Executive Director of Rights and Accountability

About the role

The Executive Director for Rights and Accountability serves as the strategic senior leader responsible for safeguarding the rights of all members of the University of Arizona community, particularly on matters related to Title IX, Title VI, and Title VII. The Executive Director provides university-wide leadership to help facilitate a climate free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. This role will serve as the principal advisor and subject matter expert to university senior leaders and the broader campus community on legal requirements, while developing active partnerships across colleges and divisions to support students and employees. Additionally, the Executive Director has operational oversight for the implementation of civil rights compliance and is charged with managing related institutional risk. The position leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of rights-related policies and grievance procedures to ensure prompt, fair, and legally sound resolution of all complaints.

Responsibilities

• Provides university-wide leadership to help facilitate a climate free from all forms of discrimination and harassment.
• Serves as the principal advisor and subject matter expert to university senior leaders and the broader campus community on legal requirements.
• Develops active partnerships across colleges and divisions to support students and employees.
• Manages operational oversight for the implementation of civil rights compliance.
• Led the development, implementation, and monitoring of rights-related policies and grievance procedures to ensure prompt, fair, and legally sound resolution of all complaints.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading organizations through complex change management processes.
• Experience in managing civil rights compliance and institutional risk.
• Strong understanding of federal civil rights laws and regulations, including Title IX, Title VI, and Title VII.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Master's degree in a relevant field, such as law, public policy, or higher education administration, or equivalent combination of education and experience.