity: Full-time, salaried, and benefits eligible
FSLA Status: Exempt
Compensation: $85,000-105,000 annually
Note: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Student Engagement
Partner with students to co-develop DEI initiatives, serving as an advisor and resource for the student affinity co-leadership council, student affinity group organizations, and leadership programs.
Design and implement programming that fosters identity development exploration, cross-cultural awareness and understanding, and student advocacy.
Create pathways for students to engage in local and national DEI leadership opportunities.
Provide mentorship and support for students across diverse backgrounds and communities to ensure equitable access and engagement in student life.
School and Community Engagement
Collaborate with faculty, staff, and administrators to integrate inclusive practices into curriculum, student and family experiences, and professional development.
Serve as a thought partner and consultant to various school departments, ensuring DEI principles are embedded in student support, admissions, and leadership decision-making.
Support the Office of DEI in designing and facilitating school-wide programming that nurtures an inclusive school culture.
Cultivate strong relationships with all school constituencies to promote a culture of belonging.
Collaborate with student support teams to ensure equitable academic and social-emotional experiences for all students.
Support faculty and staff affinity groups and facilitate DEI-related professional learning opportunities.
Represent the Office of DEI at school events, outreach efforts, and community gatherings.
Research best practices for DEIB programs and develop strategies for continuous improvement.
Monitor progress of DEIB programs and initiatives to ensure they are meeting desired outcomes.
Serve as a resource for employees on DEIB topics.
Collaborate with other departments to ensure organizational alignment on DEIB initiatives.
Develop and coordinate training programs on DEIB topics.
Serve as an advocate for DEIB matters within the organization.
Develop and maintain relationships with external organizations to stay abreast of DEIB trends and best practices.
Manage and support the Bias Incident Reporting Service, ensuring reports are reviewed, responded to, and used to foster a culture of accountability and learning.
Analyze data to understand the current DEIB landscape and identify areas for improvement.
Family Engagement:
Works with families and parent volunteers to support the School’s initiatives and goals to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Supports family affinity groups in partnership with the Parent Service Association (PSA)
Administrative Support:
Work in partnership with the DEI Program Coordinator to coordinate and manage multiple DEI initiatives, ensuring timely execution and alignment with strategic priorities.
Support the implementation of the school’s Strategic Plan and monitor progress toward key goals related to the work of DEI.
Provide logistical and planning support for DEI programs, professional development sessions, and community events.
Maintain records, track program effectiveness, and contribute to internal and external DEI communications.
Accomplishes all tasks as appropriate and meets all essential expectations of the School.
Other duties outside this description may be assigned as necessary by the Assistant Head of School for Equity and Inclusion.
Qualifications
Experience, Education and Licensure
Five years of DEI-related experience to include at least three years leading strategic DEI initiatives
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
Demonstrated commitment to and sustained engagement in justice, equity, and inclusion work in educational settings or community organizations.
Experience developing and leading DEI programs, initiatives, and community engagement efforts.
Skills
A collaborative mindset and the ability to engage in courageous conversations that inspire growth, reflection, and institutional change.
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and work effectively across diverse constituencies.
Embodies a humble mode of learning and is responsive to constructive feedback
A collaborative approach and enthusiasm for working with lower, middle and high school students and with educators and families in support of the mission and values of the school
Well-developed interpersonal skills to establish and ability to maintain an effective working relationship with students, employees, and families
Experience facilitating discussions on identity, equity, inclusion, social justice, restorative practices, and belonging.
Ability to demonstrate the sustained level of engagement and effort required to lead equity work;
Ability to sustain a bold and courageous disposition while maintaining compassion and empathy
Ability to manage a high-volume workload with multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail with minimal direction
Excellent oral and written communication skills, demonstrating emotional intelligence and cultural competence.
Recognize and maintain confidentiality
Demonstrate ability to solve problems and come up with innovative ideas and approaches
Excellent capabilities in utilizing Excel and PowerPoint, Google Workspace, and other database programs
An adaptable, problem-solver, with a sense of humor.
Americans with Disability Specifications
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment:
Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
To Apply
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references using our online application system through ADP/Workforce Now: http://www.gds.org/Recruiting. To find out more about the school, candidates should visit our website at www.gds.org. For full-time, permanent roles, a summary of employee benefits are available on the GDS website: https://www.gds.org/about/careers-at-gds
As an inclusive school devoted to preparing our students to live, work, and lead in an increasingly globalized and multicultural society, GDS is particularly interested in professionals with demonstrated interest and experience in working in such a school setting and is driven by the core charge of working to enhance and bring joy to every student’s individual learning experience in equitable and meaningful ways.