Equal Employment Opportunity Policy:
The Intertribal Agriculture Council is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, citizenship, or any other legally recognized protected basis under relevant federal, tribal, state, or local laws. The information collected through this application process is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity, and maintain employment statistics on applicants. NOTE: PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS TO COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION. DOCUMENTS NOTED WITH AN "*" WILL BE UPLOADED ON THE ATTACHMENT PAGE OF THE APPLICATION:
The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) was founded in 1987 to pursue and promote the conservation, development, and use of Tribes’ agricultural resources. Since our founding, the IAC has been guided by our member Tribes, and we have worked diligently to advance Tribes’ agricultural priorities on the more than 56 million acres of land in the United States that are under Tribal jurisdiction. In addition to elevating Indian Country’s agricultural priorities among policymakers, IAC also provides on-the-ground technical assistance, domestic and international marketing support, natural resource management, small agribusiness development, youth programming, and more to Tribes and individual producers across the United States and within Indian Country.
You are a collaborative, strategic HR leader who thrives at the intersection of people and purpose. You bring 10+ years of progressive HR experience (including at least five years in a senior leadership role) designing and implementing mission-aligned talent strategies that support a multi-generational, knowledge-based workforce. You’ve assessed organizational needs end-to-end and translated them into clear workplace structures, programs and tools from job architectures and performance-management frameworks to compensation, benefits and HRIS solutions that help managers and staff at all levels excel.
As a professional, you have experience navigating complex change and leading an HR team to deliver both broad and specialized programs. You’ve built credibility as a trusted adviser on sensitive employee relations issues, embedded organizational values into the employee experience, and used data-driven insights to benchmark and continuously improve people processes. Your leadership style is calm and consultative. You listen first, build trust quickly, and inspire teams through flexibility and diplomacy. You set priorities with rigor, make fair decisions grounded in data, and uphold the highest standards of confidentiality, judgment, and ethics. You’re passionate about systems and process improvement, thrive on change management challenges, and have a proven ability to forecast talent needs and close skill gaps, ideally within a complex, multi-state nonprofit setting that serves Tribal communities.
The Chief People Officer (CPO) develops and builds out multiple key initiatives and programs that are aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives. The CPO reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is a member of the executive management team, and serves as an advisor to the executive team and others on all aspects of IAC’s talent management platform. The CPO is responsible for designing, finalizing and updating the HR policies, contributing to business strategy, developing workforce plans and programs that align with the organization's strategic objectives, forecasting talent needs and addressing the talent gaps, orchestrating career development of the workforce, designing and implementing a robust Performance Management program and managing compliance issues, policies and procedures, workers compensation administration, wage and salary administration, benefits administration, and employee assistance.
Provide strategic HR advice to senior leadership while leading and managing a team of HR professionals.
Through listening, consultation, learning, and engagement at all levels of the IAC, design, implement, and monitor an aligned human resources strategy.
Develop initiatives that embed IAC’s mission and values into the employee experience.
Use data-driven insights to inform HR decision-making.
Drive organizational change and promote an inclusive culture.
Establish credibility and trust across the organization on people-related matters.
Model teamwork, candor, and effective decision-making.
Support programs that build connection and belonging among staff.
Attract, retain, and develop top talent passionate about IAC’s mission.
Oversee performance management and staff development.
Provide consistent training and coaching to managers.
Clarify job roles, responsibilities, and accountability across IAC.
Oversee HR programs including recruitment, onboarding, payroll, benefits, and compliance.
Continuously improve HR systems, policies, and tools.
Streamline processes and adopt technology solutions.
Develop performance evaluation systems and fair compensation packages.
Support conflict resolution and compliance with employment laws.
Required:
Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field (or equivalent certification and experience).
10+ years HR/People Operations experience.
5+ years in a leadership role with multi-state teams.
Experience in conflict resolution, HRIS systems, and managing confidential data.
Strong communication, decision-making, and time-management skills.
Preferred:
SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or similar certifications.
Experience with Tribal communities or nonprofit/philanthropic sectors.
Master’s degree in human relations or related field.
Primary location: Remote/home office.
Travel: Light travel for team meetings and events (e.g., IAC Annual Conference).
Physical Requirements: Must be able to remain in a stationary position at a desk ~50% of the time.
The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned. Intertribal Agriculture Council has the right to revise this job description at any time. The job description is not a contract for employment, and either you or the Intertribal Agriculture Council may terminate employment at any time, for any reason.
Consistent with its obligations under the law (including the American Disabilities Act), the Intertribal Agriculture Council will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of their job.
Intertribal Agriculture Council is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
