Job Details

Ilakucaraq Project Manager

The Ilakucaraq Project (IP) supports Alaska Native youth in building cultural confidence and connection to heritage through youth-focused programming and professional development for adults who work with youth. This project is funded by the Alaska Native Heritage Center through a grant from the US Department of Education, Alaska Native Education Program. The Alaska Humanities Forum's role within IP is to engage educators that work with Alaska Native youth to become more culturally responsive and affirming in their relationship-building with students and families as well as their teaching practices, with an emphasis on building connection between urban and rural communities. IP guides educators through a professional development program centered on Indigenous Awareness and Culturally Responsive Teaching that includes a graduate-level university course, culturally immersive gatherings, and supportive peer connections with a cohort of other teachers from around the state. Educators who come through IP programming gain the tools, support, and confidence to sustainably build welcoming school spaces that reflect and honor the cultures of their communities.

Position Summary

The C3 Program Manager will manage the Forum's portion of the Ilakucaraq Project with the Alaska Native Heritage Center (ANHC), with specific emphasis on cultivating and supporting cohorts of educators and community partners, including course instructors, university staff, and culture camp coordinators. The Manager will be an integral part of collaboratively envisioning the development of education and cross-cultural programs at the Forum. The right candidate will have a passion for, and proven experience in, cross-cultural work, program development, collaborative partnerships, and working with rural communities in Alaska. This position will report to the Director of C3 Programs.

Essential Job Duties

Program Management Cultivate strong relationships with program partners and participants across Alaska Oversee the search for and onboarding of a C3 course instructor and support co-development of a syllabus for course, with partner input Recruit for, build, and support cohorts of educators Identify and work closely with culture camp coordinators around the state Ensure program meets goals outlined in grant and draft monthly performance reports for ANHC Draft and manage contracts

Budget Management Manage AKHF's portion of the Ilakucaraq program budget, including drafting budget narratives and amendments with support from Director of C3 Programs and VP of Programs

Staff Management Supervise and support Ilakucaraq Project Coordinator

Development, Facilitation, and Continuous Improvement Lead the design and facilitation of gatherings for Ilakucaraq educator participants, both virtual and in-person Ensure program events follow the Forum's preferred methodologies for gathering, such as The Art of Hosting, World Cafe, and other models of convening and dialogue Contribute to Forum team of facilitators by facilitating C3 Program and Forum internal convenings as opportunities arise Participate in annual professional development to enhance skills in project design and facilitation Present at and engage in statewide conferences to deepen our network of organizations and individuals working in education and in support of Alaska Native youth Co-develop new program components to help deepen teacher connections within and across regions, including for C3 program alumni engagement Collaborate with Director of C3 Programs and other AKHF staff to develop new programming in response to need, funding opportunities, and Forum capacity, including strategic, statewide expansion of cross-cultural work beyond education sector

Program Coordination Collaborate with ANHC staff to host partner meetings quarterly, or more frequently as deemed necessary Perform data collection, project evaluation and reporting functions, including logging participant information and activities Participate in weekly Forum staff meetings and team meetings Travel to summer culture camps and act as Forum staff representative, as opportunities arise Other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Must support and believe in the mission of the Alaska Humanities Forum; Must be committed to supporting an equitable and inclusive organizational culture; Must have an understanding of the history, dynamics and challenges of Western education in rural Alaska; Must have own transportation, driver's license, and reliable personal vehicle; Must be able to pass state and federal background checks

Keys to Success

A successful candidate for this position will have the following mindset and approaches to the job: Relationship building: The manager will engage and support people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and approaches, both in-person and remotely. They aspire to make connections with people, build trust and understanding, and approach the smallest and largest of tasks with a team-oriented mindset. Playing the long game: Meaningful work takes time, and the arc of relationships is long. Conflict and/or resistance are expected as a normal part of deepening relationships and ultimately building trust. Keeping a group connected: The manager is the primary architect of building a cohort - supporting adult educators in building close and supportive relationships with each other. They will approach this with intention and thoughtfulness. Curious about and comfortable talking about culture: The thought of guiding others through exploring and articulating their own cultures feels interesting and exciting to to the manager.

Education/Training

Applicant must have experience working in Alaska (outside of Anchorage) and experience coordinating large in-person gatherings. Experience working in majority Alaska Native communities is preferred Applicant will have demonstrated experience designing and facilitating group gatherings and conversations Applicant must have demonstrated experience successfully planning and managing a project that takes place in rural Alaska Applicant must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Physical Requirements

Ability to lift up to 25 lbs; Must be comfortable traveling in small (6-seater) airplanes and boats; Comfortable driving participants in rental vehicles Ability to participate in virtual meetings for up to four hours with short breaks; Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, G-Suite, Zoom.

Conditions of Employment

The Ilakucaraq Project Manager role is an exempt, full-time position based at the Forum offices in Anchorage with a regular weekday work schedule of 40 hours per week. This position will involve some weekends & evenings. Benefits include medical, dental, disability, ten paid holidays per year, over 5 weeks of annual paid time-off and sick leave, paid family leave, and a 403(b)-retirement plan.

Application and Hire Date

The first round of applications will be reviewed on October 27.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At the Alaska Humanities Forum, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We believe that diversity and inclusion among our employees are critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

Benefits

The Forum offers several benefits including: Health Insurance, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, Life/AD&D/STD/LTD Insurance, 403(b) plan with full employer match up to 3% gross salary (after 6 months), 10 annual holidays, Paid Time Off and Sick Leave (total of 5.4 to 6 weeks per year depending on tenure), Parental Leave Bereavement Leave