- Top 20+ Diversity Equity Inclusion Titles (with Descriptions) 2024 - October 18, 2024
- A List of Common Offensive (Exclusionary) Words Used in Job Descriptions (2024) - October 18, 2024
- Action Verbs for Job Descriptions: A Comprehensive List for 2024 - October 14, 2024
Which diversity titles work best for you and your team?
My team and I looked at the best practices at leading companies as well as the most popular diversity titles requested on Google (via ahrefs and Google’s Keyword Tool).
So, this diversity title article is the latest chapter in Ongig’s Job Titles: The Definitive Guide.
Enjoy!
Diversity vs Inclusion vs. Equity
First, let’s start with vocabulary.
In the world of diversity job titles, the words used are, well, quite diverse.
The phrase “Diversity and Inclusion” (D&I) is not always used in the same order even in the same industry. For example, in the social media ad space, Facebook uses “Diversity and Inclusion (D&I)” while Twitter uses “Inclusion and Diversity (I&D)”.
So, what is the difference between “diversity” versus “inclusion”? Diversity is the what (the characteristics of the people you work with such as gender, ethnicity, age, disability, and education). However, Inclusion is the how (the behaviors and social norms that ensure people feel welcome).
Some companies also use the words “equity” (Slack) and “equality” (Salesforce) in their diversity titles. Equity and equality are usually alternatives to “inclusion”.
Note: Other great resources on this are Diversity vs. Inclusion: What’s the difference? (AIHR) and Diversity vs Inclusion in the Workplace; Diversity vs Inclusion by BuiltIn. Equality and Diversity — what’s the difference?
New trend? “Belonging” in diversity titles
A new trend found in many tech companies (including Paypal, Twilio, and Atlassian) is to use the word “Belonging” in their diversity titles. Here’s one definition from UPENN’s Beyond Diversity: How Firms Are Cultivating a Sense of Belonging (UPENN):
…”belonging means that people can bring their full selves to work, and not feel like they’re a different person there than at home.”
We sifted through a lot of these words and variations to provide you with the analysis/summary below.
Diversity Titles Hierarchy
Here’s a typical org chart for a diversity team. Then, below that are longer lists of examples of job titles for the 6 major levels of organizations.
Diversity Titles for Leaders
The head of diversity is most often called the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). About half of the S&P 500 companies employ a chief diversity officer, according to Shah Paikeday, leader of the diversity and inclusion advisory practice at Russell Reynolds Associates (source: WSJ July 13, 2020)
The CDO usually reports to the CEO, COO, head of HR, or General Counsel. Because diversity at large companies goes beyond employees (e.g diversity of suppliers and customers), the head of diversity often has a place in multiple departments.
Examples of job titles used for the top diversity position are:
- Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) (NBC Universal) or Global Chief Diversity Officer (Facebook)
- Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer (Uber)
- Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer (Twilio)
- Chief Equality Officer (Salesforce
- Head of Global Diversity and Belonging (Airbnb)
- Chief Diversity and Social Responsibility Officer (Sodexo)
- Chief Culture Officer (Procore Technologies, WeWork)
CEO as Head of Diversity
Nielsen has taken the unusual role of naming their CEO David Kenny as both CEO and Chief Diversity Officer. Nielsen then has both a CHRO (Laurie Lovett) and Senior Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion (Sandra Sims-Williams) reporting to CEO Kenny. source: Nielsen Leadership page.
