Opportunity Statement: Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Compassionate Leadership

Over the past decade, Eastside Preparatory School (EPS) has grown, evolved, and deepened its work in equity, inclusion, and compassionate leadership (EICL). Twenty years ago, EPS was founded as a school for a broad range of learners, incorporating neurological equity and diversity into the foundation of the school. We know that belonging leads to holistic success both in, and beyond, school. Our dedication to equity, inclusion, and compassionate leadership as a necessary lens through which we view all aspects of school has now led to the establishment of this inaugural director-level position.

Over the past ten years, we have moved from one EICL Coordinator, whose work originally was limited to students and student activities, to two EICL Coordinators and a faculty/staff EICL Organizational Design Group. Together, these groups work to develop and implement strategic equity and inclusion priorities for the school and all its constituents. With the addition of our new EICL Director, we are excited to enter EPS’s next chapter—one in which belonging: feeling safe, feeling connected, and feeling able to contribute to our community—are essential commitments and shared community responsibilities.

The new director will join the school at the intersection of demographic shifts and institutional maturation. As such, this moment presents certain challenges and opportunities for an incoming director, not limited to the following:

• With its historical commitment to EICL as its internal moniker for DEIB, EPS has struggled to fully articulate the role that diversity plays within the organization.
• The racial makeup and cultural diversity of Eastside Prep’s student body largely mirrors demographics of the larger Eastside of the Puget Sound region.
• With visible LGBTQ+ representation in its student body, families, faculty, staff, and leadership, the school is unwavering in its commitment to LGBTQ+ communities and will further develop its practices to ensure that all organizational systems affirm community members’ identities.
• Though over two-thirds of EPS students are people of color, EPS remains a predominantly white employee community. Increasing representation amongst our employee community, and ensuring the belonging of all BIPOC individuals, remains a priority.
• Longitudinal data gathered through annual student surveys through Authentic Connections illustrate a strong and growing sense of belonging within the larger community in comparison to national benchmarks. At the same time, the data also highlights inequities amongst certain key demographics.
• While affinity groups have taken root for students and employees, the school continues to pilot efforts to more effectively connect with and engage the communities represented within its larger school community (i.e. parent/guardian/family affinity gatherings).
• The school is committed to socioeconomic diversity, and as a tuition-driven institution, the school recognizes the need to increase its financial aid fund budget (including both tuition and all additional school-related expenses).

Over the next three years, EPS will endeavor to address these structural challenges and inequities, as well as further center the students, faculty, staff, families, and broader community in service to its Mission and Vision. With the conclusion of its Belonging Audit (a process guided by Blink Strategic Consulting), the school will develop strategic initiatives that better allow for the infusion of EICL across all aspects of the school’s operations and program. The EICL Director will be charged with leading this work as well as developing the infrastructure and nurture the partnerships through which these strategic charges are operationalized. Through the implementation of these initiatives, EPS will better live its EICL commitments across the school.

Position Summary

The Equity, Inclusion, and Compassionate Leadership Director will provide visionary leadership to foster an inclusive and equitable school community at Eastside Prep. The position features a blend of direct responsibilities and shared ownership. As the scope of the EICL Director is schoolwide, the partnership with other members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) is essential for success. Each member of the SLT will support the director in developing and executing school-wide initiatives.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the EICL Director will develop and implement strategic initiatives that promote belonging, cultural competency, and compassionate leadership among students, faculty, staff, and trustees. This role requires thoughtful and intentional leadership with a deep understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles. Prerequisites for this position include strong program development experience and the ability to collaborate across all levels of the institution to create lasting and meaningful change. This position reports directly to the Head of School and will supervise a team including EICL Coordinators, Rainier Scholars Coordinator, and administrative staff support. This is a full time position. Start date is July 1, 2025.

Position Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Engage in vision work to continually refine and align EICL efforts with the school’s long-term objectives.
• Prioritize initiatives and set measurable goals based on findings from the Belonging Audit.
• Partner with the SLT to ensure EICL literacy is infused into all aspects of the school’s policies, programs, and operations.

Student and Community Support

• Serve as a visible and accessible leader for students and families, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups, including BIPOC and gender-expansive/gender non-conforming communities.
• Oversee the strategic leadership of affinity space programming, fostering safe and supportive environments for students and faculty/staff.
• Provide opportunities to connect with and support parents/guardians.

Collaborative Responsibilities

Curriculum and Programming

• Oversee the design and implementation of EICL-focused programming and events (i.e. Voices in Action Day and Culture Night) with a particular focus on further developing the Middle School program.
• Serve on Academic Design and Integration Group (ADIG+), led by the Director of Academic Design and Integration, to ensure alignment with EICL principles.
• Provide perspective to the Education Beyond the Classroom (EBC) team on EICL-related topics and institutional practices.

Faculty, Staff, and Trustee Engagement

• Collaborate with the Head of School to provide ongoing professional development and training on EICL literacy, ensuring faculty and staff understand and embody equity and inclusion in their work.
• Partner with the Director of Finance and Operations on policy improvements that foster belonging and support for employees from diverse backgrounds.
• Supervise and support the Rainier Scholars Coordinator and EICL Coordinators in their efforts to enhance student experience.
• Serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Trustees, including the development of strategic priorities related to belonging.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Collaborative mindset with a talent for fostering relationships across multiple constituencies.
• Demonstrated expertise in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives in an educational or nonprofit setting.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead institutional change efforts and build meaningful community partnerships.
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on engagement in student and faculty programming.

Experience and Credentials

• A minimum of three years of leadership experience in an EICL or related role.
• Experience in policy development and organizational change related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Experience supervising and mentoring staff and facilitating professional development.
• Education, social justice, psychology, organizational leadership, or a related field of study preferred.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit these materials to serve as a complete application for the position by Monday, March 17, 2025.

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Overall Educational Philosophy
• Statement of Equity and Inclusion Philosophy
• Four references who can speak to your leadership experience and/or involvement in equity and inclusion work

For more information about working at Eastside Prep (including benefits), visit Careers at EPS.