"Director-Belonging, Development, & Leadership"

Job Description

About Eastern Washington University: Eastern Washington University, a regional, comprehensive public university with an enrollment of over 10,000 students, is one of six state-funded four-year institutions of higher education in Washington, each governed by its own board of trustees. As the region’s polytechnic, we are recognized for our distinctive approach to hands-on learning that leads to in-demand careers. EWU’s 300-acre main campus is located in Cheney, a community of 12,000 residents 16 miles southwest of Washington’s second largest city, Spokane. Eastern also offers programs in downtown Spokane at the innovative, energy-efficient Catalyst building, the SIERR building which is a hub for research, development and advancement of health sciences, and at Riverpoint, a campus shared with Washington State University. In addition, EWU programs can be found at select locations throughout the state, aligned with the needs of the community. Eastern contributes to the vitality of the region and the state through its wide array of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in over 100 fields of study, as well as applied doctorates in physical therapy and educational leadership, offering accessible pathways to career success and personal development to students of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Eastern Washington University has been recognized for its commitment to helping undergraduate students learn, grow and succeed by Colleges of Distinction, a nationally trusted resource guide for college-bound students. The honor recognizes Eastern as a ’24-’25 College of Distinction (CoD).

Money magazine recently named EWU as one of its Best Colleges in America 2024.

Tribal Land Acknowledgement

At Eastern Washington University, we are proud to recognize the land of the Spokane Tribe and other tribes that shared the land for fishing and trading. The Spokane Tribe, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Kalispel Tribe, and the Nez Perce Tribe are integral to the cultural heritage and traditional ethnological knowledge of the land.

Native American heritage is woven into the fabric of our institution, enriching our community through tribal culture, historical teachings, and tribal language, and is embraced daily by students, staff, faculty, and the Eastern Washington community.

At EWU, we are committed to reflecting on and acknowledging the historical injustices of genocide and the forced removal of tribal peoples and all our relatives. EWU recognizes and honors tribal sovereignty and government to government relationships with tribes.

From here forward, EWU will remain committed to supporting, honoring, and recognizing the Native American community and the dynamic contributions that are shared with our university.

Job Summary:

We are currently seeking skilled and team-oriented applicants for the following position: Director-Belonging, Development, and Leadership

The Director of Belonging, Development, and Leadership serves as a strategic leader dedicated to cultivating a thriving and inclusive organizational culture. This role will be responsible for overseeing leadership development, employee training, onboarding, employee engagement, and satisfaction. The Director will guide initiatives that ensure fair, transparent recruitment and selection processes, promote workplace policies aligned with EWU values, and advance a culture where every employee feels valued and empowered to grow. This position will be guided by the strategic plan adopted by EWU.

EWU is committed to supporting and promoting a workforce that is welcoming to all and encourages applicants of all backgrounds to apply for this position.

The salary for this position is $99,034 (minimum) up to $117,650. Where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on education, experience, and skills. In addition to salary, the university offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance and disability insurance and retirement. In addition, EWU offers generous vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays per year and fringe benefits, such as tuition waiver for employees and eligible family members, discounted EWU sports tickets, full access to our campus workout facilities at a minimum fee and free transportation through STA buses. For additional information regarding insurance benefits please see our Benefits page: https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/benefits/insurance/.

Eastern Washington University provides an inclusive, equitable, and transformative learning experience, driving the pursuit of knowledge with affordable academic excellence.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in higher education, organizational leadership, human resources, social justice, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in DEIB, organizational development, or related areas.
• Demonstrated success in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within a complex organization.
• Experience designing and implementing leadership development or employee engagement strategies.
• Proven ability to lead change, build consensus, and work collaboratively across stakeholder groups.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills with a deep commitment to values-driven leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to apply a responsive and flexible approach that is supportive of the needs including universal access of our students, faculty, staff and the public.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a higher education setting or similarly complex, decentralized environment.
• Familiarity with labor relations and shared governance models.
• Data literacy related to employee engagement, diversity metrics, and climate assessment tools.
• Training or certification in organizational development, facilitation, or inclusive leadership.

Other Skills and Abilities:

Job Duties:

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• In collaboration with Vice President of People and Culture, serve as a senior advisor to university leadership on matters of staff development, organizational development, and employee engagement.
• Lead university-wide strategies, aligning them with leadership development, employee retention, and strategic planning initiatives.
• Champion and implement the EWU values across policies, practices, and programs to foster an open and inclusive work environment.

Percent of Time: 10

Organizational & Leadership Development

• Design and implement leadership development frameworks that build capacity for leadership development at all levels.
• Partner with campus leaders to identify, develop, and deliver professional development programs.
• Support managers and supervisors in cultivating a culture of learning, accountability, and growth.

Percent of Time: 25

Employee Engagement & Satisfaction

• Lead campus-wide initiatives focused on increasing employee satisfaction, morale, and sense of belonging.
• Oversee employee climate surveys and engagement data and collaborate with units to develop and implement responsive action plans.
• Promote strategies that recognize employee contributions and encourage cross-functional collaboration.

Percent of Time: 25

Recruitment & Retention

• Ensure recruitment practices are transparent, and that outreach efforts intentionally reach wide candidate pools.
• Partner with Human Resources, search committees, and hiring managers to embed best practices in hiring processes.
• Develop and disseminate hiring toolkits and training for faculty and staff involved in recruitment.

Percent of Time: 25

Policy & Practice Alignment

• Review and recommend policies and practices to ensure alignment with EWU values.
• Facilitate policy development that supports an inclusive and transparent work environment.
• Establish metrics and reporting systems to monitor progress and accountability across departments.

Percent of Time: 10

Data, Assessment & Reporting

• Track and report progress on training, leadership, and engagement initiatives.
• Use data to inform strategy and drive accountability.

Percent of Time: 5

Conditions of Employment:

This position, during the course of university employment will be involved in the receipt of, or accountability for, university funds or other items of value, as well as the unsupervised access with the developmentally disabled, vulnerable adults or children under the age of 16. The offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion and passing of a background check prior to beginning employment.

All new employees must comply with EWU Immunization Policy 602-02 and provide proof of immunity or vaccination to MMR before beginning work at EWU. Waivers for the immunization requirements are available for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs.

This is an Administrative Exempt position and is covered by EWU Policy 406-01, Exempt Employment. After starting employment, employees will complete the required training. Note: Interviews might be conducted via Zoom (camera must be enabled). If so, candidates must be able to demonstrate competence using Zoom and other technologies.

Salary Information:

The salary for this position is $99,034 (minimum) up to $117,650. Where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on education, experience, and skills.

Posting Date:

08/14/2025

Open Until Further Notice:

Yes

Screening to Begin:

09/11/2025

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Submit your application materials through our online applications portal provided below. If you are unable to submit through the applicant portal, please contact Human Resources Services at (509) 359-2381.

To apply, visit https://jobs.hr.ewu.edu/postings/13855.