VP of Diversity Titles
Examples of VP diversity titles include:
- Vice President of Diversity
- Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion
- Vice President of Diversity and Belonging
- Vice President of Inclusion, Diversity & Engagement
- Vice President of Culture
- Vice President of Global Culture, Belonging, and People Growth (Doordash)
- Vice President People Experience and Head of Inclusion and Diversity (Twitter)
Director of Diversity Titles
Examples of the most commonly used Director-level diversity titles are:
- Director of Diversity
- Director Of Diversity And Inclusion
- Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
- Director of Culture
- Director of Supplier Diversity
- D&I Leader
- D&I Lead
Managers of Diversity Titles
Examples of manager-level diversity titles include:
- Diversity Manager
- Diversity and Inclusion Manager
- Culture Manager
- Employment Equity Manager
- Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager
- Supplier Diversity Manager
- Program Operations Manager, Inclusion & Diversity (Lyft)
- Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager, University
- Diversity Recruiting Partnerships Manager
- Equality Manager
Individual Contributor Diversity Titles
The largest group of job titles in diversity is at the individual contributor level. So, here are some examples of titles we found in large enterprises:
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- Diversity Business Partner (Google)
- Diversity Recruiter (Facebook)
- Supplier Diversity Coordinator
- Diversity Event Producer
- Talent Advisor – Diversity & Inclusion Advocate (Salesforce)
- Diversity Specialist
- Diversity Consultant
- Diversity Trainer
- Diversity Events Specialist (Lyft)
- Strategist and Inclusion/Diversity Practitioner (Lyft)
- Executive Business Partner, Talent and Inclusion & Diversity (Lyft)
- DEI – Diversity & Inclusion Business Partner (Uber)
- Sr. Technical Recruiter, Diversity Equity Inclusion Lead (Slack)
- Inclusion Specialist
- Equality and Diversity Consultant
- Equality and Diversity Advisor
- Inclusion Analyst
- Inclusion and Diversity Program Associate
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Steward
- Analyst Community Engagement & Inclusion
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Steward
- Diversity & Inclusion Advocate
- National Inclusion & Diversity Coordinator
Entry-Level Diversity Titles
We found these Entry-level diversity titles used at companies large and small. so, we included 2 positions at the bottom of the list that are executive assistant roles.
- Diversity Assistant (Chevron)
- Diversity Intern
- Inclusion & Diversity Intern
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Intern
- Diversity Initiatives Intern
- Diversity Program Assistant
- Diversity Leaders Intern
- Assistant to Head of Global Diversity & Belonging (Airbnb)
- Executive Assistant Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (LinkedIn)
Top 20 Diversity Titles (Candidates)
What diversity titles do candidates care about? Here are the top 20 diversity titles job seekers searched Google for last month:
12 Common Diversity Titles with Job Description Summaries
A diversity team at a large company could be anywhere from 2 to dozens of people.
At Salesforce.com, for example, the Chief Equality Officer Tony Prophet (who reports to CEO Marc Benioff) has a staff of 13 working on D&I efforts across the company, including 12 employee groups and monthly data updates to business leaders.
Below is a mix of 10 diversity titles and a brief job description for each. So, here they are:
Chief Diversity Officer
A Chief Diversity Officer oversees the diversity and inclusion efforts of an organization. A Chief Diversity Officer also develops the strategy for the recruitment of diverse candidates for their organization. Other responsibilities of a Chief Diversity Officer include:
- Overseeing employee discrimination and harassment complaints
- Identifying and implementing new diversity programs
- Managing and supporting diversity and inclusion strategies based on data
- Supporting collaboration between leadership teams and departments
- Developing culture management initiatives
- Addressing issues faced by specific demographic populations within the organization
Director of Culture
A Director of Culture leads the creation of strategies and programs that improve employee engagement in an organization. The Director of Culture also creates innovative diversity and inclusion programs to help attract top talent for their organization. A Director of Culture also leads the development of a company culture strategy and fosters internal partnerships across departments.
Supplier Diversity Manager
A Supplier Diversity Manager creates a diverse supply chain in an organization. Therefore, a Supplier Diversity Manager develops business strategies to ensure a diverse supplier base for the procurement of goods and services. A Supplier Diversity Manager also researches and records potential businesses owned by diverse groups or individuals for future purchases and contracts.
