Associate Vice President for Tribal Nation Relations and Native American Initiatives

JOB TITLE: Associate Vice President for Tribal Nation Relations and Native American Initiatives 

LOCATION: History Center - 345 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102 

COMPENSATION: Starting range $105,000.00 - $131,000.00 annually 

STATUS & HOURS: Full-time, regular (approximately 2,080 annual hours) position. 

BENEFITS: Eligible to participate in State Employee Group Insurance Program and a retirement program with employer contribution. Generous vacation and sick time accruals with additional paid holidays. 

DESIGNATION: Supervisory 

POSTING DATE: November 8, 2024 

DEADLINE DATE: Extended: December 10, 2024 

TO APPLY: Interested applicants must apply online at the Minnesota Historical Society’s career center at www.mnhs.org/jobs and include a resume and cover letter by the application deadline date. 

DESCRIPTION: This position focuses on three main responsibilities: (1) lead MNHS relations with Tribal Nations; (2) serve on the MNHS Leadership Team, as its subject matter and community expert, as well as commitment to the good of the organization; and (3) oversee organization-wide Native American initiatives. Given the collaborative nature of this work, the Associate Vice President will collaborate with numerous entities both external and internal. 

SUMMARY OF WORK: 1) Tribal Nation Relations: Creates strategy, in collaboration with the Executive Director, to build and sustain positive relationships with the Tribal Nations; 2) Subject Matter and Community Expertise: Collaborates with the Education and Interpretation, Library, Archives and Collections, and the Historic Sites and Facilities Operations Divisions, and the Capital Planning and Preservation group, Integrated Marketing Communication, People and Culture, and Advancement Departments on Native American content, programming and cultural resources; 3) Oversight of organization-wide Native American initiatives: Leads a team of MNHS colleagues who administer related programs and services, including but not limited to the Native American Undergraduate Museum Fellows Program and Reconnecting Our Roots; 4) Team Leadership: Leads and oversees assigned department and functional areas to ensure alignment to MNHS’ strategic plan, goals and priorities; 5) MNHS Leadership: Serves as a member of the MNHS leadership team responsible for institutional strategy and organizational strength; 6) Fundraising and Major Grants; and 7) Compliance: Ensures that all organizational policies are compliant with applicable laws. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

● Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, Native American studies, public history, a related field plus eight years museum experience or equivalent OR an advanced degree plus six years museum experience or equivalent. 

● Knowledge and respect of Native American history, culture, and art. 

● Knowledge and demonstrated application of legal and ethical museum standards in all areas of museum operation, historical research and interpretation, NAGPRA, basic conservation principles, audience evaluation, collections care and management, and exhibit development.  

● Broad knowledge of historical and museum trends, strategic planning, 

communications, marketing, program development/delivery, and non-profit 

administration. 

● Flexibility and versatility in judgment, analysis, and organizational ability to develop, coordinate, and manage a wide variety of projects and procedures. 

● Demonstrate grace and perseverance to manage the conflict and discomfort inherent in moving forward in culturally sensitive situations. 

● Highly developed interpersonal skills to understand, negotiate, mediate and collaborate with a wide variety of people with a diverse range of knowledge and skills and diverse 

backgrounds, education and interests. 

● Demonstrated ability to develop individual employees and build a high functioning team culture among groups of diverse, gifted professionals. 

● Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and to speak effectively to both large and small groups, able to translate professional jargon. 

● Ability to identify, interpret and apply laws. 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

● Familiarity with the MNHS and its programs, including the MNHS charter, bylaws, mission statement and institutional goals. 

● Knowledge of Minnesota’s native peoples’ history and culture. 

● Experience working with Native Americans and Tribal Nations in Minnesota. 

● Historical and cultural experience. 

● Advanced degree. 

Should you have questions with the application process, email humanresources@mnhs.org or call MNHS Job Line at 651-259-3181. 

At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.