Bar Associations

Philadelphia Bar Association Seeks Director of Office of Diversity

By Philadelphia Bar Association

Director of Diversity Job Description

The Director of Diversity will lead the Philadelphia Bar Association?s Office of Diversity. This Director level position has programming, management and administrative responsibilities and reports directly to the Executive Director of the Association.

The Mission of the Philadelphia Bar Association is to serve the profession and the public by promoting justice, professional excellence and respect for the rule of law. In so doing, the Association strives to foster understanding of, involvement in and access to the justice system. The Association has approximately 13,000 members, who practice in all areas of law.

The Office of Diversity strives to ensure greater opportunities for the inclusion of diverse attorneys in the legal profession. This is a fundamental element of the Association?s Mission. Objectives for the Office include partnering with hiring partners and managers at Philadelphia law firms, legal departments, and public agencies to develop educational and community outreach activities. In doing so, the Office guides, supports and leads the diversity efforts for the entire Association, including the Board of Governors, the Association?s Sections and, Divisions, Committees, tasks forces, and external efforts. The Office also acts as a resource for local Affinity Bar Association?s, attorneys, law firms and law students who seek support advancing diversity. The Director of the Office of Diversity is tasked with providing the expertise, vision, knowledge, and leadership in advancing the goals of the Association and of the Office of Diversity, and works strategically at all levels to encourage diversity within the greater Philadelphia legal community. The Director of Diversity will have a wide-range of responsibilities, including:

• Developing, implementing and integrating short term and long term diversity programs and initiatives.
• Working with Association leadership to develop a comprehensive strategic diversity plan.
• Collecting and analyzing data, ensuring accuracy, and developing metrics, monitoring and reporting systems to benchmark Association, public sector and private sector legal organization?s diversity and inclusion efforts.
• Acting as a resource for Association members on diversity issues, including development of best practices.
• Identifying areas of opportunity for Association to better diversify Association Sections, Committees and Leadership.
• Identifying and developing innovative programs that link Association with affinity Bar Associations/Organizations to: better facilitate the exchange of information; develop/promote minorities to leadership positions within the Association; and create an exchange of solutions.
• Collaborating with public and private sector legal organizations to drive diversity and inclusion efforts and develop strategies for the recruitment and retention of diverse lawyers.
• Developing diversity and inclusion communications, messages and marketing tools.
• Developing and maintaining mechanisms to disseminate successful diversity efforts delivered via CLE?s, working sessions, and targeted diversity roundtables with diversity professionals, diversity chairs and managing partners.
• Planning and organizing an annual diversity event sponsored by the Association.
• Creating, planning and implementing programming of interest to a diverse segment of Philadelphia legal community.
• Assisting in developing financial support for the Office of Diversity.
• Serving as a resource to the Bar Association?s elected leadership on diversity issues.
• Addressing other issues related to diversity as they may arise.
  

Reporting Relationship and Compensation

The Director of Diversity will report to the Association?s Executive Director and work closely with the Association?s elected and appointed leadership.

The Director of Diversity will have access to other Bar Association Professional Staff, but there are no direct reports to the Director.
Compensation is commensurate with other Director-level positions with similar education and experience.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor with three plus years experience developing, managing and/or designing diversity programs, preferably in a professional services environment.
• Familiarity with the Philadelphia legal marketplace.
• Knowledge of current trends, legal developments and best practices relating to diversity and inclusion.
• Open communications style.
• Self-starter.
• Strategic thinker.
• Ability to work with legal employers throughout Philadelphia.
• Strong public speaking and written communication skills.
• Ability to work well with elected officials of Bar Association, who change frequently.
• Exceptional relationship building skills.
• Experience working with diverse cultures.
• Willingness to author publications and articles on topics of diversity.
• Strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Please send applications or questions to diversity@philabar.org

Full post as published by Philadelphia Bar Association on May 25, 2010 (boomark / email).