Executive Director

KAW NATION

Executive Director Position Description

Reports directly to: Tribal Chair

Council communication: All communication from the Tribal Council to the Executive Director is facilitated through the Tribal Chair

Supervises: Department directors, managers, and administrative staff assigned under the approved organizational structure

Salary range and employment classification: $65K-$85K

Duty station and work schedule: Kaw Nation Administration, Kaw City, OK; 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday-Friday; travel and evening or weekend duties as required

Position Purpose

The Executive Director serves as the senior administrative leader of the Kaw Nation’s tribal government. Under the direction of the Tribal Chair and within authority established by the Nation, the Executive Director translates approved policy and priorities into effective operations, responsible budgets, and measurable improvements in services to tribal citizens. The position strengthens administrative capacity while respecting the Nation’s sovereignty, culture, laws, and government-to-government relationships.

Governance and Delegated Authority

• Implement duly adopted tribal resolutions, approved budgets, and authorized directives as communicated by the Tribal Chair. All communication from the Tribal Council to the Executive Director, including requests, guidance, and direction, is facilitated through the Tribal Chair. Maintain a record of assignments, responsible departments, deadlines, and progress; seek clarification from the Tribal Chair when directives conflict or exceed delegated authority.
• Provide the Tribal Chair with timely, accurate recommendations, operational reports, financial information, and notice of significant risks. Prepare information for the Tribal Council as requested by the Tribal Chair and submit it through the Tribal Chair. Present options, costs, citizen impacts, and implementation requirements to support informed decisions.
• Respect the distinct responsibilities of elected officials, courts, regulatory bodies, enterprise boards, and other entities established by the Nation. Exercise supervision only where the Nation’s governing documents, policies, or express delegation authorize it.
• Protect tribal sovereignty and treaty and trust interests in coordination with the Tribal Chair and legal counsel. Do not waive sovereign immunity, commit the Nation to agreements, incur debt, or exercise reserved governmental powers without specific authorization from the appropriate tribal authority.
• Maintain professional impartiality in administration. Apply duly adopted policies consistently, protect confidential information, disclose conflicts of interest, and preserve continuity of services through leadership transitions.

Administrative Responsibilities and Strategic Implementation

• Oversee day-to-day tribal government administration, Administrative Services, and assigned departments. Establish clear responsibilities, coordinated workflows, and procedures that support reliable services and timely decisions.
• Develop an annual administrative work plan linked to the Nation’s approved strategic priorities and budget. Establish department goals, milestones, performance measures, and regular reviews; recommend operational improvements and resource adjustments for approval.
• Convene department director and staff meetings, resolve cross-department issues, and track implementation of decisions. Support collaboration across health, education, housing, elder services, social services, infrastructure, and other assigned programs without displacing professional or statutory authority.
• Maintain current administrative policies, organizational charts, operating procedures, and records. Recommend updates to the Tribal Chair and appropriate approving authority and ensure staff receive training on adopted changes.
• Oversee authorized capital and operational projects with documented scope, schedules, budgets, procurement steps, and reporting. Identify delays, cost changes, and maintenance obligations early and recommend corrective action.
• Review and provide signatory approval of purchase requisitions, reimbursements, travel requests, and other administrative requests as defined in Fiscal Policies.
• Inform Tribal Chair and review and provide signatory approval for payroll actions including timesheets for direct reports, and requests for annual leave, compensatory time, shifted work schedules, leave without pay, FMLA, and other payroll-related actions.

Workforce Leadership and Organizational Culture

• Supervise and evaluate assigned department directors and managers using documented expectations and the Nation’s personnel policies. Hold leaders accountable for service quality, sound management, employee development, and ethical conduct.
• Supervise and coordinate with the Human Resources Director on recruitment, hiring, onboarding, employee relations, compensation recommendations, training, and policy administration. Make or recommend personnel decisions only within delegated authority and established procedures.
• Build a respectful, service-oriented workplace with clear expectations for professionalism, communication, and accountability. Address harassment, retaliation, disruptive conduct, and workplace grievances promptly through established procedures and with appropriate confidentiality.
• Support fair and consistent employment practices, applicable hiring preference, workforce planning, and succession planning. Expand training, career pathways, and leadership development opportunities for tribal citizens and employees.
• Establish safe reporting channels for suspected misconduct, financial irregularities, and service failures. Ensure concerns reach the appropriate authority, receive documented follow-up, and are handled without retaliation under applicable Nation policy.

Citizen Services and Public Accountability

• Improve access, responsiveness, and coordination of services for eligible citizens, including elders, youth, citizens with disabilities, and citizens living outside the immediate service area, consistent with program eligibility and available resources.
• Use citizen feedback, service data, and complaint trends to identify barriers and improve delivery. Maintain a process for responding to administrative concerns and explaining established appeal or grievance channels.
• Prepare clear reports on progress, service results, and use of resources for authorized public communication while protecting personal, privileged, and culturally restricted information.

