A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact. 

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What We Offer:

  Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 

  Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 

  Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.

  Opportunities in Tech - Don’t wait for the future, shape it.

  Benefits - We care about your well being.

Agency Description

The mission of the Free Library of Philadelphia is to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity. Its vision is to build an enlightened community devoted to lifelong learning.

Inclusivity Statement:

The Free Library of Philadelphia is a welcoming and inclusive public space and strongly believes in promoting understanding and community engagement. All 54 of our libraries provide a safe haven for individuals of all ages and backgrounds, providing homework help, English Language Learning (ELL) classes, supportive job search assistance, and much more. We encourage and host conversations about differences and complex social issues. The library exists to provide opportunities for discussion supported by educational resources, access to a vast array of information, and ideas that transform communities, open minds, and promote inclusion.

Under the direction of the President & Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer leads the development and implementation, and evaluation of a proactive diversity, equity and inclusion plan in support of the Library’s strategic plan to create a learning and working environment where all have an opportunity to succeed and realize their full potential.  The Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer is a senior-level management position reporting directly to the President & Director and serves as a member of the Library’s Executive Leadership Team.  The Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer champions the importance and value of a diverse and inclusive library environment and leads the development of a vision and effective strategy to create a culture for equity, diversity, and inclusion.  The Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer actively engages all staff to further behaviors, attitudes, and policies that supports diversity, equity and inclusion.  The Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer will collaborate with library stakeholders to assess potential barriers (recruitment, participation, etc.) and develop strategies to recruit and retain a diverse workforce.  The Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer will collaborate with internal and external library stakeholders to assess the need for recommended trainings on cultural competency, gender differences, disability and sexual harassment and other concerns designed to increase awareness and support of equity and inclusion values.

Essential Functions

Specific Duties: The summary of duties listed below is not exhaustive. Additional duties are dependent upon the needs of the hiring division.

• Plans, guides and advises the President & Director and Executive Leadership Team on diversity, equity and inclusion.  Collaborates with Library management to create, implement and monitor programs designed to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all staff.
• Creates and conducts a needs assessment to identify opportunities for improvement and change in order to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community and culture at the Free Library of Philadelphia.
• Serving as the Library’s ombudsman for diversity issues, collaborates and partners with Human Resources, Training & Development, and the Executive Leadership Team in the evaluation and delivery of policies and procedures that meet the requirements of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce. Develops policies and programs to attract, retain, and promote a diverse workforce for the organization. Works alongside Recruiters, Employee Relations Specialists, and Programming Specialists in determining proposed goals and outcomes.
• Fosters change management in order to negotiate cultural change as well as identify perceived and actual barriers to change and operates as a valuable resource for all Department Heads and the Executive Leadership Team. Remedies issues through facilitation, education and coaching. Encourages courageous conversations.
• Develops and coordinates training to educate employees and managers on how to recognize, accommodate and appreciate individual differences. Joins forces with Training Manager in the coordination and delivery of educational events and activities to create forward movement for cultural competency. Keeps current on best practices and diversity programs by developing, and maintaining contact with others in the field (e.g. professional associations and educational groups, and professional development efforts.)
• Serves as the Equity Coordinator for the agency-wide Racial Equity Initiative for the City of Philadelphia. Will develop, adopt, and oversee an equity program. Will produce a baseline analysis of the equity impacts of the Free Library’s existing and proposed actions and policies, encompassing programs, operations, and capital projects.
• Leads/Chairs the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee, a sub-committee of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee of the Board of Trustees, in its strategic mission to review and recommend actions that will lead to an internal and external environment of cultural change and compatibility. Serves as staff liaison to the Board of Trustees Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree in social justice, post-secondary education, sociology, social anthropology, public administration, human resource management or other related field. 
• Eight years of experience advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in a complex organization; and including two years of management or supervisory experience.
• Experience performing the duties described above may substitute for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.  

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to analyze and quantify data. 
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus and trust. 
• Strong communication skills - both verbal and written. 
• Ability to interface with all levels of employees within the organization including rank and file, supervisory, management, as well as the Boards of the Free Library.  
• The successful candidate must have a demonstrated ability to influence leadership behavior as well as a demonstrated ability to lead others through teamwork and cooperation.  
• Knowledge of strategy development and diversity, equity and inclusion best practices are critical. 

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and reference list with your application

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• Employees are eligible for a 25% tuition discount program (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
• We offer comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available 

Successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx

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