Human Rights Officer
A Human Rights Officer, HRO, is a government position responsible for monitoring reports on violations of employees’ civil, social, cultural, and political rights. Also, a Human Rights Officer investigates civil rights violations and works to resolve them with the appropriate parties in an organization and in the courts. A Civil Rights Officer commonly receives complaints to investigate related to the following:
- Discrimination of minorities or women
- Unjust imprisonment
- Violence against children
- Religious intolerance
Diversity Consultant
A Diversity Consultant is contracted by a business to review its existing data and processes to assist with the development and implementation of new diversity goals, strategies, and statements. So, a Diversity Consultant conducts diversity training for senior management and other employees, if needed, and identifies flaws in a business’s current strategic plans. A Diversity Consultant also monitors new diversity and inclusion developments and recommends adjustments to programs for an organization if necessary.
Diversity Trainer
A DIversity Trainer is contracted by an organization to conduct diversity training and development programs for senior-level managers, middle-level managers, and upcoming leaders. In addition, the Diversity Trainer leads diversity and inclusion programming based on data-driven research and sets objectives for an organization based on these training sessions. A Diversity Trainer also empowers managers and shares current best practices to foster diversity and inclusion within an organization.
Diversity Recruiter
A Diversity Recruiter creates company policies that promote equality and diversity. They may also lead training sessions for human resources managers to promote diverse hiring decisions. A Diversity Recruiter also establishes fair HR policies, creates job descriptions with inclusive language, and networks with potential candidates from underrepresented groups. Therefore, the main goal of a Diversity Recruiter is to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
Diversity Business Partner
A Diversity Business Partner collaborates with business leaders and teams within an organization to identify best practices for diversity and inclusion. So, this role distributes diversity resources across organizations and inspires teamwork and collaboration across various organizational groups. A Diversity Partner also assists senior-level management with the development of innovative and measurable solutions to create a more diverse workplace.
Diversity Event Producer
A Diversity Event Producer is responsible for hosting diversity and inclusion events for underrepresented groups. They also manage the logistics and promotions of diversity events for an organization and attract diverse candidates for open positions.
Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager, University
A Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager at a University develops, implements, and monitors diversity goals and programs in various departments. So, this role creates and leads training sessions to foster an open and inclusive environment for students, staff, and faculty. A Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager also supports the university diversity plan and builds relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Chief People Officer
A Chief People Officer oversees human resources functions within an organization. They implement HR strategies that align with company objectives. They also work with senior management to provide strategic HR advice and develop workforce planning and talent acquisition programs. In addition, the CPO drives organizational change initiatives, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and champions an inclusive workplace culture for all employees. They also ensure that HR systems, technology, and data analytics are effectively used to support business needs.
Diversity Coordinator
A Diversity Coordinator supports the Diversity Manager or Director in implementing diversity-related policies. So, they handle the administrative aspects of DEI programs, assist in coordinating diversity-related events and training sessions, track and report on DEI metrics and data to monitor the progress of DEI initiatives, and maintain the documentation and resources related to diversity and inclusion. They also communicate with internal teams about diversity initiatives.
7 Top DEI Roles and Responsibilities (2024 Update)
Which diversity roles should you use in your biz? To help you choose, we’ve listed these top 7 DEI roles from 2022. These DEI positions are often found in HR departments of leading brands:
- Culture Manager
- Chief People Officer
- Diversity Coordinator
- Diversity Business Partner
- Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
- Director of Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging
- Chief Diversity Officer
These DEI positions are often found in HR departments of leading brands. So, read more about each of these diversity roles and responsibilities here.
Top 10 Trending Diversity Titles for 2025 with Job Description Summaries
These trending DEI job titles are based on current diversity and inclusion developments and also how roles evolve to align with the growing DEI in the workplace. Therefore, these inclusion jobs reflect how companies increasingly integrate DEI into their core operations, using data-driven strategies, HR updates, employee well-being programs, and inclusive leadership as essential to organizational success.
