Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Chief of Diversity and Inclusion

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking an experienced Chief of Diversity and Inclusion (also known as Chief Diversity Officer) to lead enterprise-wide DEI strategy, build scalable inclusive programs, embed equity into talent systems, measure progress with rigorous analytics, and advise the C-suite on culture, policy and stakeholder engagement. The Chief of Diversity and Inclusion will be a strategic partner to executive leadership, a visible ambassador externally, and a practical operator who builds sustainable programs that increase representation, belonging, and equity across the employee lifecycle.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Director/VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Head of People/VP Human Resources with strong DEI portfolio
Director of Talent & Inclusion or Employee Experience with enterprise program leadership

Advancement To:

Chief People Officer / Chief Human Resources Officer
Executive Vice President, Global Talent & Culture
Board-level diversity & inclusion advisor / consultant

Lateral Moves:

Chief Talent Officer
Head of Employee Experience
Global Head of Learning & Organizational Development

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and operationalize a comprehensive, multi-year DEI strategy aligned to business objectives and the organization’s values, including measurable goals, timelines, accountability frameworks and resource plans to drive representation, retention and equitable outcomes.
Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team on systemic barriers, inclusive leadership expectations, culture-change tactics and how DEI priorities should inform M&A, product strategy, marketing and corporate governance.
Design and implement enterprise-wide metrics, dashboards and reporting cadence (including representation, hiring funnel, promotion rates, pay equity, ERG engagement and leadership accountability) to track progress and inform data-driven decisions.
Lead intersectional and anti-racist programming that addresses race, gender, disability, veteran status, LGBTQIA+, socioeconomic status and other dimensions of identity to create an inclusive experience for all employees and customers.
Oversee enterprise pay equity analysis and remediation programs in partnership with Total Rewards/Compensation to identify and resolve disparities, recommend policy changes and monitor long-term impact.
Build and scale talent systems and inclusive hiring practices—sourcing strategies, structured interviewing, diverse slates, bias mitigation training and candidate experience improvements—to increase representation at all levels, especially in leadership and technical roles.
Launch and sponsor Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and affinity networks; set governance, budgets, executive sponsorship models and metrics for impact, while building cross-functional collaboration between ERGs and the business.
Develop and execute inclusive leadership development and manager capability programs (training, coaching, scorecards and performance expectations) to embed inclusive behaviors and leader accountability across the organization.
Manage enterprise communications and change management for DEI initiatives, including executive communications, company-wide learning campaigns, listening tours, town halls and alignment of internal and external messaging.
Drive supplier diversity strategy, vendor partnerships and procurement practices that increase spend with historically underrepresented businesses and align procurement to DEI goals.
Partner with Talent Acquisition, Learning & Org Development, Legal, Compliance and Business Unit leaders to integrate DEI into performance management, succession planning, executive assessment, and leadership hiring decisions.
Lead crisis and reputational risk management related to diversity, bias or discrimination incidents; coordinate investigations, remediation actions, communications and policy updates in coordination with Legal and Compliance.
Oversee DEI program governance, budget, staffing and vendor relationships (consultants, training providers, benchmarking partners) to ensure sustainable, high-impact operations and measurable ROI.
Build and nurture external partnerships with community organizations, universities, industry coalitions, philanthropic initiatives and regulatory bodies to advance recruitment pipelines, community investment and thought leadership.
Design and execute research, benchmarking and competitor analyses to surface trends, best practices and evidence-based interventions that improve inclusion and drive continuous improvement.
Advance equitable policies and practices for accommodations, parental leave, flexible work, performance calibration, promotions and talent mobility to remove systemic barriers and create fair career pathways.
Champion intersectional data collection and privacy-aware measurement approaches to ensure robust, confidential employee insights that shape programs without exposing individuals to harm.
Create and institutionalize learning pathways on unconscious bias, inclusive contracting, cultural competency and anti-discrimination law tailored for people leaders, HR partners and frontline managers.
Convene and counsel cross-functional DEI councils and steering committees to coordinate strategic priorities, harmonize metrics across business units and ensure transparent governance and escalation pathways.
Advocate for inclusive product and service design by partnering with product, design and marketing teams to ensure accessibility, cultural relevance and equitable customer experiences.
Lead talent pipeline initiatives—internships, apprenticeships, sponsorship programs and partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) and disability organizations—to build long-term sources of diverse talent.
Create scalable recognition and reward mechanisms for inclusive behaviors and DEI impact, integrating these outcomes into performance incentives and executive compensation frameworks.
Evaluate and iterate DEI programs using rigorous program evaluation methods, A/B testing where applicable, and employee feedback to prioritize high-impact interventions and retire low-value activities.

