Director of Development and Communications

The National Congress of American Indians,; Helena (MT); Hybrid; USD 99,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

The Indian Law Resource Center in Helena, MT, seeks a full-time Director of Development and Communications to lead fundraising, communications, and public outreach. You will work with staff to secure funding and articulate the Center’s impact to funders, policymakers, and partners, reporting to the Executive Director.

Remote work is considered; the role manages a grants and communications officer and collaborates with the leadership and board to advance Indigenous rights across the Americas.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred in relevant fields.
• Minimum five years in fundraising, communications, or marketing.
• Ability to explain complex topics to diverse audiences.
• Experience with Indigenous communities or organizations valued.
• Knowledge of federal Indian law, Indigenous rights, justice areas is valued.

Responsibilities

• Develop and evaluate a comprehensive annual fundraising plan.
• Supervise grants and communications work through grant lifecycle.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with donors and foundations.
• Create multichannel fundraising campaigns and events.
• Manage website, social media, media outreach and publications.

Skills

Fundraising

Communications

Grant writing

Donor relations

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Director of Development and Communications

Opened Aug 27, 2026 Closing Sep 8, 2026 Organization Indian Law Resource Center Locations Helena, MT-Remote Considered Contact Information

Job Description

The Indian Law Resource Center: The Center is an Indigenous-led organization that provides legal and advocacy assistance to Indigenous peoples of the Americas to protect their lands, to create and uphold laws grounded in Indigenous legal principles and values, including selfdetermination, and to advance the human rights of Indigenous peoples and individuals. Founded in 1978, the Center has an established reputation based on its leadership in gaining the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our Mission: We seek to advance the rule of law, to establish national and international legal standards that protect Indigenous peoples’ rights, and we challenge the governments of the world to accord justice and equality before the law to all Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Job Description: The Center seeks a full-time Director of Development and Communications to help us advance Indigenous rights across North, Central, and South America by securing financial support for our work and sharing our impact with funders, policymakers, the public, and new partners. Our Director of Development and Communications will work closely with our Executive Director, supervise our Grants and Communications Officer, and collaborate with all of our staff to create compelling narratives about the Center’s groundbreaking work and to manage the Center’s fundraising efforts. In 2022, the Center received an eight-year, $20 million grant from the Kellogg Foundation to support the Indigenous Lands Initiative (ILI) Project, which expands and strengthens Indigenous collective land ownership in Mexico and Central and South America. Further information about the Center is available on our website at www.indianlaw.org. POSITION OVERVIEW The Director of Development and Communications will manage fundraising and communications operations and activities. The Director will leverage the Center’s recent fundraising success to secure additional financial support for all the Center’s work and projects. The Director will manage our public writing and public presentation, including our website, social media, media outreach, and visual identity. The position will report directly to the Executive Director and will ideally be based at our headquarters in Helena, Montana. Remote work will be considered. The position will require an action-oriented strategist, motivated self-starter, effective supervisor and engaging collaborator who will lead the Center through the implementation of a robust fundraising strategy, as well as grow and integrate our communications work into our program and fundraising practices. The ideal candidate will be able to frame complex content for diverse audiences and will have experience working with Indigenous communities and nonprofit organizations. This position requires an exceptional writer and a creative thinker able to work effectively with the Center’s leadership, board members, staff, and partners.

Skills & Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, and SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s preferred. An academic focus in journalism, communications, marketing, or related fields preferred. Native Studies and liberal arts degrees welcome.
• Track record of success and advancement, including a minimum of five years of experience in a full-time fundraising, communications, or marketing position.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex topics to diverse audiences.
• Experience with Indian or Indigenous communities or organizations is strongly desired.
• Knowledge about some of our substantive areas of work, including federal Indian law, Indigenous rights, Indigenous women’s rights, human rights, environmental protection, environmental justice, climate justice, and social justice, highly valued.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills.

Duties & Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

DEVELOPMENT

• Evolve, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive annual fundraising plan to meet the Center’s financial needs and support our growth.
• Work with the Grants and Communications Officer to research funding opportunities, including with foundations, Indian nations, corporations, and major individual donors.
• Supervise the Grants and Communications Officer in their work on grant lifecycle management, from collaborating with project directors to write and submit letters of inquiry, proposals, and applications for grants, through tracking grant progress and completing reports.
• Identify, cultivate, and steward relationships with individual and institutional donors through regular meetings and strategic outreach.
• Create and execute multichannel fundraising campaigns, including through digital, email, and social media outreach.
• Plan and project-manage with Center staff to present at least two (2) in-person fundraising/outreach events per year.
• Oversee the Grants and Communications Officer in their management of the organization’s CRM database.
• Supervise our Grants and Communications Officer and manage other staff on an assignment and project basis.
• Collaborate with the Finance team to prepare regular revenue and expense projections for staff and the Board of Directors.
• Provide data-driven development insights and strategic fundraising advice to the Executive Director.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Develop and implement the Center’s communications plan, including strategies for the Center’s website, digital communications, social media platforms, printed materials, and media relations, as well as internal communications systems.
• Oversee the writing, design, distribution, and budgeting of all publications and materials, including reports, brochures, position papers, and presentations. Create fundraising materials highlighting the Center’s activities and impact.
• Ensure the Center’s website and content is up to date, engaging and useful, and track impact and reach.
• Coordinate with external consultants, including internationally, on website, resource, and media production and press relations, managing contracts and vendor agreements as needed.
• Collaborate with partner organizations and their communications team to promote events, build awareness, and run joint campaigns.
• Manage press releases, coordinate media interviews, and cultivate relationships with journalists and media outlets.
• Support staff and Board in preparing for external speaking opportunities, including through creation of talking points and interview preparation.
• Together with the Grants and Communications Officer, facilitate the creation, scheduling, and day-to-day management of the Center’s social media accounts.
• Leverage communication assets as strategic tools to increase foundation and donor support for our mission.

Salary & Benefits

$110,000 annually