Ombudsperson

Please note that references provided at the time of application for staff positions will not be contacted until the applicant has been offered the position. DescriptionThe Ombudsperson will provide impartial, informal, independent, and confidential conflict resolution services to all faculty and staff. The successful candidate will mediate and facilitate dialogue, identify trends, and provide recommendations for systemic change. This full-time staff position operates in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the International Ombud Association (IOA).Your Key ResponsibilitiesGuide, advise, and collaborate with individual faculty and staff experiencing conflict.Counsel constituents in the navigation and utilization of existing conflict resolution resources.Bring systemic concerns to the attention of institutional leadership for resolution.Operate in a manner that preserves the confidentiality of those seeking services.Maintain a neutral and impartial position with respect to the concerns raised.Work at an informal level of the organizational system, independent of form units such as HR, Title VII/IX, and General Counsel.Establish and maintain effective working relationships across all levels of administration, including collaboration with formal unites to provide referrals and support campus-wide initiatives.Engage and inform the campus community about the role and services of the Ombud.Provide an appropriate measure of transparency to the Ombuds function.What You'll BringEducation required to ensure success in this position:A terminal degree in a field that demonstrates ability to work with diverse backgrounds, address conflict resolution, problem solving, and analytical ability required.Experience required to ensure success in this position:5-7 years of Ombuds experience, with a record of successful conflict resolution preferred.Minimum of 5 years of dispute resolution experience.Demonstrated experience facilitating communication between parties ("shuttle diplomacy").Special skills, knowledge and abilities:Knowledge of higher education, including unique working environment of a small, liberal arts institutionKnowledge and application of International Ombuds Associate Ethical Code and Standards of PracticeDecision-making and problem solving within higher education environment (or equivalent public or private sector including shared governance models) is preferredExperience working with people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and statusStrong skills in conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolutionAbility to gain and maintain trust at all organizational levelsAbility to engage in high level of consulting, problem-solving, and collaborative activitiesExcellent communication and written skillsExcellent judgement and discretionAbility to create and deliver educational workshops tailored to unique constituent groupsLicense, certification, or registration necessary:International Ombudsman Association (IOA) certification preferredFounded in 1855, Berea College is nationally recognized as the first coeducational and interracial college in the South. Berea has a longstanding commitment to interracial education and is one of the most racially diverse private liberal arts colleges in the United States. With an emphasis on service to Appalachia and beyond, Berea enrolls more than 1,500 students from 46 states and U.S. territories and more than 70 countries. Berea College admits students who are unable to afford tuition and provides all of them with a no-tuition promise. Berea’s students excel in the College’s supportive yet demanding academic environment, and most are the first in their families to attend college. As one of only ten federally recognized Work Colleges, all Berea students are expected to work 10-12 hours weekly in various positions across campus. Berea College is also the only institution in Kentucky to receive the 5-Star Rating from Money Magazine, 2025. Washington Monthly has named Berea College the #1 Best College in the nation in its 2025 College Guide. Berea College appears in their rankings as #1 College (overall): Best College for your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars, #1 Best-in Class College, #1 Liberal Arts College and #1 Best Bang for the Buck Southern College.Located where the Bluegrass Region meets the Cumberland Mountains, the town of Berea (pop. 16,000) lies forty miles south of Lexington and is approximately two hours from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Knoxville. More information about Berea College is available at www.berea.edu.Berea College, in light of its mission in the tradition of impartial love and social equality, welcomes all people of the earth to learn and work here.Berea College is always looking for talented, self-motivated individuals to join our team. If you think you are ready to be a part of an exciting team, then we encourage you to continue with this applicant friendly, online job application!Berea College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.Our BenefitsBerea College offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees and their families including health care, dental, vision, retirement, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability and an Employee Assistance Program. The benefit package also includes access to the Child Development Laboratory for children of College Staff, ages 6 weeks to 6 years, Seabury Center Membership, Staff Development Funds and Tuition Reimbursement.Eligible staff employees also receive paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.Part-time employees who work an average of 24 hours per week over the course of a year, receive benefits on a pro-rated basis.To learn more details, visit our benefits page at https://www.berea.edu/human-resources/employee-benefits.Our Unique CultureBerea College strives to be a place where people with various Christian interpretations, different religious traditions, and no religious traditions work together in support of Berea's Great Commitments. Over the past century, various leaders of the College have applied the College’s inclusive scriptural foundation and spirit to their expanding world and welcomed those whose beliefs were consistent with the Christian gospel of impartial love. Therefore, Berea College today affirms its inclusive Christian tradition even as it respects the traditions of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus, as well as other faiths, and those holding no religious beliefs. We strive not to ignore our differences, but rather seek to understand each other honestly and respectfully, and together create a climate where anyone can openly discuss what they believe without fear of sanction. To that end, all persons who are willing to share in the spirit and the work of the Great Commitments as shaped by its preamble are welcome to study, to teach, and to work at BereaLabor SupervisionIn support of Berea College’s great commitments, staff and faculty serve as labor supervisors. Our fourth great commitment, The Dignity of Labor, promotes learning and serving in community through the student Labor Program, honoring the dignity and utility of all work, mental and manual, and taking pride in work well done. Student Labor Supervision includes scheduling, assigning, and approving student work, developing students' workplace acumen, and providing tangible work experience. To learn more about the labor program office please see the following link Labor Program Office.