Remote

Director, Equity, Inclusion & Justice, BSR

The Organization

BSR is a global nonprofit organization that works with its network of more than 300 member companies and other partners to build a just and sustainable world. From its offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR develops sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. Visit www.bsr.org for more information about BSR’s 25 years of leadership in sustainability.

We are proud to have a team of some of the most talented and motivated people in the industry working in our global offices in Copenhagen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Tokyo.

About BSR’s Equity, Inclusion & Justice Area of Expertise

BSR’s teams focus on seven core Areas of Expertise (AoE) for our consulting, collaborative, grant-funded, and research projects – one of which is Equity, Inclusion & Justice (EIJ) – with an Industry Focus having extensive corporate and on-the-ground experience developing and implementing sustainability strategies and programs in 10 specific industries. For EIJ, BSR believes that to create a just world, everyone must have fair access to resources and opportunities, as well as the right to self-determination in meeting their fundamental needs. We work with businesses to deliver on this vision by reimaging traditional practices to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) using an equity-first approach which enables companies to identify and dismantle systemic barriers to active inclusion throughout their corporate ecosystems. From developing inclusive workforce practices to leveraging power and influence to drive progressive change at the community and societal levels, BSR helps companies confidently position themselves as responsible community stakeholders and change agents.

Our EIJ team provides strategic consulting services; thought leadership and research; and helps companies to align their efforts with the needs and expectations of their employees, communities, and other vital stakeholders through robust community engagement and collaboration. For BSR and our member companies, EJI is about more than achieving company-specific goals; it’s about driving positive transformation.

Position Overview

The Director, EIJ will be part of BSR’s global EIJ AoE with primary responsibility for daily internal management of the AoE. The Director will work closely with the team to translate vision into actionable strategy; drive implementation and collaboration across the team, other AoEs, and Industry Clusters within BSR; provide guidance and coaching to a global team of Associate Directors, Managers and Associates; and ensure that there is a shared understanding of the EIJ theory of change across BSR and its networks. This work will ensure a strong foundation for the EIJ AoE to deliver best-in-class insight, advice, and collaborative initiatives helping business create long-term value and scale impact.

The ideal candidate will be an adaptable, solutions-oriented DEI thought leader with a strategic approach to driving impact developed in experience across business and/or business consulting; philanthropy and/or philanthropic consulting; social justice; or other relevant fields. The Director will have the patience, persistence, emotional intelligence, and grace to build and maintain collaborative, trusting working relationships and facilitate tough conversations around sensitive EIJ issues across cultures and jurisdictions in a remote, multinational work environment. The successful candidate will be equity-focused, committed to modeling inclusivity, and excited and undaunted about the opportunity to shape EIJ narrative, practices, and impacts through influence and partnership with large, multinational business.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Strategic Leadership of AoE: The Director will oversee the continued growth and success of the EIJ AoE by facilitating continual refinement of the AoE strategy; creating new services and tools; building and identifying capacity needs for successful delivery of AoE goals and objectives; monitoring project pipelines and progress against sales targets; and, in collaboration with other AoE and Industry leads, identifying high-impact areas for business development and external engagement.
  • Team Leadership: The Director will oversee the EIJ global team management by managing and developing staff in a variety of ways including as Project Director, Practice Director, and as Career Manager; creating an environment that fosters and values ongoing learning, supporting team member’s ongoing development; and leading discussions at team meetings to shape organizational outcomes and impact culture
  • Business Development, Member Engagement, and Partnerships: In partnership with other AoE and Industry leads, the Director will be responsible for driving revenue generation, recruiting new member companies, deepening relationships with business leaders in member companies, and developing new partnership opportunities with other nongovernmental, community-based organizations, and anchor institutions. The Director will draw from an established set of BSR tools and cases to facilitate these business and partnership development activities.
  • Consulting Services and Project Directorship: The Director will play a leading role in delivering consulting services to member and non-member companies. The Director will provide oversight—and often hands-on support—for the delivery of best-in-class consulting services to companies. The Director will typically oversee 7-10 ongoing projects at any one time, working actively with project teams, and providing thought partnership to project managers.
  • External Representation: The Director will represent BSR to external audiences by presenting at relevant industry conferences; demonstrating thought leadership through writing and publishing blogs, reports, etc.; maintaining external relationships and partnerships; and proactively working to create opportunities to raise the profile of BSR and EIJ more broadly.

Qualifications

  • Alignment with BSR’s Mission: Mission- and values-aligned with understanding of and appreciation for BSR’s unique Theory of Change which centers working with business to promote transformation and powerful collaborations that take progress to scale.
  • Relevant Leadership Experience: 10-15 years of leadership experience in strategy development, business, consulting, or other roles requiring performance of key functions of a consulting leader, including developing and maintaining senior-level client relationships; pursuing and creating business opportunities; and overseeing multiple projects under tight deadlines.
  • People & Team Management Experience: Proven leadership and people skills, including a demonstrated ability to mentor other team members to improve skills and effectiveness, preferably within a matrixed organization
  • Acumen to Learn & Contribute Across Sectors & Issues: Collaborative learning mindset with the intellectual agility to learn from and work with companies across various industries, and with colleagues who are experts on other sustainability issues
  • Aptitude to Work in a Global Context: Experience working with multinational companies and organizations and/or strong interest in and high capacity to work across international cultural contexts seeking to understand and always respect others’ perspectives.
  • Social Justice Expertise: Practical and conceptual understanding of social justice issues; an ability to effectively engage with underrepresented and/or historically marginalized/excluded groups; and experience applying an equity lens – including gender, racial and/or social equity more broadly.
  • Track Record of Success: Record of accomplishment in business development, client/relationship management, and exercising influence with senior leaders.
  • Knowledge of Business Processes: Knowledge and experience related to business processes such as strategic planning, organizational development, training programs, performance management, change management, etc.
  • Stellar Communications Skills: Outstanding verbal, written, and facilitation skills with fluency in English required and additional languages a strong plus.
  • Demonstrated Commitment to Ethics: High ethical standards and commitment to BSR’s core values of Leadership, Respect, and Integrity.
  • Travel Flexibility: Willingness to undertake up to 25% business travel post COVID.
  • Educational Background: Master’s degree in business, law, public policy, or other relevant discipline is preferred; Extensive experience in management consulting will be considered.
  • Background Check: Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation.

How To Apply

BSR is partnering with Walker and Associates Consulting – a US-based, national, Black- and woman-owned strategic management consulting and executive search firm that centers EIJ in its work – for this search. To apply, email a cover letter; resume; and list of three references (candidates will be notified in advance of any outreach to references) to bsr@walkeraac.com by 5:00 pm ET on Friday, May 13, 2022. Use the subject line “Director, EIJ.” One combined PDF file is preferred. Candidate review begins immediately.

Questions or Nominations? Email Jeannine N. Walker, President and CEO, at jwalker@walkeraac.com

Sign up