Internal Equity Manager

The Denver Public Library (DPL) isn't just a place to borrow books; it's a vibrant, essential hub for our diverse city. As a growing urban library system with 28 locations and over 4 million annual visitors, we're deeply woven into the fabric of Denver.

Join a team where your values align with your work. At the Denver Public Library, we're not just serving our community; we're building a culture guided by values that empower both our staff and the public. 

• Welcoming:  We make our resources, services, and expertise accessible for all, recognize the inherent dignity in each person, and provide safe places where everyone can be themselves.
• Curiosity: We foster a culture of exploration, innovation, and forward thinking by creating environments that support learning and growth.
• Connection: We are neighbors. We foster relationships, listen and act to build and strengthen our community. We bring people together to share information, ideas, and experiences.
• Equity: We work to change inequitable practices, structures and policies, and attitudes that drive them, to provide opportunities for every person in our community to thrive. As we do so, we actively examine our roles in perpetuating oppressive systems.
• Stewardship: We are accountable to our community, using our resources responsibly. We lead with honesty and integrity, protect privacy and preserve and share the full history of our Denver community.

If you're passionate about service, community engagement, and creating positive change, we invite you to explore career opportunities with us. Come join a team that believes in the power of knowledge, connection, and equity.

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but is not limited to:  

• Four (4) Medical Plans, Dental, Vision Insurance  
• Pension Plan for Life (employee contributes 8.45%, employer contributes 17.95%) and 457 (b) Retirement Plan  
• PTO (over 3 weeks in your first year), quarterly wellness hours, and 12 paid holidays
• CARE Bank, Family Leave Benefits  
• Enhanced Work/Life Balance: Employee Assistance Program (6 counseling sessions per year, legal assistance, financial counseling, discounted recreation center passes), Employee Volunteer Program
• Professional Learning and Development Opportunities; Courses and Career Development Resources ; Education Refund Program
• EcoPass (unlimited free RTD bus/train rides) 
• For more information please visit our website.

The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Subdivision at the Denver Public Library works to embed equity and accessibility into all aspects of DPL’s internal operations and external services. We partner with employees and departments to identify barriers, strengthen equitable practices, and support meaningful organizational change. The team provides tailored support while ensuring equity is a shared responsibility across the organization.

IDEA includes two complementary departments: Internal Equity and External Equity & Accessibility. Internal Equity focuses on workplace culture and climate, organizational consulting, leadership development, and equitable internal practices. External Equity & Accessibility focuses on equitable and accessible library services, programs, and community experiences.

Our team office is located at the Central Library in downtown Denver; however, the location is hybrid in nature with requirements of working in person in the office, at a branch location, or from home. We invite you to visit the link and learn more about us. 

The Internal Equity Manager leads the day-to-day operations of the Internal Equity Team within the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Subdivision.

Reporting to the IDEA Director, this position supervises the Internal Equity Consultants and is responsible for managing internal equity consulting, organizational assessments, workplace culture and climate initiatives, and equity-centered learning and engagement. The Manager sets priorities, manages resources, and ensures the team's work is coordinated, responsive to organizational needs, and focused on meaningful improvement.

The ideal candidate brings strong people leadership, equity expertise, organizational consulting experience, and the ability to navigate complex workplace dynamics. This position works closely with department leaders, Human Resources, Learning & Development, Strategy & Evaluation, and other organizational partners to strengthen equitable practices and support organizational change.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead and supervise the Internal Equity Team, including staff development, performance management, workload planning, coaching, and accountability.
• Manage the Internal Equity portfolio, including work plans, budgets, contracts, resources, project timelines, performance measures, and reporting. Evaluate services and recommend changes based on organizational priorities, effectiveness, and capacity.
• Manage DPL's internal equity consulting services, including establishing priorities, assessing requests, determining service levels, coordinating consultant assignments, and supporting departments with equity-centered organizational change.
• Partner with department leaders to identify inequitable practices, strengthen decision-making, and integrate equity into workplace policies, processes, and organizational changes.
• Oversee individual, team, and organizational assessments facilitated by the IDEA team, including the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), Intercultural Conflict Style (ICS), EQ-i, and other developmental tools. Collaborate with Learning & Development to establish processes for their use and ensure findings inform development and organizational improvement.
• Support culture and climate improvement efforts by working with Internal Equity Consultants to share relevant assessment findings with departments, identify areas for improvement, and support leaders in developing and implementing action plans.
• Oversee IDEA's response to staff equity and workplace concerns, providing consultation, identifying recurring or systemic issues, and coordinating with Human Resources and other appropriate partners while maintaining clear roles and responsibilities.
• Lead the implementation and ongoing development of DPL's equity learning competency framework, including learning pathways, leadership development, and opportunities for staff to apply equity competencies in their daily work. Partner with Learning & Development to integrate competencies into organizational learning.
• Oversee internal equity learning and engagement opportunities, including facilitated dialogues, equity-centered staff learning, affinity groups, and the IDEA Advisory Council.
• Use qualitative and quantitative information from consulting engagements, assessments, staff feedback, and culture and climate work to identify trends, evaluate progress, and recommend improvements.
• Collaborate across the IDEA Subdivision and with organizational partners to coordinate priorities, strengthen shared accountability, and ensure internal equity efforts support DPL's broader strategic goals.

