Bain and Company, a management consulting firm, named Julie Coffman, long-term partner and founding leader of their diversity, equity and inclusion practice, as their first Chief Diversity Officer in February. The company added a diversity position to their board of directors last July, but Coffman said leadership took time to investigate their shortfalls before formally creating the CDO title.

 “It’s been a process of learning,” Coffman said.

 As recruiters rush to fill senior diversity leader roles, Coffman said she often sees turnover during her consulting work when there are “mismatched expectations” between the CDO and other executives. 

 “The challenge is when you have really elaborate, big, hairy, audacious goals, but yet no funding to try and fill the gaps that you know are needed,” Coffman said.