Director, Human Rights and Equity Programs

Fairfax County Government is seeking an accomplished expert to lead and direct its Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs (OHREP). The mission of OHREP is to ensure equal opportunity and to promote justice, diversity, and inclusiveness by protecting the civil rights of all in Fairfax County. OHREP receives and investigates complaints alleging violations of the Fairfax County Human Rights Ordinance and manages the county's Fair Housing Plan. OHREP also administers the county's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program and ensures the county's compliance with all federal, state, and county mandates granting equal access to all county services, programs, and employment opportunities. The Human Rights Division in OHREP is responsible for supporting the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and is charged with enforcing the Fairfax County Human Rights Ordinance and the Fair Housing Act. The Equity Programs Division administers the county's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program. The division also ensures the county's compliance with all federal, state, and county mandates granting equal access to all county services, programs, and employment opportunities.

The roles and responsibilities of the director include:

• Directs all strategic and operational program development and implementation components of the Human Rights Ordinance, the Fair Housing Act, the county's compliance with EEO, affirmative action and related equity programs.
• Establishes office goals and objectives, policies, and procedures ensuring that all support county and the Human Rights Commission initiatives.
• Administers, coordinates and implements programs, policies and procedures to prevent discrimination in employment, public accommodations, housing accommodations, commercial space and land transactions, and to foster tolerance among residents of Fairfax County.
• Develops standards and procedures to conduct investigations of discrimination complaints in employment, public accommodations, credit, and education on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, military status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability and in housing on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, source of funds, or disability.
• Monitors progress of investigations and makes recommendations to resolve discrimination, harassment, and bullying cases. Evaluates and reviews formal investigation findings and recommendations to ensure consistency, objectivity, and fairness in the application of laws, and County policies and procedures.
• Serves as a member, and an advisor to the senior management team and provides oversight and coordination in gaining compliance with human/civil rights provisions.
• Provides oversight of activities and creates a collaborative and team-oriented environment. Supervises professional staff in the performance of duties, including but not limited to hiring, coaching, training, professional development, performance management, and discipline or corrective actions. Serves as the appointing authority for all positions within the department as well as the decision-maker of significant disciplinary actions.
• Keeps abreast of and advises the HRC, County Executive and the Deputy County Executive of any enacted legislation and the introduction and progress of any bills introduced during the Virginia General Assembly Sessions that may affect county agencies/departments and the enforcement of civil rights laws.
• Informs the HRC, County Executive and the Deputy County Executive of current and anticipated trends in the areas of EEO, affirmative action, human rights and civil rights laws.
• Directs county-wide equity and compliance studies to assess educational needs or areas for improvement and aligns resources to comply with results indicators.
• Develops office operating and capital budgetary requirements and submits to county senior management. Maintains fiduciary control of office program budget. Ensures compliance by and with any contracted partners. Evaluates and approves expenses. Mobilizes any available and appropriate local, state, and federal resources to ensure continuation of office programs. For additional information, click here.
• Oversee and monitors all Fairfax County public facing web content and applications to ensure compliance with the U.S. Department of Justice issued mandate of meeting or exceeding WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA accessibility guidelines.

