Indigenous Leadership Program Manager

Position Title: Indigenous Leadership Program Manager (Level 3)

Reports to: VP of Tribal Lands and Waters Stewardship

Location:  Based in Portland Metro, OR

Starting Salary: $70,000 - $78,500

Full Annual Salary Range for Level: $70,000 - $104,000

Posting Date:  1/10/25

Application Deadline:  EXTENDED TO 1/26/25

Anticipated Start Date:  2/20/25

***Learn more about this position by attending an Information Session on January 15. 2025 from 12pm - 1pm. Scroll to bottom of job posting for details.***

Overview 

Who we are 

Ecotrust creates and accelerates triple-bottom-line innovations to benefit our region and inspire the world. On the farm, at the coast, in the forest, and across our cities, we work in partnership towards an equitable, prosperous, climate-smart future. Since 1991, we have created durable change and sparked ideas across the globe. Ecotrust holds a deep commitment to equity and diversity as core principles integral to the work we do. As we add new members across all levels of the organization, we seek diverse perspectives and lived experiences that we believe foster learning, creativity, innovation, and equity. Learn more at ecotrust.org. 

Job Summary 

A member of the Indigenous Leadership Program team, this position combines project management, communications, and research skills to elevate the influence of Indigenous leadership and educate a broad audience about the achievements and contributions of Indigenous communities and tribal leaders. Initial activities include: planning and producing the annual Indigenous Leadership Awards, a signature Ecotrust event; production of an annual webinar series about Indigenous leadership and tribal leaders; and researching and developing future initiatives to grow the Indigenous Leadership programming at Ecotrust.   

Who you are 

You are passionate about raising awareness of issues critical to Indigenous communities in our region and committed to promoting the positive impacts of Indigenous leadership. In addition to being highly organized, creative, and resourceful, you have a successful track record of delivering complex and highly collaborative projects on time and within budget. You are proactive, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively to prioritize and meet deadlines, anticipate and identify gaps in information and processes, and take action to find solutions. Building productive relationships and trust with tribal leaders, Indigenous communities, agencies, nonprofits, and others are strengths, as is the ability to effectively collaborate across regionally and racially diverse coworkers and teams.

Primary Responsibilities
The activities listed below represent the core functions of this position.

• With guidance from the Vice President of Tribal Lands and Waters Stewardship, lead, plan, and execute all aspects of the Indigenous Leadership Awards (ILA), which includes coordinating the ILA nominations and selection processes, leading the ILA internal planning team (communications, development, and events), event planning and promotion, and managing the budget.
• Assist in the development and promotion of the Indigenous Leadership Briefings, an annual four-part webinar series about Indigenous leadership in action.
• Support fundraising efforts including grant writing and identifying opportunities that support the creation of a bioregion-wide Indigenous leadership initiative, which includes learning about existing programs and identifying innovative avenues that support emerging leaders. 
• Coordinate the ILA social media and blog campaigns in close collaboration with the Ecotrust communications team, including identifying opportunities to elevate awareness of the ILA regionally and nationally.
• Manage master tribal contract list, including the Indigenous Leadership Award recipients and communicate opportunities to steward them alongside Ecotrust’s existing and future work.

Key Qualifications and Transferable Skills

Transferable skills may be gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experience that are relevant for this position. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for positions where they do not meet 100% of the listed skills and qualifications. Even if you do not meet all of the requirements described, if you believe you are a good fit for the position, we encourage you to apply. A candidate will be assessed on their ability to successfully fulfill or quickly learn these functions.

• Knowledge of Pacific Northwest Indigenous and Southeast Alaska Native history, cultures, and protocols.
• Direct knowledge of contemporary needs, issues, and opportunities facing rural and urban Indigenous communities.
• 5 years of experience managing medium to large-size projects, developing and managing budgets, and delivering outcomes on time and on budget.
• A minimum of 2 years experience successfully navigating tribal governments and working closely with Pacific Northwest Indigenous and/or Alaska Native leaders within Ecotrust’s region of Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Southeast Alaska, and through the award British Columbia.
• Highly organized with strong task management and attention to detail as well as impeccable follow-through. 
• Excellent communication skills, both in writing and in person. The writing must be clear, persuasive, and illuminating.
• Excellent research skills, with the ability to translate what is learned into accessible action plans while maintaining the confidence and trust of community sources.
• Experience working with software such as Asana, Google Drive, Microsoft Office, Zoom, and experience monitoring data through other software and/or project management tools. 
• Exhibits a high degree of autonomy and resourcefulness.
• Passion for Ecotrust’s mission to inspire fresh thinking that creates economic opportunity, social equity, and environmental well-being.
• Commitment to advancing racial equity and the goals of Ecotrust’s strategic plan.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively across racially diverse teams, partners, and experiences, and to understand and communicate clearly about why and how to apply a racial equity lens. 

