Tribal Environment Resiliency Leader

Job Description

Job Description

The Tribal Environment Resiliency Leader is a grant funded position subject to the provisions and guidelines outlined in the Grant. The Grant is currently for a term of three (3) years.

SUMMARY:

The Tribal Environmental Resilience Leader (TERL) will serve under the Natural Resources Department (NRD) while charting a path to defining its own distinct Sub-Department of Energy and Climate (SDEC) within the timeline of the grant providing initial support for this position (3 years). The position provides advanced professional-level program administration, technical assistance and contract management activities for the Capacity, Engagement, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge: An Indigenous Approach to Comprehensive Resiliency (CETEK), and the related Restoration, Engagement, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge: An Indigenous Approach to Comprehensive Resiliency (RETEK) program/grants to direct tribal climate resilience planning. This position serves as GTB's highest technical expert for the CETEK Tribal Climate Resilience program providing technical expertise on tribal climate resilience planning and will report to the Tribal Managers Office and Tribal Council, as well as supporting the strategic integration of programs and projects pursued by the Natural Resources Department (NRD), the Culture and Language Department (CLD), and the yet-to-be-established Sub-Department of Energy and Climate (SDEC) in various aspects of climate change resiliency planning. The Tribal Environmental Resilience Leader is recognized as a regional expert on the development and implementation of Tribal Climate Resilience strategies and actions for GTB and regularly provides expert consultative technical assistance to tribal leadership, agency management, government officials, and external stakeholders. The position is responsible for establishing procedures to integrate Tribal and National climate change resiliency networks and for overseeing and ensuring future land use exploration projects meet or exceed climate resilience standards and practices while setting a regional example in the work against local, regional and global climate change impacts. This position functions as a regional expert-level technical specialist and tribal authority on climate resilience legislation and regulations, eligible activities, and tribal policies and procedures that will inform current and future financial support strategies designed to sustain the CETEK Tribal Climate Resilience program and compatible activities into the future.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identifies program needs and challenges and presents recommendations and assistance to influence policy compliance issues and provides technical assistance in developing responsive solutions to specific local, regional or national climate change impacts.
• Stays abreast of Department of Interior (DOI), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and other federal and state policies, and interprets/articulates their meaning, priorities, and intent for Tribal leadership.
• Represents GTB and presents advanced technical information on the Tribal Climate Resilience program to federal and state agencies, tribal government stakeholders, and at state and national meetings.
• Communicates directly with Tribal Council, Natural Resources and Environment Committee (NREC), NRD, CLD, SDEC, and other Departments as appropriate to provide regular updates and assist with meeting Program requirements.
• Secure and maintain good public relations and communicate with both Tribal and non-tribal individuals and communities to assist in the interpretation and distribution of environmental, ecological and social information.
• Interfaces with Tribal, Federal and State agencies to identify resources and services to promote Tribal Climate Resilience.
• Liaises with cognizant departments/agencies (e.g., youth programs, water bureaus, Climate Adaptation Science Centers), and State planning efforts to facilitate a team approach in bolstering Tribal Climate Resilience.
• Leads programmatic research, analysis and interpretation of applicable federal and state directives, laws, regulations, and requirements for state and federal policy initiatives and their implications to tribal policies and practices.
• Serves as GTB's Technical Representative for Grants, Contracts and Compacts with federal and State agencies responsible for awarding Tribal Climate Resilience related funding.
• Tracks project status and ensures collection of data, narrative and financial reporting to funding agencies is timely and complete.
• Conducts or assists in the performance of Tribal Climate Resilience program reviews and assesses program performance against Tribal Climate Resilience program vision, goals and objectives.
• Evaluate compliance with policies, objectives and standards influencing the overall effectiveness of projects aimed at enhancing tribal climate resilience.
• Respond to requests for information on the Tribal Climate Resilience Program from other tribes, local governments, stakeholders, state and federal legislators, public associations, and private citizens; with particular emphasis on the value of Tribal Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and its applicability and correlation to conventional scientific principles, practices and techniques.
• Monitor the economic and legislative environment for factors affecting the Tribal Climate Resilience Program and GTB as a whole. Including Climate Commitment Account revenue balances, and changing science and regulation governing resilience planning.
• Provide technical assistance and guidance as necessary to awardees throughout the contract duration.
• Negotiate contract terms, budget and scope of work for each project contract.
• Monitor contract deliverables and perform risk assessments as necessary of contractors and/or projects.
• Prepare and administer other grants and contracts awarded, concurrently and subsequent to completion of the Tribal Climate Resilience Program, from outside funding agencies for work related to the Program or similar projects as defined collaboratively with Tribal Council, Tribal Managers Office and other departments as directed.
• Develop or maintain cooperative relationships with government, industry, and community organizations by participating in strategic planning efforts that have the potential to impact tribal climate resilience.
• Other duties as assigned.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Advanced supervisory skills.
• Proficiency in computers and multiple packages of software, ideally including ArcGIS (or similar).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Advanced technical writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills as demonstrated in the Seven Grand Father Teachings
• Exceptional detail and follow-up skills.
• Advanced proficiency in leadership and management skills and techniques.
• Ability to effectively establish priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to quickly evaluate alternatives and decide on a plan of action.
• Must have a valid unrestricted driver license and be insurable by the GTB insurance carrier.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree (Master's preferred) in urban and regional planning, public administration, environmental sustainability and policy (MESM, MEM) or related field (professional level experience may substitute year for year for the degree).
• Minimum five years of related experience with demonstrated project / Program management and administration and/or policy development, evaluation and implementation.
• Preference will be given to candidates demonstrating a high level of understanding of Tribal Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and its applicability and correlation to conventional scientific principles, practices and techniques.
• Successful completion of Program Director Training when available.
• General knowledge of business, budgeting, accounting, purchasing and planning.
• Advanced knowledge of applicable law, regulations, rules, procedures, and administration is required.
• Must have a valid unrestricted driver license and be insurable by the GTB insurance carrier.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The Tribal Environmental Resilience Leader is responsible for supervising the day-to-day activities and functions of technical staff hired through any grants related to the Tribal Climate Resilience program and/or within the Sub-Department of Energy and Climate.
• Organizational Savvy--Operates within the organization's formal and informal structures, builds allies and relationships across departments, uses allies to build consensus and create results, is appropriately diplomatic, understands others' roles and perspectives, can sell projects and ideas across the organization.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.

