Tribal Outreach Specialist

Tribal Outreach Specialist

Reporting to the Associate Director of the D'Arcy McNickle Center, the Tribal Outreach Specialist will coordinate and assist with activities within the Mellon Implementation grant, "Expanding Indigenous Access and Stewardship at the Newberry Library" (2026-2030) and support the McNickle Center's work as a meeting ground for research and collaboration with Native communities.

The Mellon-funded Implementation grant is a five-year community-driven initiative that centers Indigenous voices, builds lasting relationships, and creates accessible, sustainable pathways to Indigenous histories and knowledge. Building on a 2020–2023 Mellon-funded planning grant and larger institutional initiatives, the project will fund community-led research, digitization, and training—ensuring that American Indian and Alaska Native nations have greater access to and control over the presentation of historical materials that contain their histories and knowledge.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the logistics of all grant-related meetings and events, including internal meetings, tribal visits, onsite trainings, and conference attendance;
• Book travel and arrange catering for all grant related meetings and events;
• Attend all grant events, including occasional travel for conferences and tribal visits;
• Process invoices, cash reports, and check requests to compensate tribal partners in a timely manner;
• Assist with outreach to and communication with tribal nations;
• Facilitate communication among tribal nations, McNickle Center Staff, and staff in Collection and Library Services;
• Contribute to the ongoing survey of the Newberry's collection to identify culturally sensitive materials, outdated terminology/racial slurs, priorities for digitization, and opportunities to increase searchability;
• Develop communication materials, including email publicity, brochures, flyers, and website calendar entries, related to the grant;
• Monitor and respond to incoming phone and email inquiries related to the grant, triaging or referring questions as appropriate
• Perform all other tasks or activities as needed to achieve goals related to the grant project.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; a background in Native American and Indigenous studies preferred;
• At least two years of experience working with tribal nations and/or other Indigenous communities required; three or more years preferred;
• Commitment to collaborating and building reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities;
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail;
• Exceptional written and oral communications skills;
• Strong computer skills, experience with Microsoft Office Suite, social media savvy;
• Experience with basic financial processing skills such as tracking expenses, preparing payment requests, and reviewing invoices for accuracy
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously;
• Ability to work collaboratively in a cordial and professional manner with diverse populations;
• Self-motivated; ability to work independently on planned projects and goals;

Schedule: This is a full-time, non-exempt position, working 35 hours a week, with normal hours generally from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Work outside of these hours may be required. Remote work may be available in accordance with Library policy; however, the position requires regular onsite presence and is required to be onsite for all in-person activities. This position will end in December 2030.

THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.