Equity Policy and Practice Advisor (SA1)

City of Seattle • Seattle, WA

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

SPU is seeking a passionate individual who is dedicated to equity and race and social justice outcomes and skilled at facilitating inclusive and cutting-edge transformative empowerment practices and policy making. The successful candidate will help guide and transform SPU’s efforts to provide equitable policies, programs, and services, as well as serve as a racial strategic advisor supporting SPU staff and leadership. This position will work closely with a cohort of equity advisors and other SPU subject matter experts to evaluate and strategically enhance the impact of SPU policies, programs, projects, and services, on people of color, immigrants, refugees, people in low-income limited households, Limited English proficient communities, those with disabilities and other traditionally underserved identities and lived experiences, and internal staff. A successful candidate will have a strong desire to learn about the provision of core utility services and their impact within communities and grow strong relationship building, listening, coaching, and communication skills. This work will also include partnering with other City of Seattle departments, community-based organizations, and learning from local and national peer networks and mentors to stay current on transformational approaches and practices. The position is a member of the Environmental Justice and Service Equity (EJSE) Team and reports to the Director of Corporate Policy and Planning in the General Manager/CEO’s office at Seattle Public Utilities. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is a community-centered utility that delivers vital services to Seattle residents and businesses including drinking water, drainage and wastewater, and garbage/recycling/compost. SPU also provides drinking water for 1.6 million customers in the region. SPU’s work includes system maintenance and improvements and keeping Seattle clean. Over 1,400 SPU employees work with our community to provide affordable and equitable stewardship of our water and waste resources for future generations. SPU commits to Our City Values and Race and Social Justice as core principles that guide our work. We actively take steps to dismantle systemic racism and increase service equity. We value diverse life experiences and strive to create a workplace that is welcoming to all. We take steps to be inclusive and equitable in our recruiting, hiring and promotional opportunities.

Requirements

• At least three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in a community-based organization, non-profit, government, educational, or utility setting focusing on addressing institutional racism and intersectionality while promoting culturally relevant engagement, empowerment and policy making.
• A baccalaureate degree in ethnic studies, social work, psychology, public policy, community development, urban planning, public health, environmental studies or sciences, journalism, communication, history, education, or another multi-disciplinary area.
• Combinations of appropriate education, training, certification, and experience will be evaluated on an individual basis for comparability to the minimum education and experience requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity or experience working within a public utility or similar institution that provides core, essential services to the community.
• Curiosity and commitment to continuous learning, improvement and transformative practices that reflect cutting edge approaches, innovations, and understandings in the evolving equity field.
• Effective advocacy and outcome-oriented success in driving systemic institutional changes and effective change management practices in government and/or private sector, grounded in principles of equity and anti- racism.
• Experience advancing and applying intersectionality and trauma-informed principles and tools within an organization.
• Proven ability to include and incorporate multiple, diverse perspectives when considering the impacts and outcomes of a policy and/or decision-making process.
• Successful collaboration and partnering with multidisciplinary work groups to provide leadership and guide framing and planning direction that advances equity principles.
• Development and delivery of inspiring learning activities that advance racial equity and social justice.
• Development and practice in culturally relevant engagement and education programs.
• Experience working with indigenous people, people of color, people within low income, immigrant, refugee, and Limited English Proficient (LEP) communities; and
• Ability to produce and deliver a persuasive policy brief, concise strategic framework, communication tools and/or exciting power point and clear messaging.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with EJSE and other Equity advisors and subject matter experts, SPU HR, and other City staff to develop, deliver, and continue to transform SPU and City RSJ practices and inclusive engagement strategies.
• Build and strengthen trusting and collaborative relationships to support equity work within and across SPU, communities, peer networks, and other key stakeholders.
• Contribute to ongoing actions and efforts to communicate and implement SPU’s Equity Strategy Framework across the Utility
• Assist with leading, coaching and supporting SPU’s RSJ Coalition, including Change Team, Branch Equity Teams (BETs) and other racial equity and related cohort work across the organization.
• Partner with staff and consultants to develop and directly facilitate race and social justice awareness, learning tools and practices across SPU.
• Serve as a trusted racial equity planner, facilitator, and advisor specific to utility service and infrastructure issues and policy to support the work of SPU lines of business, other city departments, and other government and community-based organizations.
• Work with others to support communicating, managing, tracking, planning, measuring, reporting, and presenting about SPU’s various equity efforts across the organization.
• Participate in SPU’s policy community of practice and policy decision-making boards and work with others to develop and support policy work within SPU and external to SPU with institutional partners that advance racial equity.
• Lead design and implementation of SPU’s language access program and reporting.
• Facilitate application of SPU’s Racial Equity Toolkit (RET) to SPU policy, Director’s Rules, capital project investment, programs, services, and planning efforts.
• Work with project teams to identify and mitigate inequitable impacts of SPU policies, programs, projects, and services on customers and staff.
• Work with others to develop effective tools and strategies to embed performance measures, monitoring and other forms of accountability related to equity across SPU.
• Other duties as assigned and applicable to advancing equity and empowerment work at SPU.

Benefits

• Hybrid work schedule opportunities
• Family-friendly and multicultural work environment
• Generous benefits package
• Free public transportation options
• City pension plan with employer/employee contributions
• Growth potential and advancement opportunities
• vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level