Vice President, Equity & Climate
About The Position
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is seeking a Vice President, Equity & Climate to lead initiatives that shape the architecture profession and the built environment. This role is responsible for integrating equity and climate strategies, ensuring progress in one area strengthens the other. The VP will also lead the integration of AIA's strategic plan across the organization, ensuring priorities are coordinated. This position is a member of AIA's Senior Leadership Team and serves as the Institute's senior voice on equity and climate commitments. The ideal candidate will have a long-term perspective, the ability to build conviction across the profession, and a track record of turning values into measurable progress.
Requirements
- Proven senior leadership experience advancing equity and inclusion or climate and sustainability strategy at an enterprise level.
- Demonstrated ability to think in systems and over long-time horizons, and to build buy-in for work whose payoff is not immediate.
- Experience building or applying a theory of change or comparable framework to guide strategy.
- Strong track record of cross-functional influence, with the ability to embed priorities into other teams' work.
- Bachelor's degree and fifteen or more years of progressive experience in equity, sustainability, or workforce development strategy, including senior leadership experience.
Nice To Haves
- Certified Association Executive (CAE).
- Experience in architecture, design, engineering, or construction industry.
- Advanced degree in a related field.
Responsibilities
- Set strategy for AIA's climate action and sustainability priorities, defining the what and why of sustainable and disaster resilient design.
- Lead AIA's regenerative design strategy, embedding regenerative principles into member-facing tools, guidance, and practice resources.
- Lead development of climate tools and adoption strategies that firms can put into practice, in partnership with the practice resources team.
- Build and sustain industry partnerships that advance climate adoption beyond AIA's membership.
- Lead AIA's K through 12 portfolio and higher education engagement, setting strategy for early exposure, academic partnerships, licensure access, and career navigation.
- Lead equity integration across the organization, ensuring it shapes programs and practices well beyond this team.
- Provide strategic direction for AIA's Women's Leadership Summit, ensuring the signature event aligns with mission, content, and financial goals.
- Sustain partnerships with identity-based affinity organizations that extend AIA's reach into underrepresented communities.
- Build and maintain a shared theory of change for equity and climate and use it to guide investment and course correction.
- Coordinate progress on AIA's mission priorities across the organization and report to the Executive Team and Board.
- Establish measurement practices that make progress visible well before long term outcomes are achieved.
- Advise the CEO and COO on how equity and climate priorities should be sequenced and resourced.
- Lead, mentor, and develop the team responsible for climate action and equity strategy.
Benefits
- Medical, vision, and dental
- 401(k)
- Flexibility
- Paid time off
- Parental Leave
- Flexible spending accounts
- Income protection, including Life Insurance Coverage up to 2x salary, and disability plans at no cost
- Tuition and membership reimbursements
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their family members
- SmartBenefits transportation program, featuring up to $55 monthly in public transportation as well as pretax METRO parking
- Computer purchase program
- Fitness club discounts
- Prepaid legal services program
- Identity theft protection
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
