Co-Directors of the Anti-Racism Office

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

About the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

The Sisters of Mercy are an international community of Roman Catholic women who dedicate their lives to the Gospel of Jesus and take vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and service. Inspired by the life of Jesus and by the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, they envision a just world for the poor, the sick, and the uneducated. They commit their lives to God and their resources to serving, advocating for, and praying for those in need worldwide.

Since the Sisters of Mercy's founding in 1831, their lives have been centered on responding to unmet needs through direct service and seeking ways to change unjust systems. While historically many sisters worked in education and healthcare, today’s sisters also work with issues such as immigration, human trafficking, and care for Earth.

Today, more than 1,600 Sisters of Mercy of the Americas sponsor and operate more than 150 ministries in collaboration with tens of thousands of committed co-ministers, staff, and volunteers in North, South, and Central America, the Caribbean, Guam, and the Philippines. Additional Sisters of Mercy in over 30 countries make up a global body of over 4,700 Sisters of Mercy.

In the United States, the organization employs over 700 staff working in service to the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. They serve a variety of roles spanning healthcare, facilities, and administration. The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas is led and governed by the Institute Leadership Team (ILT), an elected body of leaders. All employees embrace the mission statement and core values.

Mission Statement

Employees of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas commit to providing a collaborative environment where we can use our personal and professional gifts to serve others.

Core Values

RESPECT: We commit to reverence and respect for the sacredness and dignity of each person and celebrate their gifts and voice.

STEWARDSHIP: We commit to the just use of resources entrusted to us and to accountability for excellence and the quality of our work.

INTEGRITY: We honor Mercy tradition and values by acting with integrity of word and deed and demonstrating courage in promoting our critical concerns.

HOSPITALITY: We welcome one another, creating a culture of hospitality, warmth, and inclusion.

COMPASSION: We commit to being compassionate to one another and all those we serve.

For more information, please visit: www.sistersofmercy.org

To learn more about Catherine McAuley, please watch: In God Alone

The Opportunity

This is a rare invitation to lead transformational anti-racism work within a renowned global social justice organization. The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas is seeking two visionary Co-Directors to guide its Anti-Racism Office, a highly visible, deeply purposeful role at the intersection of spiritual values, organizational change, and racial justice. Operating as co-equals, these leaders will shape policy, design and deliver education, and serve as trusted counselors to senior leadership and the broader Institute community. For candidates who are passionate about dismantling systemic racism within faith-based organizations — and who want their work to matter — this is a singular opportunity to drive enduring, institution-wide change.

The Co-Directors of the Anti-Racism Office

The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas (SMA) focus on five critical concerns: Earth, Immigration, Nonviolence, Racism, and Women. The Anti-Racism Office supports SMA’s work to become an anti-racist community committed to eliminating personal and institutional racism and dismantling oppressive structures, policies, and processes. The work is grounded in the belief that racism is an evil that affects all.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, collaborating with the ILT, and working primarily with the United States Sisters, Associates, Companions, and Staff, the Co-Directors of the Anti-Racism Office will build and staff a department to provide education, direction, and guidance to dismantle racism and promote racial justice within the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy. Essential responsibilities of the position include:

Strategic Leadership

• Collaborate with the ILT Liaison, ILT, and COO to develop and implement the department's strategic vision, priorities, and objectives — engaging partners both within and outside the U.S.

• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight to forge the Institute's pathway to racial justice.

• Counsel and collaborate with department heads, including Human Resources, to implement anti-racism priorities and policies consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

• Establish and sustain a resilient Anti-Racism Office capable of advancing the Institute's long-term anti-racism commitments.

• Serve as thought partners and advisors to senior leadership on matters of anti-racism strategy, problem-solving, and goal execution.

• Support Institute-appointed committees, work groups, and task forces as directed.

Education & Training

• Design and manage comprehensive anti-racism educational programs and workshops for U.S. Sisters, Associates, Companions, and Staff.

• Embed Transformational Values in all training initiatives to advance racial justice throughout the Institute.

• Provide follow-up sessions and ongoing support after workshops and training programs.

• Participate in employee orientation and in-service programs.

Policy Development & Accountability

• Partner with Human Resources, the ILT, and Institute Leadership to develop anti-racism policies and accountability measures for Sisters, Associates, Companions, and Staff.

• Develop, analyze, and improve procedures, systems, and policies that strengthen office operations and institutional impact.

• Collaborate with the ILT and Communications and Justice Teams on emergency response matters.

Communications & Reporting

• Develop transparent, regular communications to keep Institute membership informed of the Anti-Racism Office's work and progress.

• Actively communicate departmental strategy, activities, successes, and news to leadership and appropriate audiences.

• Produce documents, reports, presentations, and dashboard metrics to monitor and report on departmental performance.

Department Management & Stewardship

• Directly supervise Anti-Racism Office staff, including hiring, training, goal setting, professional development, and performance evaluation.

• Prepare and manage the department budget — including staff, consultants, and facilitators — ensuring responsible stewardship of resources.

• Foster a culture of teamwork, mentoring, mission formation, and service excellence within the department.

• Administer day-to-day office operations, either directly or through delegation.

