CEO

Waseyabek Development Company; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 250,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Waséyabek Development Company, LLC (WDC) seeks a Chief Executive Officer to guide the organization as a Tribally owned holding company. The CEO will set vision, strategic direction, and drive long-term value across a diversified portfolio while honoring the Tribe's teachings and economic development goals.

As the primary outward-facing executive, the CEO will manage relationships with the Tribal Council, Board, members, partners, and lenders, ensuring transparent communication of strategy,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus 10 to 15 years of progressive executive experience.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency with HRIS systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to adapt focus and priorities to evolving needs of supervisor and stakeholders.
• Highly resourceful team-player with independent work capability.

Responsibilities

• Establish and communicate a long-term vision and enterprise strategy.
• Lead identification, evaluation, acquisition, development, and growth of portfolio companies.
• Oversee capital deployment and financial governance across the portfolio.
• Foster culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Recruit, develop, and retain an exceptional executive leadership team.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Communication

Relationship-building

Analytical thinking

HRIS systems proficiency

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

HRIS systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Details

• Position Title: Chief Executive Officer
• Supervisor: Waséyabek Board of Directors
• Contract Title/Labor Category: Waséyabek
• Department/Contract & Location: Corporate Office
• FLSA Status: Exempt
• Job Family: Executive Team
• Supervisory Position: Y
• Full-Time or Part-Time: Full-Time

Mission

Waséyabek Development Company, LLC (WDC) is wholly owned by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP), a federally recognized Indian Tribe. WDC is committed to fostering the development of a stable, diversified economy for the Band which will contribute to its long-term wealth and economic self-sufficiency while managing risk and creating quality employment opportunities.

Position Summary

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serves as the senior executive leader of Waséyabek, a 100% Tribally owned holding company, and is accountable for establishing the organization's vision, strategic direction, and long-term value creation. The CEO provides enterprise leadership across a diversified portfolio of companies while honoring the Tribe's Seven Grandfather Teachings, culture, and economic development objectives.

As the primary outward-facing executive, the CEO cultivates and maintains trusted relationships with the Tribal Council, Board of Directors, Tribal Membership, business partners, government agencies, investors, lenders, and other strategic stakeholders. The CEO serves as the principal spokesperson for the organization and ensures the company's mission, strategy, and performance are communicated with transparency and integrity.

The CEO is ultimately accountable for the overall performance of the holding company, including strategic growth, capital allocation, organizational capability, governance, and enterprise risk management. Working closely with the COO and executive leadership team, the CEO establishes enterprise priorities while empowering operational leaders to execute effectively.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Establish and communicate a clear long-term vision and enterprise strategy aligned with priorities and economic development goals, as captured in 1-yr and 5-yr strategic plans and budgets.
• Lead the identification, evaluation, acquisition, development, and growth of portfolio companies.
• Ensure disciplined capital allocation across investments, operating companies, and strategic initiatives.
• Monitor market trends and emerging opportunities to strengthen the organization's long-term competitiveness.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Governance & Stakeholder Relations

• Serve as the primary liaison to the Tribal Council, Board of Directors, and Tribal Membership.
• Build trusted relationships with external partners, financial institutions, government agencies, industry leaders, and strategic allies.
• Ensure timely, transparent, and meaningful communication regarding company strategy, performance, risks, and opportunities.
• Support effective governance practices and ensure management recommendations are aligned with Board expectations.

Enterprise Leadership

• Recruit, develop, and retain an exceptional executive leadership team.
• Establish organizational priorities and align leadership around strategic objectives.
• Foster an executive culture built on integrity, accountability, respect, and collaboration.
• Ensure succession planning for key leadership positions within Waséyabek and its portfolio companies.

Financial Stewardship

• Maintain overall accountability for enterprise financial performance.
• Approve enterprise capital deployment and major investment decisions.
• Balance long-term growth with financial sustainability and risk management.
• Ensure appropriate governance over financial reporting and resource allocation.

Portfolio Growth

• Champion strategic acquisitions, partnerships, and new business opportunities.
• Oversee enterprise-wide strategic planning.
• Ensure portfolio company operations, budgets and plans align with the holding company's long-term investment philosophy and Five-Year Strategic Plan while preserving appropriate operational autonomy at the portfolio level.

Organizational Culture

• Model leadership consistent with the Tribe's values and long-term vision
• Promote ethical leadership, inclusion, accountability, and servant leadership throughout the organization
• Strengthen organizational culture while supporting entrepreneurial leadership across the portfolio

Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor's degree plus 10 to 15 years of progressive executive experience with a proven track record of scaling mid-market businesses.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency with HRIS systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to quickly adapt focus, adjust schedule and problem solve to meet evolving work demands and needs of supervisor and other stakeholders.
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also work independently and balance multiple competing priorities and tasks.
• Ability to pass a pre-employment drug screen.
• Ability to pass an extensive background investigation, including but not limited to personal and professional financial history, nationwide criminal record search, credit check and other relevant background information deemed necessary by Waséyabek.

Preferred Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experienced business owner
• Experience supporting multiple business units, locations, or affiliated entities preferred.
• Experience with Federal Contracting preferred.
• SHRM-CP, PHR, SHRM-SCP, or SPHR certification preferred.
• Prior knowledge or experience working with a Native American Tribe.

Core Competencies

Managerial Proficiency - Focuses on the development and productivity of employees by setting clear expectations and objectives, providing ongoing coaching and feedback, constructively addressing, or seeking assistance to properly address employee concerns.

Vision - Supports and builds a shared vision with stakeholders across the organization. Engages others in translating vision into action. Supports and clearly communicates organizational direction and priorities.

Executive Communication - Communication with other managers and Company's Executive team in an accurate, clear, thorough, concise, well-organized, and timely manner. Strives to avoid surprising stakeholders with emerging information of situation reports. Strives for transparency in all communications.

Accountability and Management - Demonstrates accountability and responsibility for own work and the work of employees. Translates objectives into meaningful performance measures and aligns performance plan with organizational goals. Achieves meaningful results by putting in the necessary time and effort and following through to ensure quality outcomes through own work and the actions and contributions of subordinates and the organization as a whole.

Leading Change - Leads the organization, anticipates, and is postured to progress with changing business trends, viewpoints, political climate, and requirements without any performance declinations.

Developing Talent - Leads employees in reaching their maximum potential by encouraging professional development, providing all necessary tools to succeed, and fostering employee growth and advancement.

Financial Management - Effectively manages budgets and costs by maintaining effective budgetary controls, constructing contingency plans to stay within budgetary constraints, reducing expenses, and/or developing revenue generating opportunities.

Physical Requirements

This job operates in a professional office environment. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Flexibility related to work hours as project demands arise.
• Occasionally required to move 5 - 25 pounds.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary computer position for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to use hands and fingers to type.
• Must be able to reach with hands and arms for using a computer.

Travel Requirements

Some travel may be required, up to 10% of the time. The travel may be local or national and may be by car, rail, or air.

Disclaimer

This job description indicates in general the nature and levels of work, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other essential functions (as covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act) expected of an incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of an incumbent. An incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required.

Native American & Veteran Hiring Preferences will be applied in accordance with Waséyabek Development Company policy. We are committed to making merit-based hiring decisions. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship, marital status, height or weight, veteran status, or any other legally protected category.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.