Director-Fair Practices and Title IX

Under the direction of the Chief Legal Officer, the primary responsibilities of the Director of Fair Practices and Title IX are to manage, direct, and coordinate all activities of the Department of Fair Practices and Compliance, including managing the Equal Educational/Employment Opportunity ("EEO") & Title IX Compliance Unit, the Staff Investigations Unit, and the Minority and Women Business Enterprise ("MWBE") Unit. In addition, this position serves as the systemwide Title IX Coordinator, responsible for overseeing all efforts to address sex-based discrimination in Baltimore City Public Schools ("City Schools") worksites and educational programming and activities.

• Provides leadership support to the Chief Legal Officer for effective operation of the Office of Legal Counsel, and especially its fair practices initiatives.
• Oversees, monitors, and ensures the thoroughness and effectiveness of City Schools' responses to complaints by students, employees, and other stakeholders alleging discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities ("EEO complaints"), based on race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy or parenting status, family structure, ability (cognitive, social/emotional, and physical), veteran status, genetic information, age, immigration or citizenship status, socioeconomic status, language, or any other legally or constitutionally protected attributes or affiliations.
• Ensures that investigations of staff misconduct and of discrimination, including Title IX complaints of sex-based discrimination, are conducted in a timely, professional, and fair manner.
• Directs resolution of staff investigations and EEO complaints, and ensures timely, accurate results and thorough, well-written investigative reports, findings of fact, and recommendations.
• Oversees interactive processes in response to requests for accommodations based on disabilities, religion, pregnancy/parenting, etc.; provides support to students and employees seeking such accommodations; and advises schools and offices regarding implementation of accommodations
• Leads support functions and activities associated with ensuring compliance with federal and state laws regarding equal educational/employment opportunity ("EEO"), as well as applicable Board policies, including Policies JBA (Nondiscrimination - Students), JBB (Sex-Based Discrimination - Students), JICK (Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation of Students), ACA (Nondiscrimination - Employees and Third Parties), ACB (Sexual Harassment - Employees and Third Parties), ACD (ADA Reasonable Accommodations), and the accompanying City Schools Administrative Regulations.
• Identifies and monitors for any barriers to reporting discrimination, as well as any systemic challenges to implementing Board policies related to EEO, and implementation of corrective actions reasonably calculated to address those barriers and systemic challenges.
• Oversees planning, implementation, and support activities, including education, training, and outreach, designed to enhance and increase MWBE vendor participation in City Schools' procurement and contracting opportunities and to help to build a pipeline for entrepreneurialism so that City Schools' students have increased opportunities to become the next generation of business leaders in the Baltimore community.
• Provides technical assistance to MWBEs regarding City Schools' MWBE program, including support around the use of City Schools' platforms related to procurement, payment, and compliance processes.
• Identifies and integrates best practices in the fair practices arena, including identification of necessary revisions to policies, regulations, and guidance.
• Provides legal strategy and support to City Schools in response to EEO complaints filed with external administrative agencies (e.g., S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights; Maryland Commission on Civil Rights; and Baltimore City Community Relations Commission), including preparing position statements and coordinating written responses to regulatory inquiries that may include extensive fact-finding and legal analysis.
• Plays a key role in the design, development and implementation of support and awareness-raising programs for students and their families regarding EEO-related initiatives (e.g., preventing bullying, harassment, and intimidation; respecting religious diversity; combatting hate crimes; and supporting LGBTQ+ students and other stakeholders), as well as inrobust and dynamic outreach and engagement program to engage and support MWBE vendors, in collaboration with other City Schools offices, such as the Schools Office and the Office of Equity, to integrate these efforts with City Schools' wholeness, engagement, and equity initiatives. Coordinates the development and design of system-wide training for employees, contractors, and other stakeholders' issues related to EEO, staff misconduct, and MWBE, including all-staff annual EEO training and updates, as well as targeted -in-service training and professional development for supervisors and other specific groups of stakeholders; oversees compliance with all relevant legal requirements for compliance training.
• Monitors all pertinent federal, state, and local legislation, regulations, case law, best practices, professional standards, and current and evolving trends in EEO compliance, misconduct investigations, and MWBE initiatives.
• Proactively anticipates issues related to EEO compliance, staff misconduct, and MWBE relevant to decision making and provides updates to the CEO and other City Schools staff, as well as presentations to the Board, on relevant legal decisions, legislation, policies, and regulations which impact City Schools.
• Identifies areas for policy improvement and recommends programs, strategies, and other collaborative activities to prevent discrimination, staff misconduct, and promote EEO and MWBE compliance.
• Supervises data collection and monitoring of fair practices processes, outcomes, and trends and prepares annual compliance reports on relevant Board Policies.
• Conducts legal research and drafts legal opinions regarding legal questions and issues, interpreting laws, rulings, policies, and addressing current or potential litigation exposure.
• Supervises work of EEO, MWBE, and staff misconduct investigators, specialists, compliance analysts, and managers.
• Utilizes resources appropriately to complete work in the most efficient manner; proactively communicates the status of work; participates and contributes fully as a team member and leader; and exercises sound judgment and decision-making skills to resolve sensitive matters.
• Performs and promotes all activities in compliance with equal employment and nondiscrimination policies; follow federal and state laws, school board policies and the professional standards.

