Director- CONNECT Program

The Director will oversee the “Connecting Opportunities for Native Nations & Empowering Collaboration Together” (CONNECT) team in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) with the goal of supporting Native nation efforts to conserve and restore grasslands ecosystems and wildlife and contribute to improved food security and economic development related to conservation of their natural resources. This entails developing and maintaining relationships with Native nations, as well as engaging with other public and private sector partners, to support the realization of our shared visions. The role will lead a team of 5 employees; develop and prioritize strategies to meet the program’s objectives; measure progress toward program goals; oversee the team in designing and implementing a variety of programs focused on supporting local visions and strategies that aim to bolster ecological, economic, and community benefits such as: restoration planning, capacity building, community engagement and outreach, supporting financing through grants and fundraising, wildlife management efforts, and implementation of on-the ground wildlife conservation activities. Our current collaborative work with Native communities focuses on black-footed ferret and plains bison restoration, a communal lands project at Pine Ridge Reservation, and supporting the goals of the Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance (BGNA) across the NGP region.