Our ideal candidate has the following experience, skills, and characteristics:

• Demonstrated experience leading and developing teams, including supervising professional staff, managing competing priorities, coaching, and fostering a culture of inclusion, shared accountability, and continuous learning.
• Deep knowledge of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA), including how identity, power, privilege, oppression, and systemic inequities shape workplace experiences, organizational policies, and decision-making.
• Experience applying equity-centered organizational change practices to identify systemic barriers, challenge inequitable structures, and support sustainable changes in organizational culture and operations.
• Experience providing equity-centered organizational consulting and advising leaders and teams on equitable decision-making, workplace culture, leadership practices, and organizational improvement.
• Experience developing or implementing equity learning competencies, leadership development, or professional learning that helps staff and leaders apply equity principles in their everyday work.
• Experience leading and managing equity initiatives, including setting priorities, overseeing budgets and resources, evaluating effectiveness, and aligning services with organizational needs and capacity.
• Experience using qualitative and quantitative data, organizational assessments, and employee feedback to examine inequities, identify systemic patterns, and inform equity-centered improvements.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to engage across differences, facilitate difficult conversations, and support reflection, learning, and accountability.
• Ability to navigate resistance, complex workplace dynamics, and sensitive equity concerns with sound judgment, cultural humility, discretion, and a commitment to accountability and meaningful change.
• A commitment to equity-minded leadership, ongoing self-reflection, shared power, and building organizational capacity to advance equity as a shared responsibility.

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field based on a specific position(s).
• Three (3) years of experience at the type and level of functional or operational management, which must have included management of professional individual contributors.

• One (1) year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education.

• Experience leading equity-centered organizational change initiatives in complex organizations, particularly within public service, government, education, or other mission-driven environments.
• Experience applying frameworks or approaches such as equity-centered change management or other systemic approaches to advancing organizational equity.
• Experience using equity-focused organizational assessments or developmental tools.
• Experience developing or implementing equity learning competency frameworks or other structured approaches to building equity-centered leadership and organizational capacity.

Don't let a "checklist" hold you back! Research shows that women and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups often self-select out if they don't meet every qualification. If you're reading this and feel a true passion for making an impact, we wholeheartedly encourage you to apply, as an equal combination of education and experience will be considered for all applicants. Your excitement for this work matters just as much as your resume.

The Denver Public Library's branches are the arms to the community—each a unique reflection of the dynamic, diverse communities we serve. At DPL, we pride ourselves on showing up and providing support whenever there is a need. 

While you may be hired for a specific location, please know that we are hiring with the expectation that at any time, you may be required to work at any one of our branches based on operational needs. This allows our staff to experience the full breadth of Denver's communities and ensures we consistently deliver the highest level of service across our branches.

Additionally, DPL employees may be redeployed to work in other locations or capacities to support core functions of the library system during branch closures or other emergencies. 

This position is based out of the Central Library in the Civic Center area of downtown Denver and parking is not subsidized by DPL.

Ensure that the 'Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. Job postings will close at 12AM on the posted ending date. If interested in this opportunity, please apply as soon as possible.

Offer of employment contingent upon successful completion of criminal history and employment verification  

All Denver Public Library employees must apply through their internal profile.

Ready to learn more and see how you can contribute? Visit us at denverlibrary.org and connect with our community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Job Profile

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Library Hiring Range

Target Pay

Agency

Assessment Requirement

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [email protected] with three business days’ notice.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.