Special Assistant (Deputy Director of DEIA) - VID 199396

Deputy Director Of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, And Accessibility

Reporting to the Chief Equity Officer, the Deputy Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility is responsible for providing vision and leadership to OCM's efforts to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) across the agency. The Deputy Director will be a key leader and adviser ensuring OCM's DEIA strategy is deeply integrated into the agency's strategic planning, culture, and processes.

Duties include, but are not limited to :

• Advise the executive leadership team on DEIA-related issues, ensuring accountability and awareness at the highest levels and support advocacy and change strategies that will lead to affirming and safer environments where employees work.
• Partner with HR and Administration to help deepen and strengthen an equitable and inclusive internal culture and reinforce equity principles in employee policies and practice, including recruitment and retention across all OCM offices.
• Maintain an informed understanding of staff working conditions and experiences by fostering and maintaining relationships at all levels of the agency. Ensure that the voices of staff are heard, respected, and valued and that staff experience reflects this.
• Create and implement mandatory DEIA training programs and other initiatives for leadership and staff during onboarding and across the organization to foster a shared understanding of equity principles, including but not limited to developing a framework for staff to foster respectful conversations regarding DEIA topics.
• Collaborate with the Public Affairs team to ensure that equity is embedded in both internal and external messaging.
• In close partnership with the DEIA committee, support the creation and implementation of the DEIA vision, strategy, and framework in alignment with the agency's values and strategic plan. Assess current DEIA operations and resources, identifying strengths, capabilities, and gaps and propose necessary changes to support the agency's DEIA initiatives.
• Establish and communicate clear and measurable DEIA goals, initiatives, and KPIs, regularly tracking and reporting progress to executive and senior leaders. Utilize quantitative and qualitative data and analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of DEIA initiatives, ensuring that progress is monitored, reported, and aligned with the department and agency's strategic objectives.
• Partner with other state agencies and community partners to expand OCM's DEIA footprint and impact.
• Serve as lead point person for the OCM DEIA subcommittee and act as OCM's D&I Liaison.
• Provide reports to the Governor's Office and OCM Boards (CAB / CCB) and the public concerning OCM's DEIA initiatives.
• Perform the full range of supervisory responsibilities.
• Perform other duties and special projects as required.

Minimum Qualifications :

A bachelor's degree and six years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications :

Proven track record of leading diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across various dimensions (race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability) within complex organizations.

Superior interpersonal and leadership skills to manage a team in a hybrid work environment.

Strong problem solving and organizational skills with attention to detail, ability to prioritize work, work independently, and work under pressure for deadlines with competing priorities is essential.

Excellent interview, observational, and writing skills.

Experience developing and implementing strategic DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) plans, creating frameworks, and establishing metrics to measure progress.

Proficiency in using data and metrics to track DEIA progress, measure effectiveness, and inform decision-making.

Demonstrated experience in managing meaningful change, empowering staff, and leading across various departments.

Ability to translate strategic vision into actionable plans and solve complex problems.

Experience in building and implementing learning systems that support and advance DEIA principles and values

NOTE : IN ORDER TO AWARD THE PROPER CREDIT FOR WORK EXPERIENCE, RESUMES MUST INCLUDE MONTH AND YEAR FOR START AND END DATES. IF ANY OF THIS EXPERIENCE IS LESS THAN FULL TIME YOU MUST INDICATE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF HOURS WORKED PER WEEK.

Additional Comments :

NOTE :

Travel may be required (approximately 20%), including during evening and weekends, depending on mission and assignment.

Possession and maintenance of a valid Driver's License issued by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicle is required, or otherwise demonstrate the capacity to meet the transportation needs of the job.

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is an equal opportunity employer, and we recognize that diversity in our workforce is critical to fulfilling our mission. We encourage applicants for all communities to apply. For a full version of OCM's EEO / AA statement and benefits of joining OCM, please visit : About | Office of Cannabis Management (ny.gov).

NOTE ON TELECOMMUTING : Employees are required to apply and obtain approval through management to telecommute according to the agency's Telecommuting Program Guidelines.