• Informs the Human Rights Commission, County Executive and the Deputy County Executive of current and anticipated trends in the areas of EEO, affirmative action, human rights and civil rights laws;
• Regularly informs the Human Rights Commission, the County Executive, and the Deputy County Executive of issues of concern and recommends solutions of current and anticipated problems;
• Provides leadership and management in the enforcement and compliance of the County's Human Rights ordinance and the County's compliance of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Affirmative Action (AA), American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related programs;
• Develops strategies to ensure the County's compliance in the area of human rights and discrimination laws, policies and procedures;
• Provides oversight of mediation in response to human rights, EEO and ADA complaints and investigations;
• Supervises and collaborates with the Human Rights Division and Equity Program Division Directors to provide equity and human rights compliance training and technical assistance to complainants/respondents, all County personnel, business and community organizations, as necessary;
• Interprets human rights and equity program policies and requirements for senior management;
• Keeps abreast of and advises the Human Rights Commission, County Executive and the Deputy County Executive of any enacted legislation and the introduction and progress of any bills introduced during the Virginia General Assembly Sessions that may affect county agencies/departments and the enforcement of civil rights laws;
• Directs the development of and administers budgetary requirements;
• Ensures that stakeholders, including complainants and respondents, are educated regarding discrimination;
• Consults with the County Attorney's Office as required.
• Advises the Human Rights Commission Chair and Commissioners;
• Provides general direction for staff to investigate and conduct studies to determine if and where discrimination is practiced in housing, public accommodations, employment, education, credit facilities and other activities, as authorized by Human Rights ordinance;
• Evaluates discrimination charges resulting in cause determinations and appeals in order to ensure consistency, objectivity and fairness in the application of law and the Human Rights ordinance;
• Represents the Human Rights Division at Human Rights Commission meetings;
• Directs the planning, development and, coordination of programs and activities of the EEO, AA and ADA programs managed by the Equity Programs Division;
• Oversees review of allegations of discrimination received by the Equity Programs Division;
• Ensures interaction with the County's Disabilities Services Board and its staff as necessary;
• Ensures federal civil rights protection of persons with disabilities;
• Recommends revisions of existing County policies and programs to incorporate EEO/AA/ADA principles and concepts to meet regulatory goals;
• Evaluates and reviews formal investigation findings and recommendations in order to ensure consistency, objectivity and fairness in the application of laws, County policies and procedures;
• Advises County workforce, including County Executive and Deputy County Executive, and County elected officials regarding current discrimination issues.

• Comprehensive knowledge of the legal and administrative requirements for investigating, preparing and processing cases of alleged discrimination;
• Comprehensive knowledge of local, state and federal laws, regulations, administrative procedures and court decisions related to human and/or civil rights that prohibit discrimination in employment, public accommodations, credit, and education on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, military status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability;
• Comprehensive knowledge of laws pertaining to EEO, Human Rights Ordinance, Title VII, Title VIII (the Fair Housing Act), Age Discrimination in Employment Act, ADA and other related anti-discrimination laws;
• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of oversight, administration, management and supervision;
• Comprehensive knowledge of discrimination issues;
• Comprehensive knowledge of the administration, development and implementation of equal employment opportunity/affirmative action programs;
• Ability to analyze and interpret anti-discrimination laws and regulations and supervise their application;
• Ability to mediate and conciliate complaints;
• Ability to investigate discrimination complaints, analyze information to determine the merits of the complaint, make recommendations and implement solutions based on investigatory findings;
• Ability to identify critical factors and to formulate practical proposals;
• Ability to develop and implement County policies and procedures;
• Ability to supervise staff whose duties include the enforcement of human or civil rights statutes/regulations;
• Ability to direct and supervise staff whose duties include the enforcement of the U.S. Department of Justice issued mandate regarding accessibility standards of all Fairfax County public facing web content and applications.
• Ability to direct the efforts of related special project teams and task forces;
• Ability to develop and conduct related training programs;
• Ability to prepare, present and support reports to officials and the public both orally and in writing;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with senior management, employees and the public;
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to") Graduation from an accredited four year university with a degree in human resources management, sociology or public administration; plus seven years of progressively responsible experience in civil rights, human rights, or fair housing compliance, investigation, or administration, including two years of experience in the management and implementation of human rights or EEO programs.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and a credit history check to the satisfaction of the employer.

• Juris Doctorate with at least seven years of full-time equivalent experience managing human rights, fair housing, equity, EEO, or affirmative action programs in a large organization, including demonstrated experience supervising the work of professional and administrative staff involved in the enforcement of human rights or civil rights statutes and regulations.
• Demonstrated experience investigating, preparing, and resolving alleged discrimination cases and applying local, state, and federal civil and human rights laws, regulations, and court rulings to complex situations.
• Proven experience developing and implementing policies and procedures; exercising sound professional judgment; and addressing issues faced by victims of discrimination.
• Experience preparing and presenting reports to officials, stakeholders, and the public.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Employee may be required to do some walking, bending, and carrying of items under 15 pounds in weight. Work is generally sedentary. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE
Panel interview.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.