"Title IX Coordinator & Bias Incident Response Officer"

Job Summary

The Title IX Coordinator & Bias Incident Response Officer (the “Coordinator”) is a dual-role position responsible for ensuring the College’s compliance with Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, and related antidiscrimination laws and regulations. The Coordinator is charged with ensuring that the College responds to reports of sexual and gender-based misconduct and discrimination/bias promptly, fairly, and impartially. The Coordinator will provide leadership in prevention education, fair and equitable resolution procedures, and the provision of supportive measures.

Responsibilities:

• Oversight and Compliance: Serve as the lead administrator responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of Title IX compliance efforts across all College programs and activities involving students, faculty, and staff.
• Policy and Procedure: Review and recommend updates to College policies and procedures related to Title IX to ensure compliance with federal regulations and alignment with best practices in higher education.
• Training and Education: Develop, coordinate, and deliver comprehensive, ongoing educational programs and training to the entire College community (students, faculty, and staff) regarding Title IX, sexual harassment prevention, reporting obligations, and grievance procedures.
• Case Management & Response: Oversee and manage the College’s centralized response to all reports and formal complaints of alleged Title IX and related policy violations (e.g., sexual misconduct). This includes receiving reports, conducting initial assessments, conducting and/or coordinating investigations conducted by internal or external investigators, and managing the formal grievance process.

Bias Incident Response Officer Responsibilities:

• Incident Response Coordination: Serve as the primary point of contact for receiving, reviewing, and coordinating the College’s response to all reported bias incidents.
• Prevention and Education: Collaborate with departments across campus to develop and implement proactive educational programming aimed at promoting civility, respect, and an inclusive campus culture.
• Impact Assessment and Support: Assess the impact of bias incidents on targeted individuals and the broader community, ensuring that appropriate resources (e.g., counseling, community dialogues, etc.) and support are promptly provided.
• Referral and Resolution: Determine the appropriate resolution path for bias incidents, which may include educational interventions or referral to other formal College processes (e.g., Student Conduct, Human Resources, etc.) for possible policy violations.
• Data Analysis: Track and analyze data related to bias incidents to identify trends, patterns, and areas of concern, informing preventative strategies and campus climate initiatives.

General Duties:

• Collaborate effectively with campus partners, including but not limited to Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Campus Safety, Human Resources, and Athletics.
• Maintain a high degree of confidentiality and professionalism in all matters.
• Serve as an authoritative resource and expert on civil rights laws, regulations, and best practices in a higher education setting.
• Handle other responsibilities as assigned and not listed here.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree in a relevant field.
• A minimum of three years of experience in sexual misconduct and discrimination/bias investigations or student conduct experience preferred.
• Comprehensive knowledge of current state and federal laws and regulations—as well as identified best practices and trends in the field of education—related to issues surrounding sexual misconduct on college campuses.
• Understanding of the ways in which recent developments regarding issues surrounding sexual misconduct and bias incidents on campus are changing the conversation on campuses across the country, and how sexual and gender-based misconduct impacts a small campus environment.
• Experience in conducting sensitive investigations and trainings.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to manage confidential and sensitive matters with tact and discretion.
• Ability to build trust and work collaboratively with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community partners.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, planning, and project management skills.
• Excellent judgment, use of discretion, and ability to work independently.
• Experience with conflict resolution, trauma-informed practices, and restorative justice approaches, strongly preferred.
• Understanding of the residential, liberal arts college experience and a passion to work within a highly collaborative campus culture.
• Ability to build rapport, work collaboratively with, and navigate complex issues across constituencies on and off campus, including students, faculty, staff, and alumnae.
• Cultural competence and sensitivity to the concerns and needs of diverse student, faculty, and staff populations.
• Experience working with confidential and sensitive information.
• Sound judgment, objectivity, and integrity.
• Talent for listening and facilitating difficult conversations.
• Ability to lead, manage, and inspire teams.
• Ability to prepare and present detailed reports, educational programs, training, and assessments.
• Excellent written and oral communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution, planning, presentation, and project management skills.

About Wheaton College

Wheaton is a private coeducational liberal arts college within easy commuting distance of Boston and Providence. We have nearly 1,700 undergraduates from 40 U.S. States and more than 70 countries. Wheaton College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, or disability.