Diversity & Inclusion Specialist

Arnold & Porter has a Diversity & Inclusion Specialist opening in the New York or Washington, DC office. The Diversity & Inclusion Specialist has a firmwide presence, reports directly to the Manager of Diversity & Inclusion, and works closely with the entire Diversity & Inclusion team to ensure effective implementation of the firm's diversity and inclusion objectives and strategies.  More specifically, D&I Specialist will work across a highly matrixed global law firm structure to design, implement, and communicate engaging diversity and inclusion content, learning experiences, and messaging. In addition to the firm’s D&I team, this role will collaborate extensively with HR, Legal Talent, Well-Being, Marketing/Business Development, and other administrative departments to co-create a culture of inclusion, innovation, and excellence.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Working closely with the Manager of Diversity & Inclusion and other firm colleagues to design, implement, and communicate firmwide and office specific diversity and inclusion events and education programs, both in-person and virtually.
• Working closely with the Manager of Affinity Groups and the firm’s Affinity Groups to develop and coordinate in-person and virtual programs and provide logistical support for both internal and external programs for special emphasis and recognition months/days.
• Building toolkits, microlearning modules, and curated learning paths for various stakeholder groups including leaders, lawyers, and business professionals.
• Collaborating with Legal Talent and HR to embed D&I competencies into recruiting, onboarding, career development, and performance processes.
• Assisting the Manager of Diversity & Inclusion and the Marketing/Business Development team with the preparation of responses to D&I-related industry surveys and clients' requests for information.
• Tracking learning participation, engagement metrics, and impact; continuously refining offerings based on data and feedback.
• Collaborating with the Manager to develop and execute internal and external D&I communications campaigns in partnership with the firm’s Marketing team.
• Drafting engaging messaging for D&I initiatives, events, observances, and affinity group updates.
• Maintaining and enhancing D&I content on the firm’s intranet and website; ensuring messaging reflects current initiatives and strategic priorities.
• Supporting the Manager in creating communications materials and content for client-facing D&I collaborations.
• Liaising with the Manager of Affinity Groups and other internal stakeholders to provide logistical and creative support for formal and informal education programs.
• Conducting D&I best practices research and monitoring trends to inform program development and innovation.
• Providing project management and administrative support to the D&I Manager and D&I team on key D&I learning and development strategic initiatives.
• Working with the D&I team and Marketing to maintain D&I marketing content, including updates to the firm's internal and external websites and development of internal and external promotional and informational materials to support diversity and inclusion programs and initiatives.
• Serving as a virtual event host, including managing Zoom meetings, breakout rooms, presentations, and other features to foster a seamless virtual learning experience.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or certification in D&I, communications, instructional design, learning design, or related fields preferred.
• Minimum of two (2) years of professional experience in D&I, L&D or marketing/communications, ideally within a law firm or professional services organization.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and create compelling D&I content, deliver impactful programs, and communicate effectively across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience with learning management systems (LMS), intranet platforms, and content creation tools a plus.
• Experience with diversityand inclusion, practices and programs, especially with employee resource groups, affinity groups, or networks, in the legal profession and/or corporate organizations.
• Experience supporting and implementing innovative D&I initiatives.
• Strong business writing and editing skills, storytelling proficiency, and design orientation to generate content for highly educated professional audiences.
• High proficiency in Windows operating systems and Microsoft Office Suite and/or related software and comfort with ongoing expansion of expertise in collaboration platforms (e.g., Smartsheets, Teams, SharePoint, LMS).
• Proficiency with tools such as Zoom, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, Cevent, or similar platforms is a plus.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the diversity and inclusion industry and theories of intersectionality as they pertain to designing and implementing learning initiatives.
• Highly developed project management skills and experience with event planning.
• Exceptional flexibility and ability to be a strong collaborative contributor who values diverse perspectives.
• Excellent collaboration and organizational skills, with the ability to work well under pressure in a dynamic environment, with proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple priorities and organize complex information, and implement solutions as needed.
• Deep commitment to advancing  inclusion; understanding of key D&I concepts and frameworks.
• Self-motivated and skilled at working effectively both independently (including generating, prioritizing, and implementing ideas and work at a level consistent with the role) and collaboratively with professionals at all levels.
• Strong judgment and ability to respect, protect, and maintain highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Must be team oriented, contributing as needed on unexpected projects or requests.
• Exceptionally strong attention to detail, professional presence and strong interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Ability to demonstrate strategic focus.
• Possess exceptional interpersonal and business judgement and professionalism.
• Ability to define goals and follow through to achieve results.
• Ability to prioritize and manage time effectively.
• Strong problem-solving, organization and communications skills, both oral and written.
• Ability to work in a highly dynamic environment while exhibiting a strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage a variety of high-volume tasks concurrently.
• Exceptional client service, both internal and external.
• Flexibility to work extended hours, as necessary.

The anticipated base salary for this position is $85,000 to $120,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

For benefits information, please click here https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/careers/professional-staff/benefits.

The firm may provide a discretionary bonus annually.