Back to jobs
New

Program Manager, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEI+B)

Chicago, IL

The Program Manager, DEIB will lead our agency’s efforts in fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and representative workplace. Reporting to the Chief People Officer and based in our Chicago office, this role is both strategic and executional — managing programs, developing inclusive content, and embedding DEI+B practices throughout the agency.

This person will be a coach, educator, and connector—equipping employees with the tools and cultural fluency to engage in nuanced conversations internally and with clients. As part of our multidisciplinary Inclusion Council, this role will also support systemic change by surfacing potential bias in policies and practices, lean into our retention strategies and ways to empower our people through creating an inclusive environment.

We are seeking a data-driven DEI+B leader with advertising agency experience and a proven track record of driving measurable impact.

 

Key Responsibilities

1. Inclusionary Programming

  •  Build, implement, and evaluate agency-wide DEI+B initiatives that promote a sense of belonging for all.
  • Conduct regular assessments to evaluate inclusion and engagement across teams
  • Develop and lead educational programs and workshops on inclusive practices and intercultural fluency
  • Manage all DEIB-related programming and communications • Establish key metrics and use data to measure program impact and guide decisions
  • Foster accountability through feedback loops, reporting, and transparent progress tracking

2. Business Resource Groups (BRGs)

  • Support and scale internal employee groups that foster identity, allyship, and professional development
  • Partner with BRG leaders to ensure alignment with agency goals and inclusive outcomes • Offer development opportunities and support for BRG leadership
  • Track engagement, impact, and effectiveness through both qualitative and quantitative insights
  • Create safe spaces for feedback and surface unseen challenges affecting underrepresented communities

3. Community Partnerships

  • Strengthen relationships between the agency and external partners to support a more diverse talent ecosystem
  •  Identify and manage partnerships with nonprofits, schools, and local organizations
  • Drive workforce development and community outreach efforts aligned with agency values
  • Create pipelines that expand access to underrepresented talent
  • Represent the agency at DEI+B and community events and initiatives 

4. Coaching & Cross-Functional Partnership

  • Serve as a coach and advisor to agency leaders and teams, helping them navigate DEIB conversations confidently
  • Provide tools and training to help employees address complex or sensitive topics with clients
  • Act as a liaison between the DEIB function and client service teams to promote intercultural fluency and inclusive storytelling 
  • Influence business operations with a DEIB lens, ensuring inclusive practices are embedded in recruitment, retention, and daily culture

Qualifications & Experience

  • Minimum 5 years of experience in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging roles
  • Prior experience working in an advertising agency or creative industry environment is preferred
  • Demonstrated ability to use data and metrics to assess program effectiveness and make informed decisions
  • Strong background in organizational development, change management, and facilitation
  • Skilled at coaching and influencing across all levels of an organization
  • Deep understanding of systemic barriers and how to dismantle them through culture, education, and leadership
  • Excellent communication, collaboration, and storytelling skills
  • Comfortable facilitating workshops, training sessions, and inclusive dialogue
  • Core Competencies
    • Empathy & Listening – Understand and advocate for diverse lived experiences
    • Strategic & Executional Balance – Blend long-term vision with day-to-day impact
    • Cultural Agility – Navigate cultural complexity and bridge across differences
    • Coaching & Influence – Equip others with knowledge and confidence to lead inclusively
    • Data-Driven Insight – Translate findings into clear, actionable strategies
  • We Offer
    • Hybrid work flexibility in our Chicago office, 4 days in office.
    • Opportunity to lead and shape a growing DEIB function within a creative environment
    • A values-driven culture where inclusivity is not just a goal, but a way of working
    • Ongoing professional development and senior leadership exposure

The annual gross base salary range is $87,000 - $109,000 USD. This range represents the anticipated target salary range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and are based on factors such as a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and geographic location. Salary is one component of BarkleyOKRP's total compensation package, which includes multiple health insurance options, flexible PTO, life insurance, and 401K. 

BarkleyOKRP’s Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

  • We believe being radically diverse and inclusive is the key to becoming one of the world’s great creative idea companies. By embracing everything that makes our partners who they are and what makes them unique to the world around them, we create the conditions and capacity to help creative, original thinking thrive. 
  • BarkleyOKRP is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging as part of our corporate strategic goals, supported by a formal DEI+B program, Employee Resource Groups, Director of Diversity leadership and agency commitment to The Brand Lab, Creative Accelerator, Fellowship, MAIP, and BLAC. 

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf


Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Barkley’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.