Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager (Maternity Cover) - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager (Maternity Cover) - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

About us:

King's College London is one of the world's leading universities, based in the heart of London. Our HR directorate leads the College's work on inclusion, belonging and wellbeing, including delivery of our Race Equality Charter and Athena Swan commitments, staff network support, and leadership development. This role sits within our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team, working closely with senior leadership and colleagues across the College to embed EDI into everyday practice.

About the role:

We are looking for an experienced EDI professional to cover the role of EDI Manager while the substantive postholder is on maternity leave. You will be responsible for overseeing and implementing EDI initiatives and programmes across King's, playing a central part in developing and promoting a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace culture. You will collaborate with senior leadership, departments and colleagues across the College to ensure EDI principles are embedded in all aspects of our work.

You will lead, motivate and develop a small team, fostering a culture of accountability and innovation, and will lead on our Race Equality Action Plan and other key EDI projects. You will put forward recommendations on managing complex situations, identify gaps in information, and conduct analysis to resolve problems. The role involves liaison and co-ordination across a number of subsections of the College and will involve encountering changing priorities and differing situations.

This is a full-time post 35 hours per week, and you will be offered a fixed term contract for approximately 12 months, covering a period of maternity leave (exact start and end dates to be confirmed; anticipated start mid-late November 2026).

About you:

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. Relevant qualification or equivalent professional experience in EDI and HR.
2. Substantial experience of leading organisation-wide EDI programmes or action plans, from planning to evaluation.
3. Experience of leading an equality charter mark submission, such as the Race Equality Charter or Athena Swan.
4. Strong knowledge of UK equality law, Employment Law, the Public Sector Equality Duty and evidence-based EDI practice.
5. Ability to analyse EDI or workforce data and presenting evidence-based recommendations to senior stakeholders.
6. Experience of line managing, coaching and developing an inclusive, high-performing team.
7. Experience of managing budgets, including planning, monitoring expenditure and forecasting.
8. Excellent communication and influencing skills, with experience of securing senior and stakeholder commitment to EDI priorities.

Desirable criteria

1. Project, programme or change management qualification or training.
2. Experience of working within the higher education sector, with an understanding of its structures, governance and operating environment.
3. Experience of using staff consultation or co-creation to shape EDI policies or programmes.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.