Job Description

Description

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Position Overview
The Director of Tribal Government Affairs serves as a liaison to Washington\'s 29 federally recognized Tribes and supports American Indian and Alaska Native students, Tribal Liaisons, Indigenous faculty, and Administrators across 34 community and technical colleges.

This position has a Tribal relations function, assigned to develop government-to-government Tribal relations strategy in consultation with Washington Community and Technical Colleges American Indian Advisory Board (WCAAB), a representation of Tribal and college Leaders and other internal and external stakeholders.
Headquartered in Olympia, Washington, this position is full-time with the option to occasionally telework part-time at the discretion of the Executive Director. This position reports to the Executive Director.

SBCTC Mission and Vision Statement
Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in service to our diverse communities. We challenge, empower and embolden ourselves and our colleges to deliver equitable higher education through antiracist policies that ensure economic vitality across Washington. Our values are focused on racial equity and social justice, accountability, community and culture building, service, humor, collaboration and innovation.

This vision statement recognizes that every member of our community has benefited, and continues to benefit, from living, working, and occupying the ancestral territories of first peoples of Washington state, the 29 federally recognized Tribes, all sovereign nations. As a step toward honoring truth and achieving healing and reconciliation, SBCTC acknowledges the traditional territories of the Squaxin Island Tribe of the South Puget Sound. The people of the Squaxin Island Tribe lived and prospered along the shores of the southernmost inlets of the Salish Sea for untold centuries. We acknowledge throughout time immemorial, the people of the Squaxin Island Tribe\'s strong cultural connection with water, and traditionally known as the People of the Water.
We honor the descendants of the Squaxin Island Tribe, the People of the Water, on which Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges office resides. While our colleges are distributed across many first people\'s nations, we remain dedicated to opening our time together by honoring those that came before us. We know that such statements only become truly meaningful when coupled with authentic relationships and sustained commitment, and as such, we commit to continued efforts to build our collective understanding and action to foster authentic Tribal community connections. (Endorsed by Council Chairman Kristopher Peters, Squaxin Island Tribe. March 2023)

Duties

• Serve as SBCTC liaison with government entities and Tribal governments regarding American Indian postsecondary higher education, workforce, and training issues to build meaningful relationships and ensure open communication.
• Develop an outreach and implementation plan that centers on making visible and honoring the history, and celebrating the continued existence of Washington\'s tribal nations. Particularly the tribes whose ancestral homelands are the territories within which colleges occupies and utilize.
• Engage with Washington\'s Tribal Leader Congress on Education, Governor\'s Office on Indian Affairs, Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians Post-Secondary Higher Education Committee, Washington State OSPI Office of Native Education, Washington State Indian Education Association, and Washington\'s six public baccalaureate tribal relations directors.
• Strategize with WCAAB college leader and tribal leader expertise, SBCTC commissions and councils, Washington tribal leaders\' representatives, Tribal Leaders Congress on Education, Washington State Indian Education Association, Washington State Native Education Advisory Committee to OSPI Superintendent, Washington Indian Policy for Early Learning, Tribal College, Tribal Linguist, Cultural and Coastal Artist, College Student representative and other key internal and external stakeholders.
• Engage with the Washington Community and Technical Colleges American Indian Advisory Board to best understand and apply local Tribal culture, protocols, community needs and concerns.
• Establish a Tribal consultation toolkit to guide college strategy and practices to ensure an inclusive climate and support a thriving community of American Indian/Alaska Native students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
• Assist colleges in adhering to local Tribal ethical standards, research policies and practices pertaining to Tribal communities, traditional knowledge, and intellectual property rights.
• Coordinate with Tribal higher education departments for the best recruitment and retention practices for students transferring from K-12 or adult learners transferring from the Tribe\'s workforce.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master\'s degree in Education, Public Policy or related field AND 5 years\' management experience working in Tribal communities and/or equivalent experience and/or training.
• Lived experience working with Tribal nations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of or lived experience of Tribal protocols, cultures, histories, sovereignty, and government-to-government relations, particularly for Washington Federally Recognized Tribes, but also for American Indian/Alaska Native People.
• Demonstrated knowledge, skills and understanding of indigenizing curricula, training college leaders/faculty and Tribal leaders.
• Experience troubleshooting challenges in post-secondary higher education, workforce and training specific issues, especially as they relate to Washington Tribal communities.
• Demonstrated knowledge, skills, and experience in diplomacy, Tribal consultation and building bridges to achieve institutional goals and objectives, and advancing positive relationships among communities that may have differing views and interests.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, verbally and written, across cultural lines to include interpretation of Washington legislation, policy, and projects to array of constituents.
• Analytical and decision-making skills, sound judgment and political acumen.

Supplemental Information

HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates may apply by submitting the following items:

• Letter of formal application that addresses your interest in the position and ability to perform the responsibilities described in this announcement.
• Detailed r\xc3\xa9sum\xc3\xa9 of all educational and professional experience that demonstrates how you meet the qualifications.
• List of at least three professional references with contact information. References are typically contacted after interviews.

Apply at

Washington State