General Summary:
The Director of Human Resources works under the supervision of and in collaboration with the SKC President as a strategic partner to the Executive Council. The position goes beyond standard personnel operations to design and lead capacity development pipelines, build retention strategies, oversee institutional culture, create succession plans, and align people, personnel operations, and organizational goals.
Deeply anchored in SKC’s Mission, Vision, Core Values (Integrity, Respect, Reciprocity, Relationships, Equity & Equality), and Ways of Being, the Director approaches human resources through relational leadership, transparency, and beliefs that inspire well-being. The role treats employees as core strategic assets to be nurtured and developed, empowering staff and faculty to support quality educational opportunities for American Indian students while perpetuating the cultures of the Séliš, Ksanka, and Ql̓ispé peoples, as well as all others who contribute to SKC’s campus community.
Major Duties & Responsibilities:
Strategic HR Leadership, Culture & Mission Alignment
· Executive Leadership Role: Works in direct partnership with the President and Executive
Council, grounding all human resource operations in SKC’s Mission, Vision, Core Values, and
Ways of Being (being professional and mission-focused, respectful of diversity of thought, and
mindful and transparent in communication and actions).
· Strategic Advisory: Operates as a strategic partner to executive leadership, actively advising
the President and Executive Council on how hiring, compensation, and organizational
structure impact bottom-line institutional success and community health and well-being.
· Culture & Workplace Performance: Focuses on employee satisfaction, holistic professional
growth, equity, and driving high performance through motivation, professional development,
and a positive, culturally safe and sustaining workplace environment.
Recruitment & Talent Acquisition
· Develop recruitment strategies that facilitate a wide distribution of SKC vacancy
announcements.
· Consistently evaluate recruitment strategies that produce the best results for effective,
culturally grounded recruitment.
· Collaboratively design and support robust onboarding, talent acquisition, and professional
development pipelines across all college departments.
· Lead hiring supervisors in the preparation of position descriptions and prepare SKC vacancy
announcements for all positions as requested.
· Gather, screen, assess, and recommend candidates for interviews after vacancies have closed.
· Lead the facilitation of interviews that are coordinated between internal teams and
prospective candidates.
· Lead the collaborative development of and advance a comprehensive Human Resource plan
to increase the hiring and retention of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal members and
descendants, and other American Indian employees at SKC.
· Develop and execute strategies designed to support CSKT Tribal members and other
employees who seek to advance into faculty positions, leadership roles, or achieve higher
academic credentials.
Employee Relations, Retention & Community Well-Being
· Design and implement strategic employee retention and succession plans that center the
importance of strong onboarding and honor relational leadership, community impact, and
institutional continuity.
· Assist employees in navigating employee benefits, wellness options, and other employment
issues with empathy, reciprocity, clear communication, and care.
· Administer a supportive, development-focused system for collecting consistent employee
performance evaluations.
· Review and make recommendations for SKC benefit packages, employee evaluations, wage
rate comparisons, and salary scale revisions as requested, upholding standards of equity and
equality.
Policy, Compliance, Title IX & Supervision
· Supervise a Human Resources Generalist and/or a Benefits Specialist, leading by example with
integrity and fostering a respectful, trauma-informed team environment.
· Assist in the development and maintenance of SKC policies and procedures as described in
the SKC Procedures Manual, ensuring alignment with institutional values, equity, and legal
compliance.
· Collect data as required for recurring required reports.
· Act as the lead Title IX Officer for complaint processing.
· Lead the facilitation of grievances, employment separation, and Title IX compliance campus wide with fairness, compassion, and institutional integrity, including hearing employee and
student employee concerns and complaints.
· Perform other duties as assigned to facilitate special projects and leadership needs.
Qualifications:
Education & Experience Tiers
Candidates may qualify for the position through one of the following progressive pathways. Salary and placement within the organization's salary schedule will be aligned with the candidate's entering educational level and years of verified experience related to any combination including but not limited to the following: Human Resources, organizational culture, tribal administration, education, business, communication, and/or leadership. Selected candidates will be eligible for salary increases per the salary scale as additional education is attained.
· Pathway A (Associate's Degree Equivalent): Associate’s Degree in combined with extensive, proven leadership experience (6+ years) – $66,962 - $78,605
· Pathway B (Bachelor's Degree): Bachelor’s degree and limited to moderate HR leadership experience (3+ years) – $66,962 - $78,605
· Pathway C (Master's Degree): Master’s degree with relevant experience – $66,962 - $78,605
Educational Advancement Commitment
To support institutional leadership goals and strengthen educational attainment across campus, all candidates who do not already possess a Master's degree must agree to the following growth
pathway:
· Associate’s Degree hires: Commit to enrolling in and completing an aligned Bachelor’s
Degree within three (3) years of the start date.
· Bachelor’s Degree hires: Commit to enrolling in and completing an aligned Master’s Degree within three (3) years of the start date.
· Requirement: Must provide proof of enrollment in an accredited degree program and submit periodic unofficial transcripts documenting academic progress to the SKC President.
Certifications: Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) certified or within one year of hire.
Core Leadership, Cultural Competencies & Ways of Being
· Deep respect for, alignment with, and active integration of SKC’s Mission, Vision, Core Values (Integrity, Respect, Reciprocity, Relationships, Equity & Equality), and Ways of Being into daily HR practice.
· Demonstrated experience in employee development, organizational design, talent strategy, and personnel management skill
· Demonstrated commitment to being appreciative and respectful of diversity of thought,
experience, and situation, while maintaining mindful and transparent communication.
· Proven ability to lead with empathy, trauma-informed principles, equity, and cultural
humility.
· Ability to use highly developed executive leadership skills in complex, strategic situations.
· Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise extreme discretion.
· Energetic, self-directed, professional, and focused on the mission and vision of SKC.
· Knowledge of Tribal colleges, tribal governance, and SKC in particular is strongly preferred.
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 HR@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. This includes THC.
www.skc.edu – check us out – it’s a great place to work!