Western Indigenous Engagement Fellow

National Parks Conservation Association•Browning, MT

5d•Remote

About The Position

Two 12-month fellowship positions are available to join our Northern Rockies Regional Office and to work in one of the following NPCA program areas: Chief Mountain Initiative, Transboundary River Protection, Yellowstone climate and/or cultural management, or Northern Rockies Cultural Parks. The work will focus on deepening Indigenous involvement, inclusion, and input in natural and cultural resources management decisions in and around national parks in the Northern Rockies Region. The fellow will coordinate with key staff at NPCA to advance and integrate priority goals for the Western Indigenous Engagement Fellowship Program (WIEFP). The first month of the fellowship will focus on onboarding and developing relationships with NPCA staff and partners. The fellow will spend the rest of the year coordinating with the cooperating partners to implement program objectives. The fellow will have dedicated time to explore their own professional development and build professional connections. A portion of the fellow’s time will be spent learning and building connections at trainings, conferences, and field experiences arranged with NPCA and partners. NPCA also has Indigenous Engagement spaces within our organization, and the fellow is invited to participate and contribute to those.

Requirements

Associate or bachelor’s degree in Tribal Historic Preservation, Tribal Governance, or related studies, and/or equivalent experience
Interest in cultural and natural resource protection, the National Park Service, and the Northern Rockies Region
Commitment to convening and working well with people of diverse backgrounds, communities, ally organizations, government agency staff or elected officials is necessary.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in presentations and writing
Desire to apply experience to work within the Tribe, NGOs, or state/federal agencies
Desire to work collaboratively as part of a closely-knit team of professional colleagues
Desire to invest in the growth of NPCA’s learning, understanding, and relationships with THPO’s and Indigenous-led conservation efforts
Commitment to NPCA’s mission, core values and NPCA’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Statement of Intentions.
Strong self-starter with the ability to work independently
Basic computer skills – proficiency with MS Word and Outlook preferred
Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings
Ability to drive or secure transportation as needed for work related travel

Responsibilities

Collaborate on one of the above program areas with leaders from the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), in association with Salish Kootenai College (SKC), Blackfeet Community College (BCC), Tribal partners, and the National Park Service (NPS).
Support in-person and remote connections to Tribal and conservation partners in the Northern Rockies region.
Participate in and help facilitate gatherings and meetings with partner organizations focused on Indigenous engagement and representation specific to national park cultural and natural resource management.
Support the Western Indigenous Engagement Fellowship Program (WIEFP) by helping NPCA evaluate, improve, and promote the program for next cohort of fellows.
Assist Program Manager and Senior Fellow with donor and foundation support as needed.
Be a contributing member to NPCA’s Northern Rockies team and bring learning and conversation back to NPCA to support our organizational learning and growth.