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JOB DESCRIPTION
Executive Director for Diné Empowerment
Spring/Summer 2024 

Location: Shiprock, NM 

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MISSION
The mission of Diné Empowerment—Voices for Equity in Education is to organize, empower, and sustain a community-led approach for equitable education that incorporates community values and Diné culture, heritage, language, and priorities to impact policy changes for more equitable student outcomes. 


VISION
We believe that prosperity and well-being of indigenous communities lies in the equitable
opportunity for all students to be successful with an education system rooted in indigenous knowledge.

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JOB SUMMARY
We are looking for an exceptional and committed person to lead Diné’ Empowerment. This is a full-time position and requires a unique and diverse set of skills, attributes, and experience. The Executive Director will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and operational oversight for the successful launch and ongoing development of Diné Empowerment and One Generation’s work with families and youth. They will play a critical role in shaping the vision, building partnerships, and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

Are you passionate about building more community power and voice for culturally and
linguistically responsive educational equity and holistic wellbeing? Do you love working in
collaboration to find creative community led solutions to complex issues in service to children and families? Come lead our team!


RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE
Organizational Strategy (20%)

  • Ensure we are doing the most important things to build a healthy and responsive infrastructure.

  • Manage organizational strategy and implementation through a clear strategic plan, and aligned work-plan, and budget and fund development strategy.

  • Elevate Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Educational equity as a core lens through which we measure success.
     

Organizational Management (20%)

  • Recruit and retain exemplary staff. Provide professional development opportunities, motivating career paths, and reward and celebrate success.

  • Provide support and guidance through weekly and ad hoc check-in meetings, and yearly reviews. Provide clear direction and support for onboarding staff to One Generation and Diné Empowerment.

  • Ensure legal and financial compliance and strong, transparent fiscal position.

  • Maintain regular communication with One Generation Executive Director for input and guidance and strategic direction.

  • Ensure fiscal sustainability through grant and fund development.

  • Lead by example, and support a fun, challenging, rewarding, and warm team culture.
     

Program Leadership (30%)

  • Work with our One Gen - Executive Director to ensure strong results from our grant and program portfolio. Raise approximately $500,000 - $750,000 annually

  • Participate in a leadership role in high priority programs where the ED can offer specific expertise.

  • Provide targeted assistance to grantees as needed, particularly at launch or transition.
     

​External Relations (20%)

  • Provide visible, respected leadership in the community.

  • Identify and fill gaps in our education infrastructure and communications.

  • Meet with allies, community leaders, elected officials, grantees and other funders and
    partners to ensure educational success

  • Represent our organization at the national, tribal and regional convenings, community
    meetings, including mentoring and assistance to other emerging state and regional donor
    networks.

  • Promote and replicate successful models and follow innovations from other states in
    order to incorporate best practices into our strategy.

     

QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE

  • Minimum 5-7 years of relevant work experience in education, government and organizing

  • 5+ years in senior management roles including staff supervision, finance, and/or
    operations in a nonprofit organization or related setting (i.e. government, education)

  • High-level understanding of social and positive community change and movements
    backed by direct experience with community led processes specific to Indigenous
    communities

  • Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the organization

  • Experience with and passion for individual donor fundraising and foundation philanthropic
    support

  • Excellent communicator and writer, with experience as a spokesperson who can tailor
    messages to different audiences and bilingual preferred (Dine’)

  • Experience and cultural proficiency working with diverse Indigenous communities

  • Proven ability to work in a dynamic environment and build strong partnerships. Takes
    initiative and can make tough decisions and implement programs and executive actions
    proactively on the organizational strategy and goals toward outcomes

  • Success supervising and mentoring staff and teams, including professional and leadership
    development and identifying and recruiting staff and volunteers

  • Strategic systems thinker. Creative problem solver and responsive in a fast paced
    organization

  • Collaborative leadership style. Engaging and confident interpersonal style

  • Experience with designing and implementing fellowship models preferred.
     

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time position (40 hours/week), with flexible hours and fun, creative work
environment. This full-time position can be based anywhere in the United States. The role
requires travel to conferences, convenings, and Indigenous communities around the country.

 

SALARY:
Competitive salary, dependent on experience. Range of $70,000 – $90,000/year at
40hrs/wk. As the initiative grows this salary band may increase as appropriate to the growth of
the organization’s needs and development.


BENEFITS:
Competitive benefits include paid leave, medical insurance, dental insurance, annual
transit pass and retirement plan option.


To apply for this position: Please submit your resume and cover letter to

Lashawna Tso - ltso@tidescenter.org

cc Kara Bobroff - kbobroff@tidescenter.org

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_________________________________________________________________________
One Generation is part of the Tides Center. Tides is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political
affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions. Also pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we encourage and will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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This is a project of One Generation. One Generation is fiscally sponsored by Tides Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing social justice. Your gift may be tax deductible pursuant to §170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Please visit www.tides.org/state-nonprofit-disclosures/ for additional information.

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©2024 by Diné Empowerment Voice for Educational Equity

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