Moreover, the job descriptions accompanying these job titles were constructed based on responsibilities from existing DEI jobs, current HR and DEI best practices, reports from industry leaders such as McKinsey & Company and Gartner, and insights from LinkedIn Job Posts, Glassdoor, and Indeed.
Head of Diversity Analytics
The Head of Diversity Analytics oversees the organization’s collection, analysis, and interpretation of diversity data. The data ensures inclusive hiring, promotion, and retention processes. So, they monitor DEI metrics and goals to evaluate the effectiveness of diversity strategies. They also work with HR leaders and senior management to design and implement data-driven DEI programs and initiatives. In addition, they give insights into workforce diversity trends, including demographic analysis, pay equity, and parity with promotional opportunities. They are also responsible for ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of all diversity-related data comply with legal and regulatory standards.
Inclusive Culture Manager
An Inclusive Culture Manager is responsible for developing programs that foster an inclusive workplace. Therefore, they collaborate with the HR and senior managers to ensure that company policies and practices are inclusive and equitable. They support employee resource groups (ERGs) to ensure alignment with the overall DEI strategy. They also advise departments on DEI best practices. This role acts as a subject matter expert for inclusivity. Thus, ensuring employees from all backgrounds are represented in the company’s decision-making.
DEI Technology Specialist
A DEI Tech Specialist implements and manages software that supports DEI activities, such as diversity hiring tools, analytic dashboards, and employee engagement platforms. So, they partner with HR, DEI, and IT departments to evaluate existing systems, train them to use these platforms, and recommend tech improvements aligning with DEI goals. They also use data analytic tools to assess the DEI program’s effectiveness, including recruitment, engagement, and talent management.
Diversity Recruitment Manager
A Diversity Recruitment Manager creates and executes strategies to attract and hire diverse candidates. They build diverse talent pipelines by partnering with universities and using job boards focused on underrepresented groups. So, they collaborate with hiring managers to ensure an inclusive and bias-free recruitment process. They also track and report on recruitment diversity metrics and adjust strategies accordingly.
DEI Learning and Development Manager
A DEI Learning and Development Manager develops and delivers DEI educational programs to educate employees and foster a more inclusive workplace. So, they collaborate with HR and leadership to integrate DEI principles into employee development programs. They also assess the effectiveness of DEI training programs and improve them based on staff feedback.
Equity Program Manager
The Equity Program Manager designs and implements equity-focused programs and initiatives. They conduct pay audits and work with HR to address pay disparities. They also work with department heads to ensure all employees have equal opportunities for promotions and career development. In addition, the equity program manager monitors and reports equity-related issues and progress and recommends improving them. Finally, they stay updated on legal and industry standards related to workplace equity.
DEI Program Specialist
The DEI Program Specialist assists in creating and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and activities in the company. So, they arrange the logistics for DEI workshops, trainings, and events. They support employee resource groups (ERGs) through regular meetings and programs. They also serve as point of contact for employees with feedback or questions about the company’s DEI initiatives.
Diversity Data Analyst
A Diversity Data Analyst collects and analyzes diversity-related data on recruitment, pay equity, employee engagement, and retention activities. Therefore, they conduct statistical analysis to identify DEI trends, opportunities, and areas of improvement and provide insights from the analysis to guide the company’s DEI efforts. In addition, they build and maintain DEI dashboards and reports for senior management. It is also their duty to ensure data collection and reporting adhere to legal and ethical standards.
DEI Communications Manager
The DEI Communications Manager develops and implements internal and external communication strategies for the company’s DEI activities. So, they collaborate with marketing and HR teams to ensure consistent DEI messaging across all communications channels. Additionally, they oversee the creation and distribution of DEI-related communications, including internal announcements, emails, social media, and newsletters. They also manage external DEI communications such as press releases and CSR reports. They work closely with ERG to include their perspectives and initiatives through effective communication.