Professional Requirements

The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas is hiring two individuals to serve in co-equal roles as Co-Directors of the Anti-Racism Office. While each Co-Director will be fully accountable for the totality of the office's work, the ideal pairing will bring distinct, complementary skills, experiences, and perspectives — together forming a leadership team whose combined strengths exceed what either individual could offer alone. The ideal candidates will have:

• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience, including at least 3–5 years in developing and implementing anti-racism strategies, programs, and policies.

• Demonstrated expertise in anti-racism frameworks and practices, including familiarity with methodologies promoted by organizations such as Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training.

• Proven track record in organizational and program management in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

• Experience in facilitation and adult education, with the ability to design and lead workshops and training programs.

• Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to develop, analyze, and implement anti-racism policies and accountability measures.

• Proficiency in data analysis, reporting, and the use of technology and digital tools to support office operations and program evaluation.

• Formal religious education, ordained status, and/or ministerial experience are valued, though not required.

• Master's degree in Sociology, Social Justice, Public Policy, Cultural Studies, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25%.

Essential Qualities

The Co-Directors must be proven anti-racism practitioners with the strategic acumen to drive institutional change, the pedagogical skill to educate and inspire, and the personal integrity to model the values they teach. They must also be natural collaborators who thrive in a co-leadership model, bringing both confidence in their own expertise and genuine openness to a peer's perspective.

Personal Characteristics

The Co-Directors will consciously operate from the Transformational Values promoted by Crossroads, which are fundamental to the work of anti-racism and racial justice in every sense of those terms. These values include the following:

• Inherent Worthiness of all Living Beings - without exhibiting preferences for, or against, any groups or individuals based on race and inclusive of both/and thinking rather than either/or thinking;

• Abundance - stewarding and managing resources responsibly so that all living beings and earth thrive;

• Transparency - promotes clear communication in decision-making processes, guards personal integrity, and shares information with those impacted;

• Cooperation and Collaboration - encourages mutual responsibility and accountability with honesty and respect.

Beyond these foundational values, the Co-Directors will demonstrate:

• Familiarity with Mercy values and Religious Life, and an understanding of racism as a social sin.

• A deep commitment to ongoing personal and inner transformation as a prerequisite to leading institutional change.

• Cultural humility and the ability to listen and learn across difference, with sensitivity to the diverse communities within and beyond the Sisters of Mercy.

• Strong capacity to operate co-equally and co-responsibly — sharing authority, accountability, and credit with a peer leader.

• Ability to navigate complex organizational structures with patience, creativity, and diplomatic skill.

• A collaborative spirit and the ability to build trust-based relationships with Sisters, Associates, Companions, Staff, and external partners.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $102,000 - $142,000. Sisters of Mercy’s comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, life/ADD, and disability insurance coverage. The organization sponsors a 403(b) retirement plan and contributes a 5% discretionary match and 50% of the first 6% of employees' contributions. Additional benefits include an FSA, employer-contributed HSA, and generous PTO.

Location

The Institute offices are located in Silver Spring, Maryland. This position offers the option to work on-site in Silver Spring or at another SMA office in the continental U.S. This position is eligible to participate in the Sisters of Mercy telecommuting program, subject to the rules of the policy.

Contact

Our client welcomes applications from individuals as well as co-applicant pairs who wish to be considered jointly for the Co-Director roles. Co-applicants are encouraged to submit a single cover letter highlighting the complementary strengths of their partnership, along with a résumé for each candidate.

Individual applicants should submit a thoughtful cover letter describing their interest in the position and the mission of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, along with a current résumé.

All cover letters, whether individual or joint, should address the candidate's or candidates' experience in anti-racism work, leadership philosophy, and vision for the Co-Directors' role within the Institute.

Please submit materials through the https://apptrkr.com/7108647.

Michelle Kristel, Managing Partner McCormack + Kristel 1325 Avenue of the Americas, 28th Floor | New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212.531.5003 | Email: search@mccormackkristel.com Website: www.mccormackkristel.com

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. This position will remain open until filled. All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.

Background Check Statement

Please note that McCormack + Kristel will check references, verify employment history and academic credentials, and our clients frequently request background checks before finalizing an offer.

EOE Statement

McCormack + Kristel works only with equal opportunity employers.

Sisters of Mercy shares in the mission of Jesus, who called all followers to lead a just life. In fidelity to that mission, this organization strives for justice in its employment practices. The Sisters of Mercy are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity with respect to all employees and applicants for employment. Consistent with this commitment, the Sisters of Mercy will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination. The organization prohibits discrimination against qualified employees and applicants in all aspects of employment including, but not limited to: recruitment, interviewing, hiring (or failure or refusal to hire), evaluation, compensation, promotion, job assignment, transfer, demotion, training, leaves of absence, layoff, benefits, use of facilities, working conditions, termination and employer-sponsored activities, including social and recreational programs. Employment decisions will be made without regard to an applicant’s, employee’s or intern’s actual or perceived: race; color; sex; age; disability; religion; creed; national origin; ancestry; military status or veteran status; marital status; familial status; gender identity and expression; sexual orientation; status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking or sex offenses; predisposing genetic characteristics; genetic information; and any other status protected by law.

Also, to the extent required by law, equal employment opportunity will be provided to all individuals regardless of any perception that the individual has a protected characteristic, or associates with a person who has or is perceived as having any protected characteristic(s). It should be noted, however, depending on the position, that bona fide employment qualifications may be based upon the belief in or consistent with Christian principles, and specifically the Roman Catholic faith.

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

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Co-Directors of the Anti-Racism Office