Business Partner - Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity (Strategy & Culture) at American Water Works Service Company Inc in Camden, New Jersey

Job Description:

Diversity of backgrounds, ideas, thoughts, and experiences is vital to our culture and the way we do business.  Creating an environment where differences are embraced and where every person feels engaged and included makes us safer, stronger, and more successful.

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company.  The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states.  American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing.  For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

On September 9, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14042. This order and the associated federal safety protocols for federal contractors that were issued on September 24, 2021, require covered contractors who work with the federal government to ensure that their employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or approved for a health or religious accommodation by December 8, 2021. As a covered federal contractor, American Water must adhere to these legal requirements. If you are made a conditional job offer, you will be required to provide proof of full vaccination or apply and be approved for a health or religious accommodation prior to your start date.

About the Role

Do you have a passion for AW's Inclusion, Diversity & Equity priorities? Are you looking to venture into a strategic role working with HR and leaders on our strategic plans for ID&E? If you have proven success cultivating relationships within the business and are results-oriented, this is the role for you!

We have a new opportunity within our Inclusion, Diversity & Equity team that will work alongside Human Resources, business functions and external partnerships on the development and implementation of ID&E strategies, programs and initiatives, including employee engagement, training, hiring and retention. We are looking for someone with a strong strategic, project management and HR background that is passionate about and interested in ID&E and has the ability to effectively influence and advise. This role will be critical to the execution and success of our ID&E strategic plan. This role will have emphasis on Strategy & Culture.

**The ideal candidate can work out of any of our AW footprint locations.

Primary Role

Reports to the Chief Inclusion Officer and work alongside HR and business functions on the development and implementation of ID&E strategies, programs, and initiatives, including employee engagement, training, hiring and retention. 

Key Accountabilities

• Work effectively with leaders, vendors, and cross functional teams to drive development and implementation of training and education programs to cultivate awareness, engagement, and action in fostering a diverse, inclusive, and positive work environment. 


• Drive programs and activities based on the priorities and key liaison with internal teams such as communications, learning and development, talent acquisition and HR operations.


• Identify best practices in inclusion, diversity and equity initiatives and facilitate the adoption and implementation of best practices to enhance organizational excellence.


• Assist with the development and execution of programs, initiatives and communications designed to attract and retain a diverse talent pool.


• Project manage internal and external labor market analysis process and partner with HR team on impacts of performance management, pay, promotions and retention.


• Increase level of diversity awareness and commitment to hire diverse candidates by presenting demographics, identifying job opening statistics, monitoring exit trends, engaging senior level champions, and gaining their commitment to actively participate in all diversity efforts.


• Partner with learning and development team on the development of ID&E training and awareness resources for all employees.


• Research and recommend ID&E best practices to stay current with leading research on ID&E initiatives and topics. 


• Utilize appropriate measurements to track ID&E efforts and accomplishments.


• Plan budgets, events, communications, and recognition for all internal I&D related activities.


• Define key performance indicators, metrics, and reporting, with a goal of effectively tracking and measuring ID&E impact. 


• Project management responsibilities for identified and assigned ID&E programs and initiatives.


• Manage existing programs and create new opportunities to include leadership speaker series event & leader perspective videos; this includes identification of speakers, creating content and managing all logistics for successful events. 


• Provide coaching, education and consultation to HR business leaders to develop goals and practices that positively impact ID&E outcomes. 


• Represent the organization’s ID&E philosophy, approach, efforts and outcomes externally with individuals, influencers, and partner organizations within our many communities and at key external events.


• Management of company events, training, and content management in support of our company’s inclusion, diversity and equity strategy. 

Knowledge/Skills

• Deep knowledge and understanding of inclusion and diversity principles


• Experience leading a large-scale change management initiative


• Exemplary communication skills with senior executives


• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and proven ability to work effectively at all levels in the organization


• Strong strategic skills to develop long term visions and the ability to translate them into actionable roadmaps that are broadly accepted


• Good presentation skills engaging a variety of audiences up to Senior Leadership


• Highest personal and professional integrity and strong work ethics


• Ability to articulate vision of transformation efforts and a sense of mission


• Willingness to take change and provide direction


• Results orientation, willingness to commit to a direction and drive operations to completion


• Demonstrated ability to manage adversity and challenging situations


• Ability to manage senior relationships across all the Business and Functional areas


• Collaborative team player orientation towards work relationships, strong culture awareness


• Effectiveness in building trust, respect, and cooperation among teams

Experience/Education

• Minimum 7 years of experience HR or inclusion, diversity and equity function, or a related field


• Bachelors degree required. Masters or MBA preferred

Travel Requirements

• As required

Work Environment

• Indoor office environment

Competencies

Champions safety

Collaborates

Cultivates innovation

Customer obsessed

Drives Results

Nimble learning

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.

 

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