Diversity and Recruiting Specialist

Oakland, CA

Ascent is looking to fill a full-time position for a Diversity and Recruiting Specialist to join our environmental practice in one of our offices located in Northern California.

DOES THIS DESCRIBE YOU?

We believe our success is because of our people, so we strive to elevate and support our talented individuals as a top priority. At Ascent, we strive to cultivate a sense of belonging with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) at the forefront of our mission. As a firm, we are committed to creating a hiring process that is not only fair but also welcoming and supportive. The Diversity and Recruiting Specialist will be integral to the development and execution of our recruiting and DEIA strategies.

Ascent is looking for a recruiting specialist with a consultative mindset and a passion for building a culture of inclusion. The Diversity and Recruiting Specialist would be responsible for the creation and implementation of programs and initiatives designed to recruit, retain, develop, and promote diverse talent across all areas of the organization. The ideal candidate will report to the People Resources Director and will work collaboratively with both the People Resources Director, executive leaders, and our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee chairperson to develop, implement, and adaptively manage a recruiting and retention strategy that attracts top talent and promotes inclusion and diversity throughout the organization consistent with our core values. The ideal candidate has experience with, and is deeply passionate about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and has strong program/project management skills. The Diversity and Recruiting Specialist will collaborate with a wide variety of team members, departments, leadership teams, and third parties as needed. This is an opportunity for the right candidate to take on an important initiative for the organization, as well as make a long-lasting impact.

IN A TYPICAL WEEK AS AN ASCENT DIVERSITY AND RECRUITING SPECIALIST, YOU MIGHT:

DEVELOP and implement strategic solutions that drive our DEIA strategy
SUPPORT Diverse Talent Acquisition: sourcing, talent assessment, job description review, inclusive interview processes, developing interview bias checks
DEVELOP and IMPLEMENT training sessions to People Resources and supervisors on equitable decision making.
SUPPORT, create, and implement internal DEIA programs, events, and initiatives.
SERVE as a representative of DEIA initiatives internally and externally.
BUILD relationships with leaders within the company to support our internal initiatives and recruitment strategies for underrepresented groups.
PARTNER with our People Resources Director and executive leaders to enrich our retention and employee development strategies, including attracting, training, and implementing performance and career development solutions for employees and managers.
DEVELOP and analyze data and metrics to identify opportunities to strengthen DEIA across the organization.
CONDUCT a needs assessment and develop project plans for any program and/or diversity training requests.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (B. A./B. S.) from a four-year college or university; or equivalent training, education, and experience. Recent experience in a diversity-focused role preferred.
Three to five years of experience in all levels of project management/change management, from making strategic decisions to tactical implementation.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to influence people of different backgrounds and styles. Experience crafting internal communications is a plus.
Experience developing end-to-end, scalable solutions for challenging problems
Diversity and inclusion consulting experience with demonstrated business results working with employee networks and diversity councils is preferred
Hands-on experience designing company policies relating to anti-discrimination, microaggressions, and equal employment opportunity is desirable
Ability to work across different functions and build relationships with stakeholders and champions
Ability to clearly articulate and reinforce the organization’s diversity and inclusion strategy
Forward-thinking, detailed-oriented, personable
Ability to work well under pressure, with proven time management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment, and organize complex information

Ability to demonstrate awareness and understanding of multiple facets of diversity: cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, gender, educational, age, sexual orientation, linguistic, professional, and other differences that make us unique.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Ascent provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves or absence, compensation, and training.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.