Director of Indigenous Partnerships

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California, +1 more state.

📋 Description

• Establish and convey the department's vision in alignment with Blue Forest leadership.

• Supervise department Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) while ensuring accountability across IP workstreams.

• Institutionalize processes, knowledge, and frameworks for the IP program to maintain continuity across departments and staff.

• Keep Blue Forest updated on significant Tribal policy changes, legislative news, and developments.

• Create internal training programs to enhance the organization's capacity for effective Tribal engagement.

• Identify new opportunities and devise strategies in collaboration with Blue Forest leadership to support Tribal stewardship goals through conservation finance.

• Act as an external spokesperson and thought leader on Indigenous partnerships, particularly focusing on Tribal lending within Blue Forest’s portfolio.

• Cultivate and enhance relationships with federal and state government Tribal affairs partners.

• Form coalitions with Native and Native-serving nonprofits to promote shared objectives.

• Assist in board development and engagement concerning Indigenous partnerships.

• Oversee the Indigenous Partnerships team, including hiring, planning, and professional development efforts.

• Manage relationships with funders and serve as the primary contact for Indigenous Partnerships funding opportunities, collaborating with the fundraising team to create and implement a sustainable funding strategy.

• Direct budget planning and resource distribution for the department.

• Facilitate collaboration processes and transitions across teams to ensure IP integration into project development, research and development by the science team, investment choices, and other workstreams.

• Lead program impact reporting for the annual impact report and necessary grant documentation.

• Collaborate with the communications team to maintain or enhance external messaging regarding the Indigenous partnerships program on Blue Forest’s website, impact report, and additional communication materials.

• Assist the project development team with Tribal engagement for specific FRB projects as required.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 5 years of experience working with Tribal Nations and Indigenous organizations, with a proven understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems, governance, and place-based stewardship traditions, ideally established through lasting, trust-based relationships.

• Proven experience in managing and developing a team, offering clear guidance and feedback to direct reports, while fostering professional growth.

• Collaborative and trust-building approach, with a track record of facilitating relationships between Tribal and non-Tribal entities. Proficient in identifying innovative partnership opportunities with both Tribal and non-Tribal organizations to drive significant impact.

• Capability to comprehend complex interdependencies and systematize processes to create structure, efficiency, and scale across programs and partnerships.

• Proficient in synthesizing complex information into engaging presentations, written documents, and facilitated discussions, with strong active listening skills for both Tribal and non-Tribal audiences.

• Familiar with forestry, federal agencies, and co-stewardship frameworks, along with a solid grasp of historical and contemporary land governance.

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and solution-focused, with the ability to work independently in a remote environment and collaboratively within cross-functional teams.

• Preference for familiarity with U.S. Forest Service-Tribal Nation policy frameworks.

• Preferred background in environmental science, natural resources, forestry, or Tribal governance.

• Preferred background in finance, community development financial institutions, conservation finance, or Tribal economic development.

🏝️ Benefits

• 100% employer-sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance; subsidized coverage for dependents.

• Access to a 401(k) retirement plan featuring a 5% employer match.

• 4 weeks of paid vacation and 17 paid holidays; includes paid sick leave and paid volunteer time.

• 3 months of paid family leave.

• Employer-covered life and long-term disability insurance.

• Access to Dependent Care FSA and Health FSA.

• Public Lands Exploration stipend (reimbursements for visits to National Forests, county parks, etc.).

• Monthly Home Office stipend or provision of co-working space.

• Subsidized dependent care costs for business travel.

• Additional stipends for health & wellness, home internet, and mobile service.

• Financial support for professional development.