Other Useful Qualifications

The items listed below represent qualifications that are desirable in a candidate but are not required. Some of these may be gained through professional development and coaching once on board.

• Possess a wide network consisting of Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders, community members, content specialists, and others committed to supporting Indigenous leadership.
• Knowledge of fundraising processes and experience writing clear and persuasive fundraising and sponsorship proposals also includes building and maintaining partnerships with funders such as foundations, businesses, and individual donors.
• Experience with event planning, execution, and event facilitation. 
• Experience collaborating with teams in hybrid office/virtual environments. 

Additional Information 

This is a full-time, exempt position. 

Please be aware that applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

We believe great benefits make work better: Ecotrust offers equity-centered benefits that strive to recognize employees as whole people and prioritize their overall wellbeing. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance with employee contributions scaled to income, tax-deferred and Roth retirement plans with employer base contributions, term life insurance, and disability coverage. Ecotrust invests in employees' professional development and personal growth. We also offer plentiful paid time off, retreats, and summer fun days.

 Working conditions:  

• Flexible hybrid working schedule available: remote (from home in the Portland Metro area) and/or in-office in SE Portland (open cubicles). 
• Occasional travel to conferences, symposia, meetings, and for research is required, as is periodic trips to SE Portland office to meet with the ILP team and Ecotrust staff.
• Long periods of time spent at a computer.
• Engage in regular communication in person as well as through electronic channels.
• May occasionally work during weekends or evenings to deliver programming at times that meet the needs of participants.

Ecotrust is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a diverse staff of qualified, highly-skilled, and creative individuals is necessary to achieve the vision and mission of the organization. Individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, or other People of Color, people who are queer, trans, non-binary, people with disabilities, people who are immigrants, veterans, people from poor and working class backgrounds, and people who are/have been system-impacted are strongly encouraged to apply.

Click here to learn more about equity at Ecotrust. 

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. 

How to Apply:  Apply via our careers page on JazzHR. Please include your resume and cover letter. Your cover letter should be no longer than two pages and clearly explain how your skills, experience, and interests fit this position, including your knowledge of Pacific Northwest Indigenous and Alaska Native history, cultures, and protocols, your experience working with Indigenous leaders and navigating tribal governments and/or programs, your project and budget management experience, and two issues of critical importance that rural and/or urban Indigenous communities are facing today. 

The Selection Process: In an effort to be as transparent as possible in our selection process as well as to help expedite bringing new staff on board, below is a timeline of key events:

• Review of Resumes: Jan 23 - 24 (Thur-Fri)
• First Round Interviews: Jan 28 - 30 ( Tues - Fri)
• Second Round Interviews: Feb 4 - 6 (Tues - Thurs)
• Reference checks: Feb 7 - 11 (Fri - Tues)
• Extend offer: Feb 11 -14 (Tues - Fri)

While we will proactively communicate these dates and any changes to you throughout the process, please consider placing tentative holds on your calendars for the initial screening and face-to-face interviews.

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Learn more about this position by attending an Information Session: Ecotrust is hosting an informational webinar about this position. You can call in to listen and ask questions.

• Date:  January 15 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm 
• Click this link to join by computer audio/video:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82758501265?pwd=hRlrbyvj6jCVTpK9j7dVLKppjgQUVf.1
• Webinar ID: ID # 827 5850 1265

We will record the session and post the recording to the job posting shortly afterwards.

To mitigate privileged access to information about the position, our policy is that hiring team members may not meet with candidates who are considering applying for that role. Instead, we offer the information session as a way to equalize access to information about the role for all candidates.