Secondary Functions

Provide ad-hoc executive briefings, board reporting and investor-facing disclosures on DEI progress, risks and strategic priorities to maintain transparency and build trust with stakeholders.
Support HRIS and people analytics teams to standardize DEI data collection, taxonomy, and reporting templates across global geographies while maintaining compliance with local data privacy laws.
Oversee vendor selection, contract negotiation and performance management for external DEI consultants, training providers and benchmarking services to ensure value and alignment with strategic goals.
Coordinate cross-functional pilot programs (e.g., skills-based hiring, inclusive job architectures, parental support pilots) and scale successful pilots to enterprise-wide adoption.
Support legal and compliance teams in reviewing policies and procedures for anti-discrimination compliance, accessibility obligations and accommodation protocols across jurisdictions.
Facilitate listening sessions, focus groups and climate surveys and translate qualitative insights into prioritized action plans and measurable initiatives.
Act as an external spokesperson at conferences, industry forums and media engagements to elevate the organization’s DEI brand and contribute to sector-level thought leadership.
Develop contingency plans and playbooks for responding to public incidents related to diversity, bias, or inequity and ensure rapid, compassionate, and compliant responses across the business.
Mentor and develop a high-performing DEI team and cross-functional DEI champions across regions, ensuring capacity-building and leadership pipeline for future diversity leaders.
Support corporate social responsibility and community investment strategies that align philanthropic dollars, volunteer programs and supplier diversity initiatives with core DEI objectives.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

DEI Strategy Development: Demonstrated ability to design multi-year DEI strategies with measurable goals, KPIs and accountability frameworks aligned to business outcomes.
Data & Analytics for DEI: Proficiency with workforce analytics, pay equity methodologies, attrition analysis, representation dashboards, and tools such as Tableau, Power BI or people analytics platforms.
Program Management: Experience managing enterprise-scale change programs, budgets, timelines, vendor partners and cross-functional dependencies.
Legal & Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with anti-discrimination laws, EEO, ADA, accommodation practices, global HR compliance and privacy considerations for sensitive demographic data.
Compensation & Pay Equity Analysis: Ability to run compensation models, design remediation plans and partner with Total Rewards to implement equitable pay practices.
Inclusive Hiring & Talent Systems: Expertise in bias-mitigating hiring practices, structured interviews, diverse sourcing strategies and ATS integrations.
Learning Design & Facilitation: Capability to design and deliver leader-level DEI curricula, unconscious bias training, and coach leaders through behavior change.
Supplier Diversity & Procurement: Knowledge of building supplier diversity programs, certification landscapes and procurement alignment processes.
Research & Benchmarking: Capacity to conduct external benchmarking, landscape analyses, ROI studies and evidence-based program evaluation.
HRIS & Data Governance: Experience working with HR systems, demographic data taxonomy, survey design and ensuring data integrity and security.

Soft Skills

Executive Presence & Influence: Ability to counsel senior leaders, influence cross-functional stakeholders and drive change at the board and C-suite levels.
Strategic Thinking: Strong business acumen with the ability to translate DEI outcomes into financial, operational and brand impact.
Empathy & Cultural Humility: Deep listening skills, cultural competency and the ability to create psychological safety across diverse employee populations.
Change Leadership: Proven track record of leading large-scale culture transformations and overcoming organizational resistance.
Communication & Storytelling: Skilled at crafting compelling, transparent narratives and tailored communications for internal and external audiences.
Collaboration & Partnership: Natural collaborator who builds trusted relationships across HR, Legal, Communications, Procurement and business units.
Coaching & Mentorship: Ability to coach leaders on inclusive behaviors and mentor direct reports for professional growth.
Problem Solving & Decision Making: Strong analytical mindset and pragmatic decision-making in complex, ambiguous scenarios.
Resilience & Integrity: Commitment to ethical leadership, sustained focus under scrutiny and personal accountability for outcomes.
Facilitation & Conflict Resolution: Ability to lead difficult conversations, mediate conflicts and surface constructive paths forward.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, Business Administration, Social Sciences or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree (MBA, MPA, MA in Organizational Behavior, Industrial/Organizational Psychology) or advanced certification in diversity, equity and inclusion, public policy, law or related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, Sociology, Public Policy, Business Administration, Law

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

10–15+ years of progressive experience in DEI, HR, organizational development or related fields with a strong track record of leading enterprise programs and measurable outcomes.

Preferred:

15+ years of experience including senior leadership roles (director/VP or above) with proven success influencing executive leadership, managing global DEI programs, conducting pay equity and workforce analytics, and driving measurable improvements in representation, retention and inclusion.