Program Specialist

Nativegov; Minneapolis, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellness benefits

Paid time off

Floating holidays

Remote-first with monthly tech stipend

Professional development stipends

Job summary

Native Governance Center is seeking a Program Specialist to support Leadership Development and Tribal Governance initiatives. The role combines project coordination, stakeholder engagement, and event logistics (virtual and in-person) with travel up to 30%.

The position focuses on day-to-day operations and continuous improvement of program delivery. You will serve as the primary operational contact for core programs, collaborate with the Program Manager, and ensure materials, timelines, and

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or equivalent with relevant experience.
• Experience in a support role or transferable skills.
• Advanced Google Workspace skills and ability to learn org-specific tools.
• Experience working with Indigenous communities.

Responsibilities

• Support Native Nation Rebuilders program and other initiatives.
• Lead program delivery by drafting materials and tracking timelines.
• Provide technical support, public speaking, and group facilitation during events.
• Coordinate goals at individual, team, and organizational levels.
• Develop high-impact resources promoting tribal sovereignty.
• Manage virtual and in-person events, registrations, travel, and venue relationships.
• Administer program data and documentation.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Public speaking

Group facilitation

Excellent communication

Time management

Event coordination

Problem solving

Education

Bachelora0a0degree or equivalent

Advanced Google Workspace skills

Experience with Indigenous communities

Tools

CRM platforms

Monday.com

Event management software

Job description

The Program Specialist plays a vital role in supporting our Leadership Development and Tribal Governance Support programs. The Program Specialist is responsible for the day-to‑day execution, administration, and continuous improvement of program delivery. This role combines advanced project coordination, and stakeholder engagement to ensure all initiatives align with organizational goals. The Specialist serves as a primary operational point of contact for our core programs and initiatives, and manages complex event logistics (both virtual and in‑person). Must be able to travel up to 30% of the time and have access to high‑speed internet.

Who We Are

Native Governance Center is a Native‑led nonprofit dedicated to assisting Native nations in strengthening their governance systems and capacity to exercise sovereignty. While originally founded to support the 23 Native nations sharing geography with Mni Sota Makoce, North Dakota, South Dakota, we have strategically piloted growth beyond this region to include the 4 nations in Nebraska and hope to continue to expand offerings with thoughtfulness toward needs identified by communities.

We opened our doors in 2016, so we are relatively young. We are constantly growing, changing, and innovating. We like to say “let’s try it!” instead of living by the “we’ve always done it that way” motto, knowing we will learn from each experience.

Everything we do is driven by our values; from organizational development to program delivery to deciding on our annual group Halloween costume, our values help to guide us. We’re collaborative in our approach, listening to input from our team, our nations, and the research we were founded on, to inform our actions and decisions. We love GIFs and memes and try to find ways to use them as often as possible. We encourage respectful candor, authenticity, and balance on our team.

Since 2020, NGC has operated as a fully remote workplace, with our team members located across various Tribal Nations and states. This model has allowed us to build a dedicated and geographically diverse team. However, we also acknowledge the limitations of a purely virtual environment for the human connection and collaboration that comes with in‑person interaction. As such, there will be positions within NGC that require a hybrid work model that will incorporate both remote work and in‑person opportunities.This will likely involve some in‑person events and potential travel. We encourage you to consider the benefits and drawbacks of this flexible work arrangement to ensure it suits your preferences. A reliable, high‑speed internet connection remains a requirement for all NGC employees.

Finally, NGC is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity and are free from all forms of harassment and discrimination.

About the Position

Essential Job Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions. The following list is not designed to comprise a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that may be required for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

• Main support is of the Native Nation Rebuilders program and also provides support to other programming initiatives as needed.
• Leads program delivery by drafting and compiling essential materials, tracking timelines, and maintaining clear communication channels between all program initiative stakeholders.
• In partnership with the Program Manager, leads content delivery and provides support during program events, including providing technical support, public speaking, and group facilitation.
• Participates in setting and meeting individual, team, and organizational goals.
• Assist in the development of high‑impact, accessible resources that promote Tribal sovereignty, being a good relative to Indian Country, and nation rebuilding.
• Leads the coordination for both virtual and in‑person events. This includes managing venue and vendor relationships, handling registration, arranging travel, managing tech setups, and procuring supplies.
• Provides program administration, including database updates and document management.
• Other duties as assigned or required to meet program and organizational needs.

Qualifications

Skills and Abilities:

• Excitement for the mission of NGC and desire to work according to its stated values of honoring sovereignty, practicing humility, being a good relative, centering Indigeneity, and embracing fun.
• Strong background in public speaking and group facilitation across multiple sectors.
• Ability, initiative, and motivation to work productively in a home office and communicate clearly and often with remote team members through email, phone, and video calls. Access to high‑speed internet is required.
• Ability to organize workflow by priorities and quickly adjust workflow for change, delays, or unexpected events.
• A proactive approach to problem‑solving with strong critical thinking skills.
• Excellent time management, prioritization, and organizational skills.
• Ability to coordinate events, both in‑person and virtual, involving multiple logistical components.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to interact with diverse groups of people.
• Assist in implementation of program evaluation tools to ensure continuous quality improvement of programming.

Education, training, and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Demonstrable experience in a support position or ability to show transferable skills.
• Advanced Google Workspace skills, with an ability to become familiar with organization‑specific programs and software.
• Experience working in or in relationship with Indigenous communities

Preferred:

• Experience working in or in relationship with Indigenous communities from the 27 Native nations that share geography with Mni Sota Makoce (Minnesota), North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
• Experience working with elected leaders, governments, and documents
• Resides within our service region – Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska
• Experience working with CRM (custom relation management) platforms.
• Experience working with a project management platform such as Monday
• 5 + years of public speaking and/or facilitation experience

Typical physical requirements:

Essential tasks for this position are typically performed on a computer, with some travel and transporting of supplies.

• Repetitive motion of hands, fingers, wrists for 4 to 8 hours per day.
• Computer screen use for up to 8 hours per day.
• Communicating with others to exchange information.
• Travel up to 30% of the time.
• Lift up to 25 lbs when transporting supplies to/from events or shipping materials.

Compensation and Benefits

• $60,000 – $70,000
• Status: Full-time, exempt
• Wellness benefits: NGC pays 100% of the cost of our wellness benefits, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, and short- and long‑term disability. Employees, spouses, and children are eligible.
• Paid time off: Year 1-3 of employment, staff may accrue up to 216 hours (5.4 weeks) of PTO, to be used for sick and vacation time.
• Paid holidays: 10 floating holidays (must be used in calendar year)
• Paid closures: Paid office closure from Christmas Eve–New Year’s Day; Half day Friday from Memorial Day–Labor Day.
• Workplace flexibility: We are a remote‑first work environment. Staff are given a monthly stipend to offset any technology, home office, or shared workplace costs incurred.
• Professional development: We offer generous stipends for professional development as well as in‑house growth and training opportunities.