EQUIPMENT TO BE USED

General office equipment including computers and multiple software packages including databases, GIS, and various applications for digital data collection devices, faxes, copiers, phone systems, video imaging, and power point projectors.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION

• Regularly requires working with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm.
• Regularly requires repetitive movement of the wrists, hands and/or fingers.
• Regularly requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks.
• Occasionally requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time.
• Regularly requires ascending or descending stairs or ramps using feet and legs and/or hands and arms.
• Occasionally requires raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally.
• Regularly requires stooping which entails the use of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus
• Regularly involves sedentary work: exerting up to 10 pounds of force and/or a negligible amount of force to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
• Regularly involves light work: exerting up to 20 pounds of force and/or up to 10 pounds of force and/or negligible amount of force to move objects.
• The employee uses judgment in identifying and selecting the most appropriate procedures to use, or in determining which of several established alternatives to use. Some deadlines are involved, so there is time pressure on occasion.
• Regularly requires the ability to receive detailed information through verbal communication.
• Regularly requires verbally expressing or exchanging ideas of important instructions accurately, loudly, or quickly.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

• Regularly subject to inside environmental conditions, which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes.
• Occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions and to wet, hot, and/or cold conditions.
• Occasionally exposed to tobacco smoke, fumes or airborne particles.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Travel within the region is regularly required.
• Travel outside the state is infrequently required.
• Periods requiring travel are generally for less than one week.

COMMENTS

Must be willing and able to pass a background investigation and a drug and alcohol urinalysis as a condition of employment. Adherence to strict company policy regarding confidentiality is required. Must be willing to learn, plan and implement Tribal and other pertinent, such as USDA-Program, conservation practices and be able to follow procedures with appropriate training and guidance.

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians provides preference in employment decisions to Native Americans, in accordance with 703(i) of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title 25, U.S.C. 472 & 473; and other federal law (including Morton v. Mancari, 417 U.S. 535 (1974)). Government operations will extend this preference consideration to qualified Native American applicants when making decisions on hiring, transfer, and layoff for budgetary reasons. In addition to the Native American preference outlined above, government operations provide preference in employment decisions to tribal members of the Grand Traverse Band. This preference is in recognition that the GTB's primary responsibility is to its membership. This preference is in accordance with the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, 25 U.S.C. 450E ©.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Management retains the right to add or to change the duties of the position at any time. Any qualifications to be considered as equivalents in lieu of stated minimums require prior approval of the Director of Human Resources.