• Possession of a Juris Doctorate Degree from an accredited law school, plus a minimum of ten years of recent progressively more responsible professional experience in public or private sector practice of law, preferably which deals with public school legal issues.
• Membership in the Maryland State Bar highly preferred.
• Ten years of recent professional experience implementing an EEO, MWBE, or other fair practices program and ensuring adherence to fair practice standards to include administration of programs for persons with disabilities and policy implementation. A combination of education and relevant experience may be accepted.
• Extensive experience preferred in conducting investigations in schools and/or other organizations, preferably involving EEO-related complaints, including sex-based discrimination under Title IX and ADA accommodations.
• Extensive knowledge of laws, regulations, principles, and practices related to EEO, MWBE, and staff misconduct preferred.
• Documented successful experience with management and supervisory responsibilities.
• Extensive experience in managing large-scale projects that require substantial interaction within all levels of an organization and community stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to make persuasive presentations and conduct engaging and effective training and professional development.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple, on-going, and complex caseload of complaints and projects.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple, concurrent, and high priority tasks.
• Demonstrated experience ensuring adherence to program fair practices standards.
• Experience monitoring compliance with state and local MWBE programs.
• Demonstrated ability to accurately document and record information, generate reports, and evaluate information to determine compliance with standards and to ensure compliance with laws.
• Ability to build and maintain strong collaborative working relationships with a school system employees and managers at all levels, as well as government agencies and wide range of constituencies (e.g., students, parents, administrators, faculty, staff, and community organizations) from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and experience in assessing, analyzing, interpreting, and resolving complex problems/situations.
• Ability to convey complicated information with tact and diplomacy.
• Skill in dealing with sensitive, complex, and confidential human resources, EEO, and legal issues.
• Proficient skill in the use of technical computer applications, including electronic databases, case management systems, and Microsoft Office, including Excel and Power Point.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Skill in research, presenting, explaining policies and procedures, assembling data, preparing complex reports, and formulating and presenting recommendations.
• Ability to work collaboratively.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize changing assignments, and organize busy workload, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure, while exercising excellent attention to detail.
• Other combinations of applicable education, training, and experience which provide the knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary to perform effectively in the position may be considered.

Qualified candidates for the above position must submit the following:

• Completed online application
• Resume that clearly demonstrates the above minimum qualifications. It is important that you include all experiences and education related to the position to which you are applying.
• Upload copies of all transcripts -undergraduate, graduate and all MSDE Certifications
• Must provide three (3) professional references to include: name, title, business address, e-mail address and phone number
• All documentation/certification necessary (scanned copies accepted) to substantiate minimum qualifications; must be uploaded into application
• All documentation must be scanned and uploaded to application

Benefits -- This position is eligible for benefits. To review the available options please see the information relevant to the union for this position by viewing the following link: http://www.baltimorecityschools.org

• Baltimore City Public Schools ("City Schools") does not discriminate in its employment, programs, and activities based on race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy or parenting status, family structure, ability (cognitive, social/emotional, and physical), veteran status, genetic information, age, immigration or citizenship status, socioeconomic status, language, or any other legally or constitutionally protected attributes or affiliations. Discrimination undermines our community's long-standing efforts to create, foster, and promote equity and inclusion for all. Some examples of discrimination include acts of hate, violence, harassment, bullying, or retaliation. For more information, see City Schools' non-discrimination statemen City Schools also provides equal access to the Boy and Girl Scouts and other designated youth groups.

For inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies, please contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Manager, 200 E. North Avenue, Room 208, Baltimore, MD 21202; 410-396-8542 (phone); 410-396-2955 (fax).

This position is not affiliated with any bargaining unit.

This position is affiliated with the City Retirement Plan.