Career Definition of Affirmative Action Coordinators
A career as an affirmative action coordinator is a role that combines human resources and legal functions. Your role is to assist companies in complying with federal regulations related to fair hiring and work practices. As an affirmative action coordinator, you will ensure that all employees are treated equally, regardless of their gender, ethnic background, or disability. You may be tasked with overseeing a team of junior personnel that are dedicated to working on affirmative action issues.
Affirmative action coordinators could be responsible for drafting and implementing a company's affirmative action strategy, including compliance with regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act. One of your duties as an affirmative action coordinator can include examining data like job groups and employee assessments and recognizing non-compliant business practices. Other duties can include working with human resources to educate employees on properly sourcing, hiring, and training candidates, completing and submitting federal reports, and serving as a company's representative during any investigations by the Department of Labor.
| Educational Requirements | Bachelor's degree |
| Job Skills | Excellent aptitude for labor relations practices, strong communication skills, and effective analytical abilities |
| Median Salary (2021)* | $125,325 (Equal Employment Opportunity Manager) |
| Job Outlook (2020-2030)** | 6% (Compliance Officer) |
Sources:*Salary.com, **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Required Education
Most employers require a bachelor's degree to work as an affirmative action coordinator. Since these coordinators are employed in a wide variety of industries, you will have several options for choosing a field of study. You could pursue a bachelor's degree in organizational psychology, public policy, or business administration. In addition to a bachelor's degree, you will also need relevant work experience in diversity, affirmative action, or equal opportunity management.
Required Skills
As an affirmative action coordinator, you will need more than an understanding of human resources processes. You will need an excellent aptitude for fair labor relations practices, as your primary role is to ensure companies are selecting candidates based on skills and experience, not personal characteristics. You will also need strong communication skills to work as an affirmative action manager in order to collaborate with colleagues on compliance activities. Affirmative action coordinators should also have effective analytical abilities in order to develop solutions to compliance issues.
Career Outlook and Salary
According to Salary.com, an equal employment opportunity manager is expected to make a median annual salary of $125,325. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not specifically cover affirmative action coordinators, although they provide information on compliance officers. The BLS lists an 6% job growth for compliance officers, which is as fast as the average when compared to all careers.
Related Careers
If you are thinking of a career in affirmative action, you could consider other professions that focus on improving the workplace. Take a look at the below careers to see if one of them sparks your interest.
