Tribal Outreach Specialist, Office of the President

Application instructions are located at the bottom of the page.  Please apply directly through the University of Montana’s career portal UM Jobs at https://umjobs.silkroad.com/ .  Do not apply through Indeed.com or use easy apply through Indeed.com*.

The University of Montana invites applications for the Tribal Outreach Specialist. The University of Montana Tribal Outreach Specialist will nurture respectful and productive relationships between tribal colleges, tribal universities, and tribal high schools and the University of Montana. In as much as possible, the person in this role will also work with off-reservation high schools that serve high populations of Native American students. This person will facilitate opportunities and act as a bridge in support of Native students and the faculty and staff at both Tribal Educational Institutions (TEIs) and UM. The Tribal Outreach Specialist will provide culturally appropriate outreach both on the UM campus and in Montana communities, and will work to develop, identify, and promote new opportunities for interdepartmental and interinstitutional collaboration. Recognizing the independent and unique status of each educational institution, the Tribal Outreach Specialist will build opportunities and partnerships based on respect and cultural understanding.

The Tribal Outreach Specialist will also serve as an advisor and partner to UM departments and offices in ensuring UM is welcoming to Native students. The person in this role will actively identify and help implement practices that support Native students’ persistence at UM.

The University of Montana acknowledges that we are in the aboriginal territories of the Salish and Kalispel people, a number of whom are our colleagues, students, and friends. Today, we honor the path they have always shown us in caring for this place for the generations to come.

UM is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five priorities for action : Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always”; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.  UM is an Employer of National Service.  AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply for our positions.

Position Details

• Position is full-time, 1.0 FTE, Contract Professional, and includes a comprehensive and competitive benefits package including Insurance package, mandatory retirement plan, partial tuition waiver, and wellness program.
• Ability to travel regularly within the state of Montana and occasionally outside of Montana
• Position will report to the President’s Office and will have a close relationship with the Office of the Provost; Native American Studies Department; Admissions; and American Indian Student Services.

Primary Responsibilities

• Act as the primary representative of the University of Montana at TEIs. Be a “go-to” visible person for both on- and off-campus stakeholders.
• Act as a recruitment and transfer liaison for TEI students, in collaboration with other Native American student services and support on campus.
  • Partner with Admissions to visit with high school guidance counselors and students.
  • Partner with We Are Montana in the Classroom to promote opportunities at UM.
  • Partner with American Indian Student Services in ensuring a seamless transition to UM and in providing for continual, responsive student support.
  • Partner with the Indigenous First-Year Experience Coordinator to support first-year Native Griz.
  • Connect tribal college and university transfer students with UM resources and support systems to facilitate the transition to campus.
  • Connect tribal college and university transfer students to potential scholarship and waiver opportunities.
  • Maintain contact with students who stop out.
• Support Native student retention efforts through projects focused on improving UM’s response to and support for Native students; work with offices across campus – specifically with Academic Affairs and Student Affairs (e.g., Native American Studies, American Indian Student Services) on collaboratively identified projects for improving Native students’ experiences as UM.
• Act as a bridge connecting TEI faculty to UM faculty and academic programs:
  • Work with the Research Office to identify potential joint research opportunities;
  • Work with TEI personnel to connect TEI faculty and staff to UM graduate programs.
  • Promote mutually beneficial agreements and partnerships between TEIs and UM, such as new 2 + 2 programs.
• Work with UMOnline to develop, support, and maintain the growth of useful and efficient course offering, degree options, and supplemental curricula that allow TEI students to remain in their communities.
• Maintain a calendar of events taking place at TEIs in Montana.
• Travel regularly to TEIs.

• Promote frequent and respectful communication that strengthens institution-to-institution relationships between TEIs and UM.
• Help to lead the President’s Native American Advisory Council, working with the Chair to plan meeting agendas and maintain membership.

• Provide recommendations for how campus can better serve students who come to UM from TEIs.
• Facilitate conversations to ensure more seamless transcript evaluations.

• Strengthen communication between TEI and UM faculty and staff.
• Provide connections and promote understanding between TEI and UM leadership.
• Advise UM administration, staff and faculty on opportunities for collaboration with TEIs.
• Partner with the Native American Student Advisory Council to address areas of student support.

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from a regionally accredited college or university
• At least three (3) years of experience working with Native American populations or any combination of education and experience to provide the competencies necessary to successfully complete the essential duties of the position
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with teams
• Knowledge of American Indian history and cultures, particularly in the Pacific Northwest
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills working for Native American populations
• Strong analytical, writing, and oral communication skills
• Knowledge of TEIs’ missions, demographics, and programs
• Working knowledge of and demonstrated experience with Native American tribal protocol, customs, traditions, and culture
• Ability to gather information, analyze data, and utilize relevant information to compile useful reports and make decisions
• Ability to cultivate and maintain strong working relationships with a wide-ranging group of individuals and entities
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and schedule work projects
• Ability to speak in public and give presentations
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and the success of University students
• Prior experience working with institutions of higher education

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field
• Three (3) years of experience working directly with Native American populations specifically with TEIs
• Knowledge of American Indian history and cultures in the Pacific Northwest
• Understanding of the twelve tribal nations in Montana
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of institutional policies and procedures and the regulatory environment under which the University operates

About UM

The University of Montana is a unit of the Montana University System with more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and 500+ full-time faculty members. The UM family partners with the community and region, and nurtures an array of partnerships with tribal communities. The campus hosts the beautiful Payne Family Native American Center , and offers many programs that support and partner with Native members of our community across the state. The university also offers a host of programs that support Native students, including the UM American Indian Student Services office and the Kyiyo student group. The Kyiyo student group hosts the Annual Kyiyo Pow Wow Celebration , which unifies Native Americans from across the nation in an event full of dancing, singing, and sharing of stories.

The campus is located in Missoula, a culturally vibrant community of about 70,000, surrounded by mountain grandeur which was recently ranked in the “top 20 best college towns with a population of less than 250,000 ” by the American Institute for Economic Research and ranked 9th  in Outside Magazine’s “The 16 Greatest Places to Live in America ” in 2014. Many national publications recognize Missoula for its high quality of life . Abundant recreational opportunities in surrounding state and national forests and nearby Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park complement a thriving intellectual atmosphere. The University is committed to building a culture of environmental sustainability across campus through our operations, teaching, and research.

To learn more about the University of Montana, Missoula, and the State of Montana, please visit the links below.

Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to Offer of Employment.
In accordance with University policy, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations.
ADA/EOE/AA/Veteran’s Preference.
Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, we encourage applications from minorities, veterans, and women. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law.
References *References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant.
Testing Individual hiring departments at UM may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions.

Employment Eligibility.  All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UM, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9).

How to Apply

Priority Application Date: Thursday, October 6, 2022 by 11:59 pm MST

Complete applications received by this date will be guaranteed consideration. To receive full consideration, candidates are required to submit all of the following materials.

Please submit the following application materials** via the UM Jobs portal  and by clicking “New Resume/CV” button.  Please do not apply through Indeed.com*.

• Letter of Interest – addressing the stated required skills for the position
• Detailed resume listing education and describing work experience
• Three (3) professional references – Names and contact information

*Applying through Indeed.com or easy apply through Indeed.com may result in submission of an incomplete application.  Applications may be removed from full consideration if they are not complete with materials listed above under the “How to Apply” section.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure complete application materials are submitted and received by the date listed above. 

**Please note: only five (5) attachments are allowed per application. Please combine documents accordingly.

Missoula, Montana, United States