Background:
AIA is committed to broadening equity, diversity, and inclusion to create a stronger architectural profession. We are actively engaged in furthering and supporting multiple programs, research, consultation, and initiatives in support of the architectural workforce and profession. Initiatives including supporting a Board-level committee, the Equity, and the Future of Architecture Committee (EQFA) and advancing the AIA Equity Framework, and strategic plan, and its twin priorities of equity and climate action, through data, programming, and capacity building, Targeted resources include the development of tools and resources to increase career awareness among children and youth, higher education strategies, Women in architecture, and Emerging Professionals. The emphasis of the work is increasing inclusiveness, diversity, equity, leadership preparation, access, excellence, and success within the architectural profession and within the AIA. This work also includes expanding opportunities and accelerating career advancement and leadership growth and opportunities within the profession and within the AIA.
Function of the Position:
This is a senior management position on the External Workforce and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team (EDI). This role is responsible for identifying, analyzing, program oversight and monitoring the external environment related to these key areas. The Managing Director provides expertise in the interrelated areas of workforce needs in architectural practice and equitable communities. This role will work with cross-functional teams to advise and deliver programming and resources to the organization working collaboratively to implement the strategy and drive member and partner engagement, The Managing Director, reporting to the Senior Vice President, External Workforce & EDI Strategies, will work closely with the External Workforce and EDI Strategies team as well as members of AIA’s Management and the Senior Leadership Teams. The position will have strategic, operational, and managerial responsibility to develop, support, implement and monitor initiatives designed to support AIA’s equity, diversity & inclusion (EDI) priorities, emerging professionals, leadership preparation and development, academic engagement and youth and K-12 initiatives and works closely with Components (Chapters), members, community groups and partners to identify gaps and profession needs.
Job Duties:
- Advise senior leadership regarding professional and industry trends in the transformation of practice related to driving EDI through the Equity Framework and the organizational strategic plan.
- Utilize data and metrics to inform AIA’s strategic and holistic response to issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion meeting member needs and internally within the AIA’s programs, policies, and practices.
- Establishes priorities and workflow within the team including, but not limited to, equity, diversity and inclusion, emerging professionals, academy issues and programs working with the AIA Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee, and the National Associates Committee.
- Works closely with partners and colleagues—including architectural Collateral organizations (Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture ACSA, American Institute of Architectural Students (AIAS), National Architectural Accrediting Board, (NAAB), National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and National Council of Architectural Review Boards (NCARB).
- Collaborates with faculty and administrators, career services teams in higher education of community college networks, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other programs.
- Support the leadership preparation and development and retention of firm and practice leaders and AIA leaders at the local, state, and national level.
KEY PARTNERSHIPS-
Strategic Oversight
- Provide stewardship and oversight of the human and financial resources allocated to these programs (Youth and K-12, Higher Education, Emerging Professionals, Leadership and Women in Architecture).
Board-Level Committee Management
- Members of the Equity and the Future of Architecture committee (EQFA), advise the Board of Directors on a range of issues bearing on equity, diversity and inclusion within the Institute and the profession, issues affecting the future of the profession; and on their ability to engage and represent the communities they serve and society at large.
- Works closely with the Chairperson of the Committee and is the primary staff liaison developing drafts of reports and ensuring committee engagement meets high levels of service expectations and member engagement.
Identity-Based Affinity Groups
- Serve as primary liaison with architectural identity-based affinity groups. This includes, but is not limited to World Deaf Architecture (WDA) the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), American Indian Council of Architects and Engineers (AICAE), Asian American and Pacific Islander Architects (AAa/e), Arquitectos, and other newly forming and emerging groups,
- Serve as an Internal resource to AIA teams to ensure consistency of messaging, imagery, methodological inclusion and reporting in AIA’s programs, policies, and practices,
Higher Education
- Promote excellence in higher education for the growth and future of architecture and the profession.
- Oversee and works closely with the Higher Education staff to create opportunities for collaboration between schools of architecture, architectural programs, and AIA, facilitates architectural research synergies between practitioners and academics and makes regular visits to schools of architecture to ensure a smooth transition from school to the profession.
- The Management of the Higher Education Advisory Team (HEAT) is managed within the department.
Students and Emerging Professionals
- Oversees & provides strategic direction to staff and appropriate member groups to design and implement career advancement paths that offer increased resources and professional development opportunities for emerging and young professionals throughout AIA.
- Serve as subject matter expert on educating and engaging, early career professionals, especially those from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion as fundamental to institutional excellence.
Women in Architecture
- Collaborate with team leads & oversee programmatic support for women in architecture networks and support the team, colleagues and partners.
Youth and K-12 Student Awareness
- Establish and foster networks with national education networks and out of school programs, K-12 educators, mentors, volunteers, counselors, parent, and guardian networks.
- Programmatic and technical resources for camps, classroom and other out of school programs.
