Associate Director of EDI - Community Development

Priority Consideration Date: November 16, 2025

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with nearby mountain ranges and Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is surrounded by outdoor recreational opportunities such as hiking, boating and camping. Tacoma, Washington has been ranked as one of the most livable cities in the country, due to the increasing career opportunities, cultural diversity and community engagement, just to name a few.

Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at a great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of our community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses. In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution.

We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African- American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

• Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
• Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
• Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
• Care deeply about student success
• Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Honor TCC's mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Reflect the diversity of our community

Position Summary
Tacoma Community College (TCC) serves the educational, workforce, and cultural needs of our diverse students and communities through the core themes of advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion; cultivating exceptional learning; strengthening community partnerships; and enhancing institutional vitality. We are seeking an Associate Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - Community Development, to provide subject matter education, coaching, programming, evaluation and reporting - as it relates to TCC's equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) goals. As the winner of the regional Charles Kennedy Award for Equity, EDI are high priority initiatives for TCC. The Associate Director of EDI - Community Development is critical in helping to create organizational accountability and effectiveness, compliance, momentum, and advancement towards TCC's equitable and anti-racist goals.

This position, situated in the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) will collaborate with, and report to the Vice President (VP) of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). OEDI includes the Vice President (VP) for EDI, the Director of Equity Leadership & Development, two Professional Development coordinators, and the OEDI Administrative Operations Coordinator. Together, OEDI leads the integration of EDI principles, values and practices across TCC towards the fulfillment and maintenance of the goals outlined in our strategic plan and mission, while helping to foster an equitable and inclusive culture of learning and effectiveness.

Programming and Training

• Work closely with the VP of EDI to develop and deliver a comprehensive anti-racist, diversity, equity, and inclusion educational initiative for the campus community.
• Support, collaborate, engage, and manage TCC's Affinity Groups, providing structure and tools as needed to engage EDI learning in those group settings and to ensure alignment with the strategic vision of OEDI.
• Promote dialogue and facilitate interaction among groups on campus which generates dynamic learning across the campus and use evidence-based strategies to assist the College in developing efforts to create and sustain a culture that embraces and promotes diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in the broadest meanings.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff for culturally relevant programming and support for students.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of strategies, programs, and professional development that promote access, retention, and success for campus employees-particularly for groups that have been historically excluded or underserved in higher education.
• Assist VP of EDI in development and presentation of EDI updates for Board of Trustee meetings.
• Establish and maintain strong community presence and relationships; works collaboratively with established relationships to identify community assets and support community and organization needs.
• Develop a repository of materials (e.g., reference materials, assessments, visual aids, toolkits, etc.) that will serve as resource guide for our campus.
• Establish and build productive and healthy working relationships across the organization to mentor and coach colleagues in understanding and responding to EDI related topics and issues.
• Collaborate with all members of the OEDI Team, and affiliated groups on various projects and events for seamless alignment and delivery of services.
• Promote diversity and inclusion activities within the institution.
• Attend and engage with college committees.
• Support the VP for EDI in the organization and logistics of the councils and committees that the OEDI manages.

• Develop and maintain processes that foster organizational effectiveness and continuous improvement across departments.

• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Focus Areas:

The Associate Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - Community Development will focus on the primary areas, with duties tailored to advance institutional EDI initiatives:

• Lead EDI programming and initiatives to foster a culture of belonging.
• Support Affinity Groups by providing resources and ensuring alignment with TCC's strategic vision.
• In collaboration with the VP of EDI support the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (EDI-C) to promote an inclusive campus climate.

Duties of the position require knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Work successfully with individuals and groups representing a wide range of diverse cultural, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Strong organization and communication skills, including experience presenting complex ideas to various constituencies.
• Experience developing, implementing, and maintaining processes as they pertain to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Model professional decorum and mutual respect in all personal interactions.
• Demonstrated record using principles and practices of creating equitable access and an inclusive environment for students and employees. Passion for explaining and presenting data or complex ideas to diverse constituent groups.
• Advanced communication skills with ability to listen actively and respond to fellow employees in a timely, competent manner both verbally and non-verbally.
• Broad thinking and perspective of current diversity, equity, and inclusion trends, and best practices that lead to transformational change.
• Experience working with cross-departmental groups to accomplish college-wide goals.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and respectful working relationships with internal and external customers.
• Must maintain a high standard of conduct and ethical behavior
  
  

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum 3 years of experience leading or managing EDI initiatives, preferably in education or public sector environments.
• Demonstrated skill in designing and facilitating diversity, equity, and inclusion-related training, learning experiences, or organizational change efforts.

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university
• Experience advancing equity in a community college environment
• Experience using data to inform strategy; designing, collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing findings for improvement or accountability.
• Proven ability to build and sustain programs or strategies that advance equity and inclusion for historically marginalized groups.
• Demonstrated experience building effective multi-year EDI strategies, including full lifecycle plans in at least one of the following areas of recruitment, retention, learning, or engagement.
  

omplete application packages must include the following:

1. Tacoma Community College online application.
2. Resume and cover letter, In your cover letter describe how your background and experiences align with the responsibilities of this position.
3. Diversity Statement: Tacoma Community College is committed to creating and supporting a multi-cultural climate that welcomes, fosters, respects, and celebrates diversity. Please attach a statement (maximum two pages) describing your experiences with other cultures and communities, your level of cultural self-awareness and how you have integrated both experience and self-awareness into your living/working environment.