Civil Rights & Title IX Investigator (K-12 Education)
Location: Washington, DC
Schedule: Full-time | Hybrid (4 days in office/schools, 1 day remote)
About the Role
The Comprehensive Alternative Resolution & Equity (CARE) Team is seeking a skilled investigator who is passionate about ensuring every student has access to a safe, equitable, and non-discriminatory educational environment.
As a Civil Rights & Title IX Investigator, you will investigate complaints involving student civil rights, discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, and other concerns raised by students, families, staff, and third parties. You will work closely with school leaders, central office departments, and district stakeholders to ensure investigations are conducted fairly, thoroughly, and in compliance with District and federal laws.
This position reports to the Manager of the CARE Team and plays a critical role in supporting the District's commitment to equity, accountability, and student safety.
This is a hybrid position requiring in-person work four days per week and one remote workday. The successful candidate must have reliable transportation or access to transportation to visit schools throughout Washington, DC.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct impartial investigations involving student complaints, grievances, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, sexual misconduct, and other school-related concerns.
- Manage a high-volume caseload while ensuring investigations are completed accurately and within established timelines.
- Prepare comprehensive investigative reports, findings, recommendations, and presentations for District leadership.
- Interview students, parents, employees, and other relevant witnesses to gather facts and make evidence-based determinations.
- Ensure investigations comply with applicable federal, state, District, and agency laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
- Monitor compliance with settlement agreements, corrective actions, and required follow-up activities.
- Maintain accurate and confidential case documentation within electronic case management systems.
- Develop investigation plans, establish timelines, track progress, and coordinate with stakeholders to ensure timely case resolution.
- Provide consultation and technical guidance regarding Title IX, civil rights requirements, complaint resolution, and related compliance matters.
- Support the District's Title IX compliance efforts, including grievance procedures and regulatory requirements (excluding athletic programming).
- Identify trends and systemic issues through case analysis and recommend process improvements to strengthen district-wide practices.
- Build collaborative relationships with school administrators, instructional leaders, and central office teams to resolve concerns effectively.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Education, Public Administration, Law, Human Resources, Social Work, Criminal Justice, or a related field.
- Three to five years of professional experience conducting investigations, resolving complaints, compliance monitoring, employee relations, civil rights, Title IX, or similar work.
- Experience managing multiple complex cases simultaneously while meeting strict deadlines.
- Excellent investigative interviewing, analytical, writing, and communication skills.
- Strong judgment with the ability to remain objective, impartial, and fact-based.
- Ability to navigate sensitive and emotionally charged situations with professionalism and discretion.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships across departments while holding stakeholders accountable for timelines and deliverables.
- Strong organizational skills with experience maintaining confidential case records.
- Ability to work independently and exercise sound decision-making.
Preferred
- Master's degree in a related field.
- Experience working in K–12 education or another educational environment.
- Formal training or certification in mediation, conflict resolution, investigations, or alternative dispute resolution.
- Knowledge of Title II, Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, ADA, and other federal and District civil rights laws impacting students.
- Experience using electronic case management systems.
The Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate is an experienced investigator who is calm under pressure, highly organized, and committed to fairness. They possess excellent judgment, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and are comfortable addressing difficult issues while maintaining objectivity and confidentiality. They are able to balance compassion with accountability and are driven to improve systems that support students, families, and schools.
Why Join the CARE Team?
This role offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the educational experience of students across Washington, DC. You'll work alongside dedicated professionals committed to equity, compliance, and creating learning environments where every student can thrive.