- Provide resources to components, members, educators, teachers, and counselors to achieve the goal of creating greater architecture exposure to young people associated with the K-12 Education initiatives.
- Positions the team as a bridge between schools of architecture and AIA members in the early stages of their careers, by creating strategies for building relationships with schools of architecture, community colleges and K-12.
Other Leadership and Management Responsibilities
- Utilize data and metrics to inform AIA’s strategic and holistic response to issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion meeting member needs and internally within the AIA’s programs, policies, and practices.
- Work in collaboration with AIA’s Business Development and Corporate Partnership departments, along with AIA’s Brand & Engagement team, to develop and oversee execution of plans for new business development opportunities in various EDI programmatic areas within the department to generate new revenue streams in programmatic areas where feasible.
- Develop internal protocols for, but not limited to communications and marketing messaging, research, membership and reporting, advocacy and coordinate reviews while building internal capacity.
- Develop and deliver regular communication of progress on achieving success.
- Collaborate with internal and external partners in support of the AIA’s strategic goals, as well as specific program goals and works collaboratively with Management Team.
- Serve, when appropriate, as an Institute spokesperson, as on the programs and initiatives within the team and represent the CEO and SVP, External Workforce and EDI Strategies when requested in meetings.
- Monitor financial activities, developing annual budgets, and reviewing project budget submissions.
- Manage, mentor and coach the professional and administrative staff ensuring that annual program goals and development goals are established for each staff person. These goals are focused on individual growth and development, as well as on individual contribution to the strategic goals of the Institute.
- Serve as an advisor to the Senior Vice President, External Workforce and EDI Strategies by providing routine briefing, developing materials and recommendations, and serving as a sounding board on key decisions.
- Lead initiatives and collaborates with components, collaterals, academic, non-profit organizations and architectural firms for increased equity, diversity and inclusiveness among firms, components, and AIA members and within AIA systems.
- Provides strategic direction, ensuring continuous alignment with AIA Strategic Plan, to staff and appropriate member groups to develop and implement AIA programming to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion and to promote opportunities for underrepresented members and leaders.
- Assess the team’s progress against strategic and operating metrics and provide reports on that progress through written reports, dashboards, and other reports.
- Lead programs to position AIA as the leading source for information regarding career support and development for emerging professionals.
- Provides leadership for identifying and assessing unmet needs of various member groups and aligns efforts to address them while guiding on-going evaluation and updating of plans.
- Other duties as assigned by the senior vice president.
Frequent contacts:
- CEO/EVP and AIA Senior Leadership Team
- AIA Board of Directors
- AIA Strategic Council
AIA Equity & the Future of Architecture Committee (EQFA)
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- National Associates Committee
- Educators and academic staff
- AIA staff
- CACE (Council of Architectural Component Executives)
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) and Training and Experience:
- Demonstrated skills and record of accomplishment in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and workforce.
- Demonstrated experience working across multiple cultural dynamics
- Comfortable working in a matrixed environment, motivates and nurtures talent and fosters inclusiveness.
- Seasoned leader comfortable with leading at the strategic level and at the tactical functional management level managing functions and details with demonstrated experience in leading and managing a professional staff and multi-function department.
- Cultural fluidity and cultural competency and record of accomplishment in belonging and organizational culture.
- Demonstrated skill in leadership and visioning with excellent communications & interpersonal skills and a thoughtful, persuasive personal style; comfortable in a project-oriented environment; skill in strategic and tactical direction of project management teams to correctly identify and define on-target objectives and develop plans to accomplish programmatic and fiscal goals; and experience in managing committees and engaging volunteers in strategic level activities.
- Considerable skill in empathetic leadership, facilitation, high-performance team building, collaborative problem solving, conflict resolution, volunteer management, and systems/process development.
- Leadership strength and demonstrated ability to coordinate diverse resources.
- Ability to interact effectively in an association environment, recognize and identify member concerns, and unanticipated member needs to analyze issues and concepts to correctly state a problem and develop and recommended solutions.
- Ability to build and manage relationships with members, components, partners and schools to support students as they transition to careers and AIA membership.
- Ability to cultivate partnerships with collaterals and non-profit organizations that support AIA’s mission to build and equip the architectural workforce.
- Demonstrated and recognized senior level experience with a clear understanding of the concerns of under-represented members of the profession and emerging professionals, and a record of accomplishment and commitment to increasing equity, diversity and inclusiveness within the profession and AIA.
- Depth of content and program development experiences managing research and EDI programs within architectural and or STEM professions,
- An established network within the academic, research, consultative partners and architectural community are strongly preferred.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in architecture, planning, business, public administration, social sciences, or related area with a minimum of 12 years of senior management experience in planning, development and implementation of complex programs or projects focused on equity, diversity, inclusion and workforce at a firm or association. MBA or MA in related discipline a plus, but not required. A/E/C background in education and/or experience is a plus but not required.
Supervisory Requirements:
Directs a team of 8 regular full-time and/or temporary employees.
