Program Officer (Full Time)

Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) is a national, community-based organization headquartered near St. Paul, Minnesota, whose mission is to ensure that all reservation and important off-reservation lands are owned and managed by American Indian nations and people. ILTF’s programs focus on: educating Indian people and the general public about Indian land tenure issues; increasing awareness of the tie between Indian cultures and land; using land to leverage economic opportunity; and, reforming the legal and administrative systems that prevent Indian people from owning and controlling reservation lands. As a community foundation, ILTF relies on grants and individual contributions to support grant making and program initiatives.

POSITION SUMMARY
Reporting to the President of the Foundation, the Program Officer will identify, cultivate, solicit and steward program initiatives in one or more of the foundation’s strategic funding areas: education, economic development, cultural awareness and legal reform. The Program Officer will be fully engaged in both programs and fundraising, including but not limited to: the creation and implementation of Foundation programs, grants management, provision of direct services to a variety of clients, development of communication and educational materials, leading the fundraising for each assigned program, reporting to funders of the programs, and measuring the effectiveness of the assigned programs.

This position is located in St. Paul, MN (Little Canada). The successful candidate will be required to work in person, Monday through Friday at the ILTF office.

DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES

• Under direction of the President, assume responsibility for aspects of strategic program design and implementation.
• Define and implement a strategic course of action for achieving program goals that may include grant making, direct service provision, or any other activity that will accomplish stated goals.
• Define and implement with assistance of the President and Development staff, a fundraising campaign sufficient to fully fund each assigned program including proposal development, identification of potential funders, and funder reports.
• Define and implement with the assistance of Communications staff a strategic communications plan for each assigned program including identification of target audiences, writing narratives, identifying appropriate means of dissemination and development of collateral materials.
• Assist in finding resources and technical assistance for Indian landowners and tribes to further their efforts in the management and control of Indian lands in order to further the foundation’s mission.
• Research Native American land issues and prepare reports for inclusion on the website and other publications to keep constituents informed on Indian land issues.
• Continually evolve program/development activities of the organization to reach new audiences, donors and fundraising channels to fund and administer program activities for Indian nations and Indian landowners.
• Report on a regular basis to the President and Board on activities and progress.
• Carry out other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree minimum, advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in Indian land tenure issues.
• Experience with or knowledge of Indian reservations subject to allotment.
• Demonstrated track record of program and/or fundraising achievement.
• Very strong communications abilities—written and oral, including public speaking and writing for diverse audiences.
• Ability to work effectively within the Indian community and interact with Indian landowners and tribal officials.
• Strong computer skills.
• Willingness to travel.

Please submit your resume with a letter of interest and salary requirements to Nicole Olson, nolson@iltf.org.

Please submit your resume with a letter of interest and salary requirements to Nicole Olson, nolson@iltf.org.