General Summary:
The Director of the TREES Center leads the College’s national efforts to create and sustain pathways for Indigenous and underserved students into forestry, wildland fire, and allied natural resource careers. The Director will design, administer, and evaluate national student internship programs and cohort-building educational programs; cultivate and maintain national partnerships (tribal organizations, Intertribal Timber Council, tribal, federal, and state natural resource agencies, research networks, and industry partners) as to expand Salish Kootenai College’s (SKC) capacity to serve students in natural resources; build and sustain national recruitment and outreach for TREES programming; secure and manage federal, foundation, philanthropic, and partner funding; supervise center staff; and represent the College in national discussions that expand student employment pathways and institutional capacity.
The Director will also oversee strategic national workforce development activities, involving analysis to identify obstacles, increase student enrollment nationally, and to create professional development & leadership growth opportunities. The Director must understand forestry, wildland fire, and natural resource workforce & skillset needs as to provide the leadership and analytical thinking necessary for TREES to perform its mission successfully. The Director may be assigned limited, as needed teaching.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Program Leadership and Administration
· Design, implement, and administer national internship and cohort programs: develop operating procedures, recruitment and placement systems, intern training curricula, supervision structures, and program assessment metrics.
· Oversee TREES day to day operations: strategic planning, annual and project budgeting, fiscal oversight, grant and contract management, compliance, and reporting.
· Supervise TREES staff, student interns, and contractors; create work plans, provide mentorship, and conduct evaluations.
· Monitor program outcomes and use data-driven evaluation to improve retention, placement, and long-term career outcomes for students.
· Ensure program activities align with SKC mission, tribal values, and best practices for culturally responsive student supports.
Recruitment, Outreach, and National Awareness
· Lead proactive national recruitment and outreach strategies to raise awareness of TREES programs among tribal communities, tribal education offices, community colleges, universities, agencies, industry, and employers.
· Analyze national natural resource workforce needs.
· Address workforce needs by developing big picture, strategic approaches to identify obstacles, increase student enrollment nationally, and to provide professional & leadership development.
· Develop and manage marketing and communications materials, digital campaigns, informational webinars, recruitment events, and conference presentations to reach diverse national audiences.
· Coordinate recruitment pipelines with Admissions, academic departments, Career Services, and tribal partners to maximize student participation and program diversity.
· Track outreach metrics and refine strategies to expand reach, increase applicant quality and quantity, and improve partner engagement.
Partnerships, Network Building, and Advocacy for Growth
· Build and sustain collaborative relationships with tribal organizations, the Inter-Tribal Timber Council, tribal, federal, and state natural resource agencies, research networks, universities, non-profits, industry employers, and philanthropic partners to create education, internship, employment, and research opportunities.
· Convene and facilitate national coalitions, advisory groups, and working committees to align internship opportunities with workforce needs and student preparation.
· Advocate for TREES’ growth and resource needs at institutional, regional, and national levels; represent TREES in strategic planning and partnership negotiations.
· Negotiate and manage MOUs, partnership agreements, and placement arrangements to ensure high quality student experiences and partner commitments.
Fundraising, Grants, and Resource Development
· Lead development and submission of competitive grant proposals; manage awarded grants and ensure compliance with funder requirements and institutional policies.
· Proactively pursue philanthropic gifts, corporate sponsorships, collaborative funding, and other revenue streams that leverage TREES to expand SKC’s capacity in STEM/forestry/natural resources.
· Partner with the College’s Department of Institutional Advancement to cultivate donors, coordinate stewardship, prepare giving proposals, and report outcomes to funders.
· Track and report return on investment and program impact to internal and external stakeholders.
Student Support, Coaching, and Pathway Development
· Design and implement student support for interns and program participants: orientation, mentorship programs, professional development workshops, cohort activities, cultural supports, and reentry/credit processes.
· Collaborate with academic departments and Career Services to ensure internships align with curricula, can be credit-bearing where appropriate, and create clear employment pathways.
· Provide direct advising or mentorship to TREES interns as needed.
Education, Curriculum, and Training Development
· Develop and deliver training modules, workshops, and short courses that prepare students for internships and careers (e.g., workplace skills, technical competencies, safety, and Indigenous research methodologies).
· Work with faculty to integrate TREES competencies and experiential learning into existing courses and programs where appropriate.
Teaching / Instructional Expectation (As Needed Duty)
· The Director may be assigned limited teaching duties to support academic program delivery and student pathways. Teaching assignments are limited (generally one course per term with a maximum of two courses under exceptional circumstances), intended to complement leadership responsibilities, with prior approval from the supervisor and academic department / division.
Institutional & Community Engagement
· Collaborate with internal stakeholders (academic departments, Enrollment Services, Career Services, Financial Services, Grants Office, Department of Institutional Advancement) to coordinate program logistics, student records, partner agreements, and fundraising activities.
· Serve on College committees as assigned; engage in community outreach and represent SKC at local, regional, and national meetings.
· Promote SKC mission, tribal values, and student-centered practices in all TREES activities.
· Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications (required)
· Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, Wildland Fire, or related Natural Resources field is required.
· Minimum of four years of progressive professional experience administering or managing multi-site or national student internship programs, coordinating student workforce pathways, or comparable program development/management experience.
· Experience placing students in federal agencies, research networks, or industry internships.
· Demonstrated experience working with tribal organizations and national tribal bodies (e.g., Inter Tribal Timber Council), tribal, federal, and state natural resource agencies, and research networks.
· Demonstrated experience facilitating and building coalitions or networks that support student employment pathways.
· Experience working within a tribal college/university or other Indigenous-serving institution.
· Demonstrated experience or collaborative efforts with outreach/recruitment and grant, philanthropic, or partnership funding to grow program capacity.
· Willingness to teach on an as needed basis.
· Strong interpersonal, cross-cultural, and written communication skills; experience working with Indigenous communities and culturally responsive practices.
· Demonstrated ability to convene partners, build collaborative agreements (MOUs), and manage placement relationships with external hosts.
· Supervisory experience and demonstrated ability to manage staff and student employees.
· Strong organizational skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
· Must have a Bachelor Degree from an accredited college or university in education, counseling, career/vocational, or a related field.
· Must have at least two years’ experience working with Student Support Services/TRIO, postsecondary educational student services, or other similar educational programs for adults in career services or career planning.
· Must have knowledge of post-secondary institutions, financial aid and student advising skills.
· Must have experience with the Montana Career Information system (MCIS), preferred.
· Must have excellent verbal and written communications skills.
· Proven competencies with computers, preferably with Networks and Teleconferencing, Internet, E-mail, and Microsoft Office expertise.
· Must be familiar with issues encountered by students in rural areas and the socioeconomic challenges, employment barriers, and diversity-related needs of Native Americans.
Preferred Qualifications:
· Master’s degree or PhD in Forestry, Wildland Fire, or a closely related Natural Resources field preferred.
· Prior experience working with the Intertribal Timber Council or similar tribal governance bodies.
· Proven project, program, and grant management skills (budgeting, fiscal oversight, reporting, compliance).
· Documented success in grant-writing and securing federal, foundation, and philanthropic funding.
· Demonstrated experience with recruitment, outreach, and marketing to diverse national audiences.
· Experience designing training curricula, mentoring programs, and student supports.
· Proficiency with office productivity software, program tracking systems, data collection tools, and basic fundraising/CRM platforms.
Working Conditions
· Standard office and field conditions; regular travel nationally for partner meetings, conferences, internship site visits, recruitment, and fundraising presentations.
· Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for events, outreach, and deadlines.
To apply you must submit an SKC application, cover letter, resume and applicable transcripts to Human Resources, P.O. Box 70, Pablo, MT 59855 or email Venessa_sandoval@skc.edu David_miller@skc.edu Your application must include evidence that you have the skills, experiences and abilities indicated in this announcement. Applicants are asked to provide copies of academic transcripts and any other educational, training or applicable credential or license, which may support your application for this position.
The information you provide with your application and resume will be used as deciding factors in our employment process.
As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, we encourage applications from minorities, veterans and women. SKC is a tribal member preference employer as set forth in SKC policy. SKC is a drug free workplace.
All pre-hires must pass a drug test before formal hiring. THC is on the panel.
www.skc.edu – check us out – it’s a great place to work!