Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the Senior Director, Community Initiatives is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing programs and projects that directly benefit the Shareholders, their descendants, and the broader community within the Corporation's service area, primarily focusing on Utqiaġvik. This role requires a deep understanding of Inupiaq culture, values, and local needs, strong relationship-building skills, and the ability to secure and manage funding for various initiatives, including housing, cultural preservation, education, workforce development, health, and social programs. The Senior Director will act as the primary liaison between the Corporation and the community, local organizations, and governmental entities regarding community investments and partnerships.  The role will be responsible for developing and executing a highly strategic, innovative, and collaborative plan to identify and engage critical internal and community stakeholders, to advance the economic, social, and cultural priorities of our community in a manner aligned with our Iñupiat values.  In addition, the Senior Director will lead, coordinate, and oversee the Corporation’s social and community investment initiatives as directed by the Board of Directors and Executive Management, ensuring these efforts produce measurable benefits for shareholders, descendants, and the community of Utqiaġvik.

Essential functions will include:

• Program Development and Management: Design, plan, and execute high-impact community initiatives aligned with the Corporation's mission, values, and strategic goals. This includes creating program budgets, operational plans, and performance metrics. Lead the strategic development of corporate social and community investment programs to ensure alignment with Board and Executive Management priorities.
• Shareholder and Community Engagement: Actively engage with Shareholders, Elders, community leaders, and local organizations to assess needs, gather input, and ensure programs are culturally relevant and responsive to local priorities. Addresses shareholders’ concerns and questions regarding community issues promptly and effectively, with an eye both toward short-term impact and long-term strategy.  Facilitate community consultations to identify investment opportunities that produce sustainable community benefit as directed by the Board and Executive Management.
• Grant and Funding Acquisition: Proactively seek out and secure external funding sources, including federal, state, and private grants, to support community initiatives. Write comprehensive grant proposals, manage reporting requirements, and ensure compliance. Integrate grant-funded resources with corporate social investment strategies to maximize impact and long-term viability.
• Partnership Building: Establish and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with key stakeholders, including tribal governments, local city councils, non-profits, school districts, and other Alaska Native organizations. Manages and represents UIC’s interests with the local, regional, state, national, and international community to further the community initiatives of the corporation. Develop community investment partnerships that leverage UIC resources to support priority initiatives identified by the Board and Executive Management.
• Financial Oversight and Reporting: Manage the Community Initiatives, ensuring fiscal responsibility. Prepare regular reports on program status, financial performance, and impact for the executive team and Board of Directors. Provide detailed reporting on corporate social and community investment activities, including ROI analyses, impact metrics, and alignment with strategic directives.
• Cultural Perpetuation: Champion initiatives that promote and perpetuate Inupiaq language, traditions, and subsistence practices. Ensure cultural values are embedded in all community investment strategies and decision-making frameworks.
• Workforce Development: Partner with internal stakeholders in the development and execution of UIC's workforce development program; including goals, objectives, strategy development, and action plans.
• Supervision: Oversee and mentor any staff, contractors, or volunteers associated with community programs. Provide leadership to staff engaged in social investment activities, ensuring alignment with corporate strategies and directives.

Additional Duties:

• Support the UIC Foundation's goals, objectives, and strategies; including reestablishment as a functioning non-profit.
• Promotes a culture of high performance that values learning and a commitment to quality.
• Maintains continuous lines of communication, keeping the President/CEO informed of all critical issues.
• Applies current expertise in ANCSA, ANILCA, and other statutes affecting UIC’s shareholders and lands, and builds effective relationships with Federal, State, Village, and Borough agencies to protect UIC’s lands and optimize benefits for UIC and its shareholders, while ensuring compliance with all regulatory agencies.
• Works with the corporation’s In-house Counsel to ensure compliance with federal and state law and all legal obligations.
• Serve as the primary coordinator for social and community investment priorities, ensuring timely execution and alignment with corporate strategic plans.
• Develop long-term strategies and annual action plans for corporation-wide community investment, ensuring initiatives directly benefit shareholders, descendants, and the Utqiaġvik community
• Advise Executive Management and the Board on emerging needs, opportunities, and risks relating to community investment.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Deep knowledge of the North Slope region, Iñupiaq culture, and the community of Utqiaġvik.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and rapport with a diverse group of stakeholders, including Elders, youth, and corporate executives.
• Must have the ability to influence and inspire a large organization through his or her vision, using the power of persuasive reasoning, reference to facts and best practices, effective partnering, and well-developed verbal and written skills.
• Entrepreneurial team player who can multitask.
• Demonstrated proficiency in project management, strategic planning, and financial management.
• Must be self-reliant, excellent problem solver, and results oriented.
• Ability to operate as an effective tactical as well as strategic thinker.
• Comfortable acting in an environment of successful professionals and an organization whose culture stresses accountability and influence, not just authority.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and grant management software.
• Ability to balance multiple, dynamic priorities and produce positive, measurable results.
• Experience leading corporate social responsibility, economic development, or community investment programs strongly preferred.
• Ability to translate community needs into structured investment strategies aligned with corporate goals.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Social Work, Education, or a related field. Relevant experience may substitute for degree requirements.
• A minimum of Ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in program management, community development, grant writing, and/or non-profit leadership.
• Experience working with or for an Alaskan Native Corporation or Tribal organization.
• Advanced knowledge of ANILCA and ANCSA, and how they apply to UIC.
• Familiarity with the history and status of UIC and the associated regulatory environment.
• An understanding of the agencies that are stakeholders or influencers of UIC, to include other ANC’s, the State of Alaska, the NSB, the Native Village of Barrow, ASRC, and others.
• Must be a UIC Shareholder.
• This position is primarily located in an office setting in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. Travel within the region and to other parts of Alaska or the Lower 48 may be required for meetings, training, and conferences. The Senior Director must be prepared to work flexible hours to accommodate community events and meetings.
• Must be able to pass pre-employment screening, which will include background investigation and drug screening.

Physical and Mental Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to read text on a computer screen and hard copy, stand or sit, talk, and hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms.
• Exposure to moderate levels of noise in a well-lit, well-ventilated, and moderately paced office environment.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.

Working Conditions:

• Position is based in Utqiaġvik.

• Must be able to travel frequently between Anchorage and Utqiaġvik, and across the Lower 48 as needed.

• Work is primarily performed in a professional office setting within a large office building.

• Work is generally sedentary but may require frequent standing and walking.

• Occasional travel to active construction sites may be required.

• May be exposed to typical environmental conditions of both office and construction settings. 

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