Primary Duties and Responsibilities 

 

The Culture Keepers Fellowship Program Manager at the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association (OICWA) is responsible for the design, development, day-to-day operations, and management of the Culture Keepers Fellowship Program that will advance equity, promote tribal sovereignty, and decolonize child welfare systems. The program manager will identify, build, and nurture relationships with participating tribal sites and tribal partners to achieve project goals. This role will regularly collaborate with Tribal nations and Center for Workforce Equity and Leadership (CWEL) partners and should have experience engaging thought leaders within tribal child welfare systems. 

​

The Culture Keepers Fellowship Program Manager will: 

• Support and advance current and emerging tribal child welfare leaders through a Culture Keepers Fellowship Program that prioritizes cultural well-being and Indigenous ways of knowing. 

• Develop Culture Keepers Fellowship Program based on Indigenous worldviews, including training curriculum and planning culturally responsive supports for Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants.

• Provide oversight, management, and supervision of the Culture Keepers Fellowship Program coaches.

• Develop training curriculum for the tribal child welfare workforce to build knowledge of the intersecting federal, state, court, and tribal systems that impact tribal nations. 

• Develop a culturally responsive coaching process for fellowship program.

• Develop site selection, assessment, and onboarding processes.

• Recruit and identify sites and fellowship participants through engagement with tribal child welfare leaders.

• Support implementation of the Culture Keepers Fellowship Program development model in up to 3 sites, including offering in-person and virtual coaching, leadership development and ongoing technical assistance. 

• Identify and engage Indigenous Knowledge Bearers within selected sites to gain information needed to tailor support, services, and training to the needs of the Tribal nation. 

• Engage in culturally competent Continued Quality Improvement (CQI) and adjust interventions based on site feedback and evaluation findings.

• Meet grant deliverables in a manner that is focused on goal attainment.

• Provide required reports of grant activity for submission to OICWA, CWEL Partners, and Children’s Bureau.

• Maintain efficient, effective communication with CWEL Team.

• Create, launch, and maintain peer support network for fellowship participants

• Attend OICWA quarterly business meetings, OICWA committee meetings, and the OICWA annual conference.

• Be an active participant and contributor to all relevant meetings, calls, and partner activities.

 

Job Qualifications 

• Master's degree in social work, psychology, or a related field is required.

• 5-7 years of experience working in a tribal child welfare program operated by a federally recognized tribe. 

• A strong understanding of historical trauma, tribal sovereignty, systemic racism, and training and support needs of the Tribal child welfare workforce.

• Knowledgeable about working within Tribal customs, government, and family structures.

• Knowledgeable of Tribal, Federal, and State laws, policies, and regulations that impact Indian Child Welfare programs. 

• A strong belief in tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and decolonization with a strong background in workforce needs and systemic change.

• Exceptional organizational, time management, and verbal and written communication skills.

• Proven leadership experience in program development and implementation.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools.

• Proficiency in project management tools and software, including Asana.

• Experience with cloud-based hosting platforms like Google Docs.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

• Experience with Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes. 

• Ability to work collaboratively and adapt to changing environments.

• Knowledgeable of federal grant management and reporting. 

• Experience writing or training child welfare curriculum.

 

Job Type

• Full-time exempt position

​

Salary & Benefits 

• $90,000 - $97,000 per year (based on relevant experience)

• Allowance for fringe benefits.

​

Location

• Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)

 

Travel Required

• 20% or less - You will be expected to travel for this position. 

 

Physical Demands

• Be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.

• Be able to consistently operate a computer and other office productivity, machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.

• Have the ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.

  • Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.  

 

Reporting to 

• Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association Executive Director in partnership with Families Rising

 

This job offer is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check. 

​