Native American Student Services Manager

IMDiversity; Ellensburg (WA); On-site; USD 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Retirement plan

Tuition assistance for dependents

Discounts across town

Employee assistance program

Wellness incentive program

Job summary

Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA seeks a Native American Student Services Manager to join the Tribal Relations team. This campus-based role focuses on creating culturally responsive pathways and retention programming to support Native American students from outreach through graduation.

You will collaborate with university units to improve policies and services, fostering belonging. You will lead engagement, recruitment, and supportive services, while aligning with CWU's mission

Qualifications

• Four (4) years of progressively responsible professional experience in Native American student services and/or a bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Demonstrated understanding of Native American history, cultural practices, and factors impacting college pathways.
• Strong communication, organizational, and leadership/management skills.
• Experience presenting to or working with Native American students, families, and tribal communities in Washington State.
• Ability to collaborate with students and colleagues to foster a supportive learning and work environment.

Responsibilities

• Engage with Admissions, Student Financial Services, and regional tribal communities to recruit Native American students.
• Advise and support Native American student organizations and provide culturally responsive guidance.
• Coordinate and implement cultural activities and partnerships to foster belonging.
• Develop and vision pathways for culturally responsive retention programming across campus.
• Lead and mentor student staff; monitor performance and provide coaching.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Cultural competency

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Native American Student Services Manager
Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA

Type: Full-Time

Category: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Services; Student Affairs and Services

Job ID: 7479

Job Summary

Central Washington University is recruiting a Native American Student Services Manager to join our Tribal Relations team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a competitive salary plus the awesome CWU benefits.

Who we are:

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find robust academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~8,300 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, for seven out of eight years, CWU was a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. RentCafe has also named CWU #13 of the Top 20 Best College Towns in the U.S. in 2025.

Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjdhOegDa9A

What we offer:

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator.

The Role:

Reporting to the Office of Tribal Relations, the Student Services Manager will work closely with the Associate Vice President of Tribal Relations, collaborating with Northwest Tribal Nations, Native American organizations, and CWU student services units to develop and vision and direction for creating and implementing culturally responsive pathways and retention programming to support Native American student belonging and success. The Student Services Manager will partner with CWU units across campus, serving as an expert advisor to improve policies and practices affecting Native American students.

The Student Services Manager will lead in providing holistic, culturally grounded support for American Indian and Alaska Native (Native American), students across the student lifecycle-from outreach and recruitment through graduation. Core areas of responsibility include Native American student engagement, retention programming, non-academic advising, cultural programming, tribal community and family engagement and outreach that eases the transition into higher education and fosters a welcoming campus community.

All employees are expected to uphold and contribute to CWU's vision, mission, and values, fostering a culture of student success, belonging, and institutional excellence. This position directly affects the vision, mission, and values of CWU by creating and supporting programs and an environment where students feel welcome, engaged, supported, and that they belong.

Job Duties

Native Community Outreach, Recruitment and Admissions

• Partner with Admissions to represent Native American student services and resources at orientations, preview days, and campus visits and other admissions events, as schedule allows.
• Partner with Admissions and Student Financial Services on developing recruitment and admissions strategies for first-year and transfer Native American students, including outreach to tribal schools, tribal colleges, and community events.
• Visit regional tribal communities and attend tribal conferences and gatherings (e.g., Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians) to engage prospective Native American students through workshops and outreach events and represent the university on Native American student success.
• Coordinate with Tribal Education managers and Native American organizations to support Native American student retention and college transition, and to ensure students connect with all potential resources.
• Build and sustain respectful, reciprocal partnerships with Northwest Tribal Nations, tribal education departments, tribal colleges, and Native-serving organizations.
• Establish and partner with university student service units to help Native American students access services such as advising, holistic wellness opportunities, CWU Wildcat Pantry, the CWU Multicultural Center, and other resources.

Management and Administration

• Work with Enrollment Management, Office of Undergraduate Studies, and Institutional Effectiveness, Research, and Planning departments to collect and analyze Native American and Alaska Native student data on factors influencing engagement, retention, and graduation; prepare assessment reports and use and apply findings to strengthen programming and resources.
• Collaborate with AVP of Tribal Relations to pursue external funding, including grants and philanthropic support, to expand services for Native students.
• Serve on university committees, task forces, and strategic initiatives; collaborate with academic programs, including American Indian Studies.
• Identify institutional barriers for Native American students and work with university departments to ensure equitable policies and practices.
• Collaborate with AVP of Tribal Relations to advise leadership on policies, initiatives, and emerging issues affecting Native students.
• Serve as a campus resource and provide guidance and training on responsibilities and culturally responsive practices to foster belonging and successful college pathways for Native American students.
• Ensure services comply with FERPA regulations and maintain appropriate confidentiality.

Student Engagement and Retention Services

• Coordinate workshops and share resources that connect Native American students to campus life, cultural events, and student organizations, fostering a sense of belonging and active participation.
• Advise and support Native American student organizations and student-led initiatives.
• Provide one-on-one non-academic advising and culturally responsive support, including referrals to on-campus and off-campus resources that promote student well-being and academic success.
• Partner with the Multicultural Center to develop cultural programming that meets Native American students' needs and fosters belonging, while also supporting broader MCC events.
• Coordinate and implement cultural activities during Native American Heritage Month, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Native American Student Recognition, etc.

Supervisor Duties

• Actively engage in recruitment and hiring student staff
• Clearly define performance expectations, ensure accountability, and provide ongoing informal feedback, coaching, and mentoring. Conduct formal performance evaluations
• Ensure student staff have necessary resources
• Oversee and direct the work of student staff; serve as mentor, coach, and leader, and resolve complaints or issues
• Develop and foster supportive working relationships, motivation and engagement
• Recognize and reward student staff for good performance, and provide performance coaching
• Schedule employee work hours/shifts; monitor hours worked; approve payable time and absence requests
• Value and encourage diverse perspectives, creativity, and teamwork.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Four (4) years of progressively responsible professional experience in Native American student services and/or a bachelor's degree in related field.

Demonstrated understanding of Native American history, cultural practices, and other factors that impact Native American college pathways, preparation, and enrollment.

Strong communication, organizational, and leadership/management skills.

Experience in presenting to or working with Native American students, families, and tribal communities in Washington State and/or those with their current traditional homelands in Washington State.

Demonstrated ability and/or experience working collaboratively with students and/or colleagues to foster a supportive and effective learning and work environment.

OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Six (6) or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in Native American student services and/or education, and/or a master's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience running Native American cultural programming.
• Experience working in higher education.
• Demonstrated participation in programs designed to promote student success.
• A record of promoting institutional excellence in the work environment.
• Experience or interest in mentoring students from a variety of backgrounds.
• Ability to incorporate a variety of perspectives and relevant societal issues into everyday conversations.

Competencies

• Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines, and work schedules.
• Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
• Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
• Commitment to Belonging: Values the uniqueness of every individual and fosters an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered to thrive.

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Salary: The Hiring Department's expected hiring range is $58,000 - $65,000 annually. Individual placement within the hiring range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the full annual salary range for this position is $50,830 to $71,161.

Schedule/Appointment: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm (1 hour lunch) / Occasional evenings and weekends.

Working Conditions: Work is performed in an indoor office setting with frequent in-person interactions. It is essential to be able to remain at a desk/computer workstation for prolonged periods of time, perform extensive data entry and other computer-related tasks and create/maintain filing systems for departmental records. Some evening or weekend work and/or occasional travel may be required.

Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification.