Community Development Director

JOB SUMMARY

The Community Development Director provides executive leadership and strategic direction across the Tribe’s Community Development portfolio; aligns land use, infrastructure, housing development, and ensures coordinated execution of Tribal Council and executive priorities. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Community Development Director integrates land use, infrastructure, development, and capital investments to ensure coordinated execution of Tribal Council priorities. This position supervises assigned department directors and is responsible for integrating Public Works, Planning, Trust Services, housing development initiatives, and related capital projects.

MAJOR TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Leadership of the Community Development Portfolio

• Provides executive leadership, direction, and oversight for the Tribe’s Community Development portfolio, including Public Works, Planning, Trust Services, tribal-funded housing development and program coordination, and capital project coordination.
• Translates Tribal Council, CEO, and COO priorities into clear departmental work plans, project priorities, operational expectations, and implementation strategies.
• Advises the COO, CEO, relevant Committees, and Tribal leadership on community development, infrastructure, land use, trust/property, housing development, and capital project issues affecting Tribal operations, service delivery, and long-term development goals.
• Evaluates organizational performance and recommends improvements to strengthen coordination, accountability, and service delivery.

Department Oversight and Performance Management

• Directly supervises and evaluates assigned department directors and managers, including the Director of Public Works and Director of Planning, and leaders of other assigned functions.
• Resolves cross-department conflicts, competing priorities, and operational bottlenecks among Public Works, Planning, Trust Services, housing development initiatives, and related functions.
• Establishes performance expectations, develops department leadership through coaching and succession planning, and recommends staffing and organizational improvements to strengthen operational performance.
• Identifies staffing, succession, organizational, and operational needs across the portfolio and makes recommendations to the COO regarding structure, staffing, and resource allocation.

Public Works, Planning, and Community Development Integration

• Oversee the integration of Public Works, Planning, and related community development functions to support coordinated delivery of Tribal priorities, infrastructure projects, land use decisions, and development initiatives.
• Ensures assigned leaders work collaboratively across departments and with executive leadership to address infrastructure needs, maintenance priorities, project sequencing, operational risks, and community concerns, and resolves cross-department conflicts and competing priorities affecting project delivery, land use, infrastructure, and community development work.
• Provides executive oversight of planning and land use activities, including long-range planning, Comprehensive Plan implementation, permit and development coordination, and related policy or code matters within the assigned portfolio.
• Ensures coordinated delivery of infrastructure, land use, permitting, Comprehensive Plan implementation, capital projects, and related Tribal priorities.

Trust Services, Realty, and Property Coordination

• Provides executive oversight of Trust Services and related property, land, and realty coordination functions assigned to the portfolio.
• Coordinates trust, fee-to-trust, land acquisition, title, and property matters with Planning, Public Works, Legal, and executive leadership to support Tribal development priorities.
• Helps ensure that land and property issues affecting Tribal development projects are elevated early, coordinated appropriately, and presented clearly to executive leadership for decision-making.

Tribal-Funded Housing Development and Program Coordination

• Coordinates shared housing-related projects with Housing Authority leadership and internal partners to address land, infrastructure, funding, and implementation issues.
• Supports planning, coordination, and execution of Tribal housing development priorities that are funded or managed outside Housing Authority lending and HUD/NAHASDA operations.
• Coordinates with Housing Authority leadership, Finance, Legal, Planning, Public Works, and Construction on shared housing-related projects, land needs, infrastructure needs, and implementation challenges.

Capital Project Planning, Coordination, and Execution Oversight

• Leads planning, coordination, and executive oversight of capital and community development projects across the assigned portfolio, including projects involving Public Works, Planning, Trust Services, tribal-funded housing development, infrastructure, and related departmental priorities.
• Establishes project governance, prioritization, reporting, issue escalation, and executive oversight to ensure successful delivery of capital projects.

Budget, Contracts, Procurement, and Administrative Oversight

• Oversee departmental budgets, expenditure planning, and resource needs for assigned departments and functions within the community development portfolio.
• Ensures sound fiscal stewardship through oversight of budgets, contracts, procurement, compliance, and administrative controls for the Community Development portfolio.

Policy, Governance, and Executive Reporting

• Prepares or oversees preparation of reports, analyses, presentations, recommendations, and briefing materials for the COO, CEO, Tribal Council, Economic and Community Development Committee, Planning Committee, housing board, and other leadership bodies as assigned
• Provides clear, accurate, and timely updates to executive leadership regarding portfolio performance, project status, emerging risks, policy issues, and decisions requiring executive or Tribal Council action.
• Supports development, review, and implementation of Tribal policies, procedures, ordinances, resolutions, and other governance materials related to assigned functions.
• Represents the Community Development portfolio before Tribal leadership, committees, agencies, and stakeholders and ensures executive decision materials are complete, coordinated, and supported by sound analysis.

Intergovernmental, Community, and External Coordination

• Builds and maintains effective working relationships with Tribal officials, community members, external agencies, consultants, contractors, utilities, and partner governments in support of the Community Development portfolio.
• Represents the Tribe’s interests in meetings and negotiations related to assigned departments, land use, infrastructure, property matters, housing development, and capital projects, as directed.
• Build collaborative relationships with internal and external partners and ensure community concerns and intergovernmental issues are addressed professionally and promptly.

Other Duties

• Performs related duties and special projects as assigned.
• Because of the Tribe’s commitment to community service and the well-being of its members, each employee may be expected to perform a wide range of office and field duties from time to time. Such duties may or may not be related to their regular responsibilities.

EDUCATION - EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING FOR POSITION

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in public administration, urban or regional planning, civil engineering, construction management, community development, tribal administration, business administration, public policy, environmental planning, or a closely related field.
• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in one or more of the following areas: public works, infrastructure, community development, planning, land use, trust/property coordination, housing development, capital projects, utilities, tribal government operations, or related public-sector, tribal government, or community development functions.
• Five (5) years of senior management or executive leadership experience with responsibility for supervising managers or directors, managing budgets, and leading complex cross-functional operations or projects.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing or coordinating capital projects, infrastructure initiatives, land or development-related work, and multi-department operations in a complex organization.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and managing budgets, monitoring expenditures, and working with contracts, consultants, procurement, and project or operational reporting.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet Tribal driving requirements.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in public administration, planning, engineering, business administration, tribal administration, community development, public policy, or a closely related field.
• Experience working in tribal government or in a setting involving Tribal sovereignty, Tribal governance, trust land, or Tribal community development.
• Experience overseeing Public Works, Planning, infrastructure, utilities, housing development, trust/property, or land use functions in a tribal, local government, or similarly complex public-sector environment.
• Experience working with fee-to-trust, property acquisition, intergovernmental coordination, environmental review, or land development processes .
• Project management, public works, planning, engineering, or related professional certification(s) relevant to the position.

SPECIFIC SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR POSITION

Skills:

• Executive leadership and portfolio management skills, including the ability to lead multiple departments and initiatives with competing priorities.
• Skill in building productive working relationships with Tribal leadership, staff, community members, consultants, contractors, agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Strong executive leadership, organizational, analytical, communication, project management, budgeting, contract administration, and performance management skills.
• Skill in resolving conflicts, navigating sensitive issues, and maintaining professionalism and accountability in a politically and operationally complex environment.
• Proficiency in standard business software, including Microsoft Office and other systems used for budgeting, reporting, communication, project tracking, and document management.

Ability:

• Ability to lead a diverse portfolio of operational, planning, infrastructure, and development functions in a coordinated and disciplined manner.
• Ability to translate Tribal leadership priorities into executable work plans, project strategies, and operational expectations.
• Ability to resolve competing priorities and resolve disputes among departments, managers, and stakeholders while maintaining alignment with Tribal priorities and executive direction.
• Ability to lead a complex executive portfolio while coordinating multiple departments, balancing strategic priorities with day-to-day operations, and exercising sound judgment in a sovereign Tribal government environment.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and political awareness in a sovereign Tribal government environment.
• Ability to respond effectively under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to changing organizational needs and evolving portfolio structures.
• Ability to interpret and apply Tribal policies, procedures, codes, ordinances, and other applicable rules and requirements relevant to assigned functions.

Knowledge:

• Principles and practices of executive leadership, public administration, organizational management, and departmental oversight.
• Principles and practices related to community development, public works, planning, capital project coordination, infrastructure, housing development, and related operational functions.
• Principles of budget administration, financial oversight, contract management, procurement coordination, and operational reporting.
• Planning, land use, development, and project coordination processes, including the intersection of infrastructure, land, permitting, and development implementation.
• Trust/property, fee-to-trust, land acquisition, or related land coordination concepts relevant to Tribal or public-sector development work.
• Tribal governance structures and the relationship between executive leadership, Tribal Council, committees, boards, and operational departments.
• Tribal, federal, state, and local governmental processes relevant to assigned work, including intergovernmental coordination and regulatory review where applicable.
• Effective supervisory practices, performance management, and workforce development principles.
• Community-facing leadership practices, including public communication, stakeholder coordination, and issue resolution in sensitive environments.
• Computer applications and information systems are commonly used for executive administration, budgeting, reporting, and project management.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this class. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to ten pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet

Licenses or Certifications Required