Financial Stewardship and Resource Development

• Lead development of the consolidated tribal government budget with the finance lead and department directors. Align proposed expenditures with approved priorities, recurring operating needs, available revenue, and long-term sustainability; submit recommendations through the established approval process.
• Review tax filings, (such as W-3, 941and 990) and financial statements to ensure financial health and accuracy.
• Monitor budget performance, cash flow, restricted funds, grant commitments, and emerging financial risks with Finance. Review material variances and propose corrective action; do not authorize unapproved spending or transfers outside delegated limits.
• Ensure effective internal controls, segregation of duties, purchasing documentation, asset accountability, and contract administration. Review and approve requisitions, reimbursements, travel, and other transactions only as authorized by the Nation’s fiscal policies.
• Coordinate timely audits, required financial and program reports, and corrective actions. Track findings to resolution with the responsible departments and preserve independent audit access and oversight.
• Support revenue diversification and economic development by coordinating administrative analysis, feasibility review, infrastructure needs, and funding opportunities. Evaluate long-term operating costs and risks with Finance and legal counsel before recommending commitments.
• Federal Programs Grants and Self-determination
• Ensure compliance with tribal law and policy and with federal, state, or other requirements that apply to the specific program, award, or activity. Coordinate questions about applicability, jurisdiction, or conflicting requirements with legal counsel rather than assuming all external rules apply to the Nation.
• Where applicable, coordinate administration of Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act agreements, including Public Law 93-638 contracts and self-governance compacts or funding agreements. Work with program leads, Finance, and counsel on authorized negotiations, funding adequacy, contract support costs, and reporting.
• Track relevant agency rules, funding changes, and consultation opportunities. Advise the Tribal Chair on administrative impacts and prepare timely recommendations that advance the Nation’s priorities and capacity for self-determination.

Intergovernmental Relations and Representation

• Under the Tribal Chair’s direction, coordinate relationships with other tribal nations and federal, state, local, and regional entities. Support government-to-government consultation with briefing materials, documented positions, and follow-up on commitments.
• Prepare authorized correspondence and represent the Nation only within approved mandates. Coordinate proposed agreements, public statements, and commitments with the Tribal Chair, legal counsel, and designated communications staff as appropriate.

Land Assets, Culture and Resilience

• Coordinate with land, realty, facilities, and legal staff on stewardship of tribal trust and fee lands, buildings, equipment, and other assets. Support accurate records, inventories, maintenance plans, and required BIA or other reporting; obtain specialized review for leases, rights-of-way, land acquisitions, and trust matters.
• Respect the distinction between tribal assets and individual trust property. Coordinate individual trust matters only within authorized responsibilities, with appropriate consent and protection of personal information.
• Ensure administrative decisions respect Kaw history, living culture, language, and cultural protocols. Coordinate with designated cultural authorities on protection of cultural resources, sacred places, traditional knowledge, and sensitive records.
• Oversee risk management, insurance coordination, emergency preparedness, and continuity of operations for assigned departments. Establish plans for essential services, leadership succession in emergencies, facility disruptions, and recovery; coordinate with emergency management and public safety leads.

Technology Records and Tribal Data Sovereignty

• Work with information technology and records staff to modernize administrative systems, improve secure citizen access to services, and maintain reliable records, backups, retention schedules, and recovery procedures.
• Protect the Nation’s authority over data concerning its citizens, lands, programs, and cultural knowledge. Require appropriate approvals and safeguards for collection, access, sharing, storage, research use, and vendor arrangements.
• Oversee cybersecurity planning, staff awareness, incident reporting, and response with qualified personnel. Evaluate cloud services, automation, and artificial intelligence for security, accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and tribal control; prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data to external systems.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, tribal governance, finance, or a related field; an equivalent combination of relevant education and progressively responsible experience may be considered under the Nation’s hiring policy.
• At least five years of progressively responsible management experience, including at least three years supervising managers or leading multiple departments, complex budgets, or government programs. At least two years of direct tribal government administration or comparably substantive work supporting tribal governments is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of tribal governmental structures, sovereignty, self-determination, government-to-government relations, and the distinctions among tribal, trust, and fee property. Ability to learn and apply the Kaw Nation’s governing documents, laws, policies, and cultural protocols.
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, financial oversight, federal program or grant administration, personnel management, strategic implementation, and reporting. Ability to identify when specialized legal, financial, technical, or cultural expertise is needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field; executive or senior administrative leadership in a tribal government; experience administering applicable self-determination or self-governance agreements; and demonstrated success improving citizen services, resolving audit findings, leading organizational change, or developing tribal workforce capacity. Familiarity with Kaw Nation history and community priorities is preferred.

Leadership Competencies

• Exercise sound judgment, integrity, discretion, and cultural humility in complex administrative and political settings. Maintain professional relationships while providing candid advice and consistent follow-through.
• Communicate clearly in writing and verbally with citizens, employees, elected leaders, agency officials, and partners. Explain financial and operational issues in accessible terms and handle difficult conversations constructively.
• Lead teams, resolve conflict, and make decisions using reliable information, citizen needs, approved priorities, and available resources. Manage competing deadlines and respond effectively to emerging issues.

Working Conditions and Employment Requirements

• Work is primarily administrative and includes meetings, computer-based work, travel, and occasional visits to program or project sites. Evening or weekend work and availability during significant operational incidents may be required. Essential functions may be performed with reasonable accommodation in accordance with applicable law and Nation policy.
• Employment is subject to the Nation’s applicable background screening, confidentiality, conflict-of-interest, and personnel requirements. A valid driver’s license and eligibility to operate a vehicle for Nation business are required when driving is an essential duty. Applicants and new hires must complete the pre-employment drug screening required by Kaw Nation policy; consequences of screening results will be administered under that policy.
• Kaw Nation maintains a drug-free workplace. Hiring preference and equal employment opportunity will be administered in accordance with applicable tribal law and adopted personnel policy, including required documentation of preference eligibility.
• Perform other duties assigned by the Tribal Chair that are consistent with this position, the Nation’s governing documents, approved policies, and delegated authority. This description does not itself grant signing authority, change reporting relationships established by tribal law, or create an employment contract.

Performance Evaluation

• The Tribal Chair will evaluate performance under the Nation’s adopted personnel policies, using an annual work plan and goals established through the authorized governance process. Measures should include implementation of approved directives; budget discipline; timely award reporting and audit corrective actions; citizen service responsiveness; workforce stability and development; and progress on approved projects. Targets should reflect the Executive Director’s actual authority, resources, and assigned responsibilities.