DEI Employee Experience Manager
The DEI Employee Experience Manager develops and implements strategies that improve the overall employee experience for all employees from different backgrounds. Therefore, they work with HR and leadership to ensure that onboarding, performance evaluations, and career development are inclusive and integrated. They also work with ERGs to understand their concerns and incorporate their feedback into employee experience initiatives. So, they use employee engagement surveys and other feedback mechanisms to measure the organization’s inclusivity and make data-driven recommendations. They also analyze employee retention and turnover data to identify and address gaps related to DEI.
The Importance of DEI Leadership in Organizational Success
In today’s workplace, DEI leadership roles are vital for driving growth and innovation. Companies are realizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, not just as buzzwords but as key components for success. Therefore, diversity officers and inclusion managers are pivotal in fostering an inclusive environment where all team members, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, feel valued and heard.
How DEI Leadership Contributes to Company Growth
Diverse teams bring new perspectives and creative problem-solving abilities, which is essential for innovation. Studies also show that organizations with diverse leadership are better at meeting the needs of a global market. So, by having diverse employees in leadership positions, companies can create products and services that resonate with a wider audience.
For instance, a project manager or software engineer from a different background may offer ideas that hadn’t been considered before. In the United States, DEI leadership is especially important in sectors that require compliance with laws like Title IX of the Education Amendments, which prohibit sex discrimination and gender-based misconduct in educational institutions that receive federal financial assistance.
Impact on Workplace Culture
DEI leaders also play a crucial role in transforming company culture. Therefore, promoting equal opportunity and equal treatment helps build a positive work environment where everyone, from entry-level positions to the senior leadership team, feels respected and included. So, DEI work aims to eliminate forms of discrimination like sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, and unconscious bias. Thus, ensuring that all employees have the resources they need to succeed.
The Black Lives Matter movement and the impact of COVID-19 have further highlighted the need for inclusive environments where everyone, particularly people of color and members of the university community, can thrive. So, DEI leaders work tirelessly to address issues like sexual misconduct, gender expression, and personal data protection to create a fair and safe workplace.
Driving Innovation Through Inclusion
Inclusion specialists, EDI specialists, and other members of the D&I team have a direct impact on a company’s ability to innovate. When diverse individuals feel safe and supported, they are more likely to contribute fresh ideas and challenge outdated norms. This also helps businesses stay competitive and adaptable in changing markets. So, a positive work environment that promotes diversity is not only good for morale. It also improves overall productivity.
Additionally, having DEI leaders in director-level roles and other leadership positions, companies signal their commitment to equal rights and affirmative action, which can attract top talent. So, be it in higher education or corporate settings, leaders who prioritize diversity work foster an inclusive work environment where everyone can succeed.
The Future of DEI Leadership
As more organizations recognize the importance of DEI leadership, we will likely see an increase in common job titles like inclusion role, inclusion position, and diversity work specialists. The overall goal is to create workplaces where all employees, regardless of their native language or gender identity, can thrive without fear of discrimination.
In the coming years, as we move beyond former DEI offices and into more integrated models of inclusion, the role of DEI leaders will continue to evolve. Their work will be essential in ensuring that companies can create comparable resources for all, from members of the campus community to corporate settings, while fostering true inclusion and diversity across the board.
Thank you, Experts on Diversity Titles!
In addition to the sources cited above, special thanks to these experts on diversity titles:
1. Tiffany Jana for her article on What is a Chief Diversity Officer and Why Does Your Company Need One?
2. ADP’s Brett Daniel for his article on What Is Supplier Diversity and Why Is It Important?
3. Susana Rinderle for her article on 8 Things to Expect From a Highly Competent Diversity Consultant
4. Workable’s Diversity Recruiter Job Description
5. Tesla’s Diversity & Inclusion Business Partner Role
Why I wrote this?
My Ongig team and I share this research on diversity titles to help you optimize your own job titles. This supports our mission to transform job descriptions. So, check out Ongig.com to learn more.
