Director of Indigenous Partnerships

Program Leadership & Strategy (40%)

• Set and communicate the department vision in alignment with Blue Forest leadership
• Oversee department Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and drive accountability across IP workstreams
• Institutionalize IP program processes, knowledge, and frameworks to ensure continuity across departments and staff
• Keep Blue Forest informed on relevant Tribal policy developments, legislative updates, and news
• Develop internal trainings to deepen organizational capacity for meaningful Tribal engagement
• Identify new opportunities and develop a strategy alongside Blue Forest leadership to support Tribal stewardship goals through conservation finance

External Leadership & Relationship Management (30%)

• Serve as an external spokesperson and thought leader on Indigenous partnerships, with a focus on Tribal lending across Blue Forest’s portfolio
• Maintain and grow relationships with federal and state government Tribal affairs partners
• Build coalitions with Native and Native-serving nonprofits to advance shared goals
• Support board development and engagement related to Indigenous partnerships

Operations & Cross-Functional Collaboration (30%)

• Manage the Indigenous Partnerships team, including hiring, planning, and professional development
• Lead funder relationships and serve as the primary point of contact for Indigenous Partnerships funding opportunities, partnering with the fundraising team to develop and execute a sustainable funding strategy.
• Lead budget planning and resource allocation for the department
• Manage collaboration processes and handoffs across teams to ensure IP is integrated into project development, the science team’s research and development, investment decisions, and other workstreams
• Lead program impact reporting for the annual impact report and required grant reporting
• Partner with the communications team to maintain or improve external messaging about the Indigenous partnerships program on Blue Forest’s website, impact report, and other communications materials
• Support the project development team with Tribal engagement on specific FRB projects as needed

Desired Skills and Qualifications

• Tribal engagement – 5+ years working with Tribal Nations and Indigenous organizations, with demonstrated understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems, governance, and place-based stewardship traditions — ideally developed through sustained, trust-based relationships over time 
• People management – Experience managing and developing a team, providing clear direction and feedback to direct reports, and supporting professional growth
• Relationship builder & connector – Collaborative, trust-building approach with demonstrated experience facilitating or supporting relationships between Tribal and non-Tribal entities. Skilled at identifying new and creative partnership opportunities with both Tribal and non-Tribal organizations to drive meaningful impact
• Systems thinker – Ability to understand complex interdependencies and systematize processes to create structure, efficiency, and scale across programs and partnerships
• Strong communicator with cultural fluency – Able to synthesize complex information into compelling presentations, written materials, and facilitated conversations, with strong active listening skills for Tribal and non-Tribal audiences
• Technical knowledge – Familiarity with forestry, federal agencies, and co-stewardship frameworks, alongside a solid understanding of historical and present-day land governance
• Self-directed & organized – Highly organized, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused, with the ability to work independently in a remote setting and collaboratively across cross-functional teams
• 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 preferred