Food Sovereignty Initiatives Specialist

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board • Portland, Oregon, United States • 15h ago

About the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB)

The Northwest Tribes have long recognized the need to exercise control over the design and development of health care delivery systems in their local communities. To this end, they formed the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (also referred to as NPAIHB or “the Board”) in 1972.

Guided by a vision of “Health and Wellness for the Seventh Generation,” NPAIHB is a 501(c)3 designated (non-profit) organization and Tribal organization, P.L. 93-638, under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) serving the 43 federally recognized Tribes in the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington (Northwest Tribes). Tribes become voting members of the Board through resolutions passed by their governing body. Each member Tribe designates a delegate to serve on the NPAIHB Board of Directors.

Led by our Board of Directors, NPAIHB’s mission is to “eliminate health disparities and improve the quality of life of American Indians and Alaska Natives by supporting Northwest Tribes in their delivery of culturally appropriate, high-quality health programs and services.” We have a staff of over 120 professionals dedicated to advancing Tribal health for the 7th generation in the Pacific Northwest.

The NPAIHB’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030 can be found here.

Job Title: Food Sovereignty Initiatives Project SpecialistReports to: WEAVE-NW Project Director

Initial Salary Range: $58,500– $68,500 Annually

Benefits: Health, Vision, & Dental Insurance, Retirement Contributions, PTO, and Paid Holidays

Funded Through: September 29th, 2029

Classification: Salaried, Exempt

Status: Full-Time (1.0 FTE), Regular w/ Benefits

Location: Portland, OR

Position Summary

The Food Sovereignty Initiatives Project Specialist’s (FS Project Specialist) primary responsibility is to oversee the Northwest Tribal Food Sovereignty Initiative, including the Wellness for Every American Indian to Achieve and View Health Equity (WEAVE-NW) Tribal Food Sