Environmental Director The Environmental Director is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, managing, and overseeing the Tribe's Environmental Department and its programs. This position provides direct oversight of environmental programs, staff, grants, budgets, research, assessments, projects, and daily operations. The Environmental Director ensures that all program activities are completed accurately and timely in accordance with approved work plans, grant objectives, funding requirements, applicable regulations, and agency standards. This position provides leadership in protecting, preserving, and enhancing the natural resources of Tribal lands and works closely with Tribal leadership, community members, government agencies, consultants, contractors, and other partners to address environmental concerns and promote responsible environmental stewardship for current and future generations.
Responsibilities:
Provide overall management, leadership, strategic planning, and administrative oversight for the Environmental Department. Oversee all environmental programs, services, projects, grants, budgets, activities, and staff assigned to the department. Establish departmental and program goals, employee responsibilities, performance expectations, work plans, timelines, and priorities. Ensure environmental programs and staff operate in accordance with applicable Tribal and federal laws, regulations, policies, procedures, approved work plans, grant requirements, and funding conditions. Supervise, direct, train, and evaluate Environmental Department staff, including assigning work, monitoring performance, providing guidance and feedback, and addressing performance or operational concerns. Conduct regular meetings with program staff to review program progress, upcoming activities, deadlines, challenges, resource needs, and required support. Coordinate program and staff activities to ensure projects and services are completed efficiently, accurately, safely, and within established deadlines. Provide oversight of all environmental research, assessments, inspections, field monitoring, sampling, testing, data collection, and analysis conducted by Environmental Department programs, staff, consultants, and contractors. Ensure all research, assessments, projects, and program activities are completed accurately and within established timelines in accordance with approved work plans, grant objectives, scopes of work, funding requirements, applicable regulations, and agency standards. Review environmental research, assessment findings, technical reports, laboratory results, environmental data, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, and compliance before submission to Tribal leadership, funding agencies, or regulatory agencies. Monitor program and staff progress toward grant objectives, work-plan activities, performance measures, timelines, and required deliverables. Ensure grant-funded activities remain within the approved scope of work and budget and comply with all grant terms, conditions, reporting requirements, and applicable Tribal and federal regulations. Identify and promptly address delays, deficiencies, compliance concerns, missed deadlines, or other barriers that may affect the successful completion of work-plan activities or grant requirements. Develop and implement corrective action plans when programs, projects, or grant activities do not meet established requirements, objectives, or deadlines. Coordinate with program staff, consultants, contractors, EPA Project Officers, funding agencies, and other partners to resolve concerns and ensure successful completion of program and grant responsibilities. Prepare, review, approve, and ensure the timely submission of progress reports, financial reports, environmental data, assessments, reimbursement requests, and other required grant deliverables. Maintain appropriate documentation demonstrating that research, assessments, expenditures, program activities, and deliverables were completed in accordance with approved work plans and grant requirements. Identify environmental priorities and develop departmental goals, objectives, policies, work plans, and projects that support the protection of Tribal lands, natural resources, cultural resources, and public health. Develop, implement, manage, and oversee environmental programs and initiatives, including but not limited to: air quality monitoring, water quality protection, solid waste management, soil contamination assessment, hazardous materials management, emergency environmental response, recycling and sustainability initiatives, pollution prevention, environmental education and community outreach, brownfields program. Identify and assess potential environmental hazards, contaminated properties, illegal dumping areas, abandoned structures, and other sites that may present environmental or public health concerns. Evaluate short-term and long-term strategies for addressing environmental concerns affecting Tribal lands, natural resources, cultural resources, public health, and the community. Administer and manage Environmental Department grants, including program implementation, budget oversight, expenditure monitoring, regulatory compliance, and completion of objectives and deliverables. Research and pursue funding opportunities to support or expand environmental programs, including preparing grant applications, proposals, scopes of work, work plans, budgets, and supporting documentation. Monitor program budgets and expenditures to ensure funds are used appropriately, remain within approved budget categories, and comply with grant and Tribal financial requirements. Prepare and submit monthly, quarterly, annual, and final reports to EPA Project Officers, Tribal Administration, Tribal Council, and other funding or regulatory agencies. Maintain accurate, complete, and organized departmental, personnel, program, grant, financial, environmental monitoring, and compliance records. Remain current on environmental laws, regulations, policies, grant requirements, scientific developments, and emerging issues that may affect Tribal environmental programs. Promote and support Tribal sovereignty and self-determination in environmental protection, regulation, and natural resource management. Develop environmental education materials, training opportunities, and outreach programs to increase community awareness of environmental protection, conservation, public health, and sustainability. Facilitate community meetings, public outreach activities, and educational events concerning environmental issues and departmental initiatives. Present environmental findings, program updates, recommendations, and reports to Tribal Council, Tribal Administration, community members, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders. Coordinate with Tribal departments, federal and state agencies, local governments, Tribal organizations, consultants, contractors, and external partners on environmental projects and concerns. Represent the Tribe at local, regional, and national meetings, conferences, consultations, training sessions, working groups, and environmental forums. Promote communication, cooperation, accountability, and consistency among Environmental Department programs and staff. Maintain a professional, accountable, respectful, safe, and productive work environment. Ensure environmental programs and field activities are conducted safely and in accordance with applicable laws, policies, procedures, approved work plans, and safety requirements. Perform other related duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of environmental science principles, natural resource protection, sustainability, pollution prevention, and environmental program management.
Knowledge of applicable Tribal and federal environmental laws, regulations, policies, and compliance requirements.
Knowledge of EPA environmental grant requirements, reporting procedures, program standards, and financial compliance responsibilities.
Knowledge of environmental monitoring, field sampling, testing procedures, data collection, analysis, and documentation practices.
Knowledge of hazardous substances, petroleum contamination, solid waste, illegal dumping, and other environmental hazards.
Knowledge of grant writing, grant administration, budget monitoring, procurement, and program reporting.
Knowledge of effective supervision, employee development, performance management, and program administration practices.
Ability to provide effective leadership and oversight for multiple environmental programs, projects, grants, budgets, and employees.
Ability to interpret and apply grant agreements, approved work plans, scopes of work, budgets, performance measures, reporting schedules, and funding requirements.
Ability to monitor programs and employees to ensure environmental research, assessments, and grant-funded activities are completed accurately, timely, and in compliance with established requirements.
Ability to establish priorities, assign responsibilities, monitor performance, and hold programs and staff accountable for established objectives, deliverables, and deadlines.
Ability to supervise, train, evaluate, motivate, and provide guidance to employees.
Ability to identify staffing, training, equipment, funding, and operational needs within environmental programs.
Ability to review technical reports, laboratory results, environmental assessments, research findings, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
Ability to identify program deficiencies, missed deadlines, or compliance concerns and implement appropriate corrective actions.
Ability to coordinate the work of employees, consultants, contractors, environmental professionals, and project partners.
Ability to evaluate environmental, Tribal, cultural, governmental, and political factors when developing recommendations and program priorities.
Strong leadership, supervisory, organizational, analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including technical report writing, grant preparation, community education, and public presentations.
Ability to communicate complex environmental information clearly to Tribal leadership, community members, employees, regulatory agencies, and external partners.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, manage competing priorities, and meet established deadlines
