Director of Equity and Inclusion Initiatives

Organizational Summary:
Playwrights Horizons is a writer’s theater and a theater school, both dedicated to the support, development and innovation of contemporary U.S. playwrights from all backgrounds and communities, and to the production of their new work. Playwrights Horizons also runs a multidisciplinary theater training studio at New York University.

Playwrights Horizons is committed to building a more just future for everyone – particularly those from historically oppressed communities, by employing a broad spectrum of voices that will enrich the quality and vitality of our work. Playwrights Horizons has a strong institutional commitment to uprooting all systems of oppression by demonstrative equitable and inclusive practices.

Position Summary:
Lead the organization in developing and implementing institution-wide equity and inclusion initiatives and accountability strategies. This position reports to the Managing Director and is also supported by the Playwrights Horizons’ Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) Working Group.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead and facilitate staff-wide and board-wide efforts in anti-racism, equity and inclusion work.
  • Partner with all departments, Uptown and Downtown, to develop and implement ongoing projects and initiatives to become a more equitable organization.
    • Partner with Human Resources Staff to organize annual trainings for anti- racism, anti-bias, bystander intervention and sexual harassment prevention for board and staff.
    • Be a strategic thought partner to staff and board leadership on short-term and long-term institutional goals.
    • Partner cross-departmentally to ensure all communications and practices are consistent with our EDIA values and are implemented appropriately.
• Manage the implementation of our current, ongoing commitments to anti-racism, equity and inclusion in all forms and practices.
• Lead progress with staff and board of directors on related goals in our overall strategic plan (currently in formulation).
• Consult and strategize with Artistic and Production departments to ensure our values of equity and anti-racism are integrated throughout the creative and production process.
• Consult and strategize with Theater School staff to ensure our values of equity and anti-racism are integrated in the management and delivery of our pre-professional training program.
• Assist with research and coordination of ADA accommodations and execution of any outreach and/or initiative to make our organization more accessible for people with disabilities.
• Partner with Human Resources to maintain updated organizational policies and best practices, including hiring practices in the Employee Handbook, as needed.
• Oversee the theater’s EDIA working group and affinity groups in the ongoing examination of our work as it relates to the culture at large.
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Artistic Departments to identify, build and strengthen relationships with arts and community-based organizations in and around New York City, with an intention to expand access to our work and create new audience development initiatives.
• Work closely with our demographic data collection team to ensure proper data collection, analysis, and reporting to EEOC, etc.
• Create and manage budget for EDIA initiatives.
• Required to work at our Downtown location at least once per week.

Requirements

Skills & Experience Requirements:

• Five to seven years of relevant experience with a demonstrated track record in strategic planning and project management.
• Extensive facilitation experience, preferably in the realm of EDIA.
• Ability to work well inter-departmentally.
• Knowledge of ADA accommodations is a plus.
• Familiarity with the theater landscape and a basic understanding of the playmaking process.
• Self-starter with a strong work ethic and attention to detail
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written.

Compensation:
Salary $75,000
Employee benefit package includes: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, & Accident insurance, Paid Time Off, Health Reimbursement Account, Flexible Spending Account, 403(b) Retirement Plan, Half-Day Summer Fridays, and more. Playwrights Horizons offers flexible work hours and remote work options.