Director, Tribal Leadership Programs

Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation has grown into America's largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state/territorial affiliates and more than six million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and stripes. The mission of the National Wildlife Federation is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world. We advance this mission through programming focused on conserving wildlife, restoring habitats and waterways, expanding outdoor opportunities, connecting children with nature, advancing environmental justice, and addressing the causes and consequences of climate change.

The Director of Tribal Leadership Programs is a joint position between the NWF and the Water & Tribes Initiative (WTI). The Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network (IWLN) is a leadership program of the WTI. It was launched in 2021 and is a core component of WTI’s portfolio to enhance Tribal capacity to manage water and engage in water policy discussion in the Colorado River Basin. NWF launched the Colorado River Indigenous Youth Advisory Council (CRIYAC) in 2024 as a mentorship and leadership program for youth and young adults (ages 18-25) who desire to protect the Colorado River and serve young adults in their journeys towards connecting, learning about, and being a voice for the Colorado River and their Tribal communities.

To advance these efforts, NWF and WTI are pooling resources to hire a Tribal Leadership Programs Director that will lead the IWLN and CRIYAC leadership programs. The Director will provide overall leadership for the vision, design, and implementation of projects to achieve the purpose and scope of the IWLN and CRIYAC.

Principal Duties (major areas of responsibility):

Working closely with the Senior Director of Tribal Partnerships and Policy, the Tribal Leadership Programs Director is primarily responsible for leading and collaborating with NWF, WTI, and IWLN staff to advance the missions of the CRIYAC and IWLN. The Tribal Leadership Programs Director will model the principles and values of NWF’s Tribal and Indigenous Partnerships Enhancement Strategy (TIPES) and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

The Director of Tribal Leadership Programs will:

CRIYAC

• Create, deliver, and implement a comprehensive leadership development structure tailored to the CRIYAC's emerging leaders, including designing, implementing, and evaluating initiatives aimed at nurturing the potential of Indigenous youth to prepare them for future leadership roles through their active participation with the council.
• Develop and implement a detailed plan outlining the structure, objectives, and content of the CRIYAC.
• Define specific learning objectives, competencies, and milestones to guide the development journey of CRIYAC members, and conduct tracking to measure results.
• Co-design and implement a curriculum that encompasses workshops, training sessions, coaching, mentoring, and experiential learning opportunities.
• Recruit Council members and mentors and coordinate their ongoing roles and relationships.
• Plan and coordinate CRIYAC meetings and learning sessions.
• Coordinate and facilitate mentor-youth relationships to enhance knowledge about the Colorado River, Tribal ecological and cultural priorities, sovereignty, self-determination, and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
• Track and report deliverables to funders and assist with efforts to generate new funding including foundation/donor cultivation and submission of proposals.

IWLN

• Consult with the co-chairs of IWLN to develop and deliver appropriate activities and events to achieve the objectives of IWLN.
• Report to the co-directors of WTI to ensure that IWLN is consistent with the overall objectives of WTI’s capacity building portfolio.
• Oversee day-to-day operations, including the management and development of the network in close collaboration with IWLN Co-Chairs.
• Plan and coordinate IWLN events, including in-person and virtual networking events and webinars.
• Track and manage the IWLN database of members and prepare a quarterly newsletter for members.
• Manage the IWLN websites, social media, and public relations activities.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate annual program surveys to help inform annual activities.
• Design and implement marketing and communications efforts to grow the network.
• Manage the IWLN budget, including developing an annual budget, tracking expenses, and reporting financials to co-chairs and WTI co-directors.
• Organize and participate in regular meetings with IWLN co-chairs and WTI co-directors.
• Participate in regular meetings of WTI’s Capacity Building Team.
• Work collaboratively with external organizations on initiatives to enhance the goals of the network, including speaking engagements, event planning, and/or publications.
• Work with WTI co-directors to identify and secure sponsorships and grants.
• Provide administrative support, including recording and archiving meeting notes.
• Prepare biannual progress reports for inclusion in WTI’s progress reports.
• Serve as program representative to address issues and questions related to IWLN.

The Tribal Leadership Programs Director reports to the NWF Senior Director of Tribal Partnerships and Policy and the Co-directors of WTI.

Skills and Qualifications:

Strong candidates for this position will have:

• 7+years of experience in managing a successful professional development program.
• Familiarity with Western water issues, including water resources, policy or conservation.
• Experience working with Tribal communities in the Colorado River Basin, including elected officials, legal and technical professionals, natural and cultural resource staff, and youth.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating and leading complex programs events
• Proven success in curriculum development for diverse audiences including both youth and elders
• Strong Facilitation skills
• Knowledge and familiarity with Tribal sovereignty, governance, and Federal Indian law and policy.
• Passion for enhancing tribal capacity and uplifting indigenous matriarchs and youth.
• Demonstrated track record of managing and growing professional development programs.
• Strong analytic, verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects and to collaborate with teams.

NWF Values:

Your actions are expected to reflect the staff values of the National Wildlife Federation: collaboration, mindfulness, empowerment, inclusivity, and mission focus.  Your competencies should include:

• Being motivated by values of equity and responsibility to those most marginalized;
• Consistently bringing a high level of empathy and social skills to work and interpersonal interactions;
• Being committed to deepening an environmental justice approach in policy priorities, program development and partner engagement;
• Actively seeks feedback, direction, and guidance from all team members and keeps staff informed of decisions that impact them;
• Being dedicated to advancing NWF’s internal equity transformation and compelling partners and allies to incorporate equity into their work; and
• Passion for and commitment to NWF's mission

Physical Requirements of the Job:

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example, using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about the workspace. The position requires mobility, including moving materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet).

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.  

Please Note:  

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however.  Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Travel Requirements: 

This position will have occasional travel for training, meetings, and conferences. Some travel will be required to facilitate annual planning sessions and be a representative at conferences/events throughout the Mountain West.

Location and Work Mode: 

The National Wildlife Federation is committed to a flexible and empowered work environment with an authentic community of care for all staff. This hybrid position can potentially be based in a National Wildlife Federation office and has options for being fully remote, based within the Colorado River Basin (Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, California, Utah, Arizona), to be decided jointly with their supervisor in the final stages of the interview process. Location must be in an NWF state of nexus, which does include states mentioned above. For more information on Work Modes, please review the benefits section of our careers page: https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers 

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $85,000 - $100,000, commensurate with experience.

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits, and by Forbes as one of America’s best small employers!  We value work-life balance and a family-friendly atmosphere with flexible scheduling.  We want you to be able to integrate work and personal life with attention to your self-care, so that your work schedule is not depleting.  We offer benefits so you feel restored and fueled through the day and week.

We offer these supports to help manage your mental, emotional, and physical health: 

• Paid time off: Vacation that starts off at three weeks accrual, unlimited wellbeing (this time can be used for physical, spiritual, emotional, cultural, religious or financial wellbeing for yourself, a partner, or family member – including pets), and 10 holidays.
• We close down for a paid winter break between December 25 to January 1 to recognize end of-year stress, and time for reflection, rejuvenation, and spending time with family.
• Up to 16 weeks of fully paid Family and Medical Leave
• Low-cost health, dental, and vision insurance options – all outpatient mental health is covered at in-network rates
• Therapist available at no cost
• Pet insurance and discount perk program
• Annual wellbeing allowance

In addition to your salary, we offer the following supports to your personal finances:

• Retirement plan with immediate match and vesting
• Annual year end retirement contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption and Surrogacy assistance
• Pet adoption stipend
• Student Loan management

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s benefits package at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

Application:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume.

We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of wildlife and people in a rapidly changing world. We recruit, employ, train compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at nwf.org/equity.

We recognize that people come with a wealth of knowledge and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. Your experience, which may include paid and unpaid work, including volunteer work, helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our openings. Whether you’re new to the field, returning to work after a gap in your employment, or are taking the next step in your career path, if you believe you could excel in this role we encourage you to apply! Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of excellence. To be eligible for this role you must be a U.S. citizen or have valid work authorization to work in the U.S

Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application or interview process by reaching us at hrhelp@nwf.org  or 703-438-6244.

If selected for this position, a background check will be conducted.