See full details at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3232350/tribal-liaison-exempt

What you will be doing
Your work will be driven by community outreach and engagement with tribal governments, federal agencies, state agencies and external partners with a goal to better honor Tribal Treaty rights and sovereignty in our Puget Sound recovery work. Your primary objective will be to elevate tribal voices in the work of the Partnership and advocate for sustainable, as well as equitable, outcomes related to environmental justice for tribes and indigenous peoples.

Internally, you will lead as an advisor to agency staff on tribal history, tribal engagement best practices, cultural competency training needs and understanding of Indigenous and tribal experiences.

Who we are looking for
You share our vision that a more sustainable and healthier Puget Sound comes from a diversity of voices working together for change, and including the perspectives of those most impacted by environmental and systemic injustices. You’ve worked with tribal governments before and understand their experiences of unique histories, resilience, oppression and the importance of salmon recovery in Puget Sound. You are familiar with tribal treaties, federal and state policies and natural resource issues as they related to tribal rights. You’re a relationship builder. People trust you because you’ve demonstrated vulnerability and you’re a great listener and facilitator for a broad variety of audiences and situations. You demonstrate sensitivity in relationships, conflicts and potentially emotionally charged situations.  You appreciate that other people’s individual journeys may vary in this work and you value accountability.

If you are passionate about ally-ship, disrupting disparities, managing projects, and collaboration with Tribes and native communities, you’ll thrive in this position. The abilities to value others and their diverse experiences and contributions, promote brave spaces for learning, and strive for equity are essential.

Duties

Some of the duties include:

• Build and maintain effective intergovernmental relationships with tribal governments and consortia
• Assist the Executive Director with agency responses to issues of treaty rights with Puget Sound tribes and related federal agencies
• Ensure executive government-to-government communication and compliance with the Centennial Accord and related intergovernmental agreements
• Support tribal engagement in agency programs and products
• Ensure that agency programs and products center tribal priorities
• Interpret and implement the Governor’s policies and goals related to tribes articulated through the Centennial Accord, the Millennium Agreement, related Executive Orders and other actions and commitments
• Work in collaboration with tribal governments on issues and program directions and communicate with tribes early and often
• Support agency participation in the Partnership Tribal Co-management Conference (PTCC)
• Liaise with the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs and coordinate with other agency Tribal Liaisons to center tribal priorities
• Serve as the agency’s lead for tribal consultation to ensure alignment with Section 18 and 23 of the HEAL Act
• Expand outreach, engagement and collaboration with tribes and Indigenous peoples to advance environmental justice in Puget Sound
• In collaboration with the Equity and Environmental Justice Manager, develop and implement diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and environmental justice (EJ) initiatives
• Serve as an advisor to leadership and teams on tribal history, government-to-government relationships and tribal engagement best practices
• Be an active participant of the agency’s internal DEI working group 
• Support the Executive Director in engaging with federal partners for issues relating to tribal treaty rights and sovereignty
• Serve as a technical advisor and liaison to Partnership staff and regional and local partners to support meaningful incorporation of tribal priorities into agency products such as the Action Agenda
• In partnership with the Equity and Environmental Justice Manager, assess tribal and cultural competencies training needs for agency staff and executive leadership
• Manage contracts for training and coaching, work with contract team and HR staff to establish goals for training and coaching

Qualifications

Success in this position requires that a person be a team player, defined as possessing initiative and a driving passion for the work, having humility and practicing curiosity in interactions with others, and valuing the whole human in each of us.  

Required Experience, Competencies and Technical Skills:
Six (6) years of working experience with tribal policy and environmental and/or natural resource management

*Associate’s degree may substitute for two (2) years experience and Bachelor’s degree may substitute for four (4) years experience. Preferred degrees include political science, public administration, American Indian or Indigenous studies, or related fields

• Two (2) years of experience working with tribal governments
• Ability to gain trust, build relationships, and partner collaboratively and continuously with tribes, staff and other partners
• Familiar with tribal treaties, federal and state policy and history of tribal relations, tribal government structures and natural resource issues as they relate to tribal rights
• Deep understanding of the importance of marine environments and habitat recovery for ensuring tribal treaty rights 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (including active listening) to be applied to a broad variety of audiences and situations
• One (1) year of experience working in high conflict situations and demonstrating sensitivity in navigating and maintaining relationships

*Frequent travel to partner meetings throughout Puget Sound may be required.
 
PREFERRED:

• One (1) year of experience in managing contracts, monitoring and tracking progress
• Two (2) years professional experience related to natural resources policy, planning and management
• Familiarity with environmental justice, Title VI, and community involvement 
• Experience and interest in brokering meaningful compromises between polarized constituencies on controversial issues 
• Familiarity with the state legislative process
• Familiarity with federal, state and regional funding programs and annual/biennial funding cycles
• A general understanding of roles and the interrelationships between local, county, regional, tribal, state and federal entities
• Familiarity with/knowledge of ecosystem-based management

CONDITIONS OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
 
With or without an accommodation, I am willing and able to:

• Work indoors, at a desk/workstation the majority of a workday, in an open office environment with possible conversation and other noise distractions at least once a week
• Work indoors, at a desk/workstation the majority of a workday in a home-based environment up to four days a week
• Work in a tobacco-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free environment
• Work a 40-hour work week (A flexible work schedule may be considered upon request and supervisory approval, after an initial review period)
• Occasionally work in excess of 40 hours per week and/or to adjust normally scheduled hours, which may include evenings and weekends, to meet program needs and critical deadlines
• Occasionally travel throughout the state, which may include overnight stays, as required, while performing the duties of this position
• Work in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities and competing deadlines
• Maintain confidentiality regarding information accessed or discussed while performing the duties of the position
• Interact and work with partners and staff in a positive, friendly, and supportive manner that meets the needs and standards of the office and the agency

As an exempt employee, incumbent is expected to be available to work as needed beyond normal (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) work hours, including evenings and weekends. Regular travel, including overnight stays may be required.
 
What does “EMS” mean? Exempt Management Service (EMS) is the term used to identify positions exempt from state civil service law. These positions do not have the same rights as classified positions. A position can be designated exempt either by statute or by the Director of State HR at the request of the Governor or other elected official. For more information, please visit the following website: What does exempt from state civil service law mean?  

Supplemental Information

Application Process – Please read the instructions completely.
  
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in our state, interviews will be conducted using a ZOOM or Teams videoconferencing platform. A telephone option is available as an alternative if videoconferencing is not possible.
 
Intrigued?  We’d love to hear from you. Click on “Apply” to submit your detailed application. Please attach the following documents in order to be considered, failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest that describes why you are the successful candidate, how you meet the specific qualifications for this position and how you believe you’d contribute to the work of equity and environmental justice
• Current resume, detailing experience, and education.

 
** You will want to ensure you have a current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information attached or available to provide at the time of interview.
Please do NOT include your salary history. Our hiring practices are anchored in pay equity and fairness. Salary offers are based on the quality of your skill sets and not someone with the right salary history.
 
And that’s it!
  
The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the application material submitted, and the supplemental questionnaire. By submitting materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.
 
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

• Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc. 
• Do not attach documents that are password protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded

Conditions of Employment:
COVID Vaccination Requirement: Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14(Download PDF reader), state employees must be fully vaccinated no later than October 18, 2021, as a condition of employment. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. If you are a selected candidate, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination. You may request an accommodation if you are unable to meet the requirement due to a medical or religious necessity.

The Puget Sound Partnership celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.
 
You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.
 
Should you have any questions regarding this position, the online application, or need this job announcement in an alternative format, contact Angie Anderson at (360) 407-8446 or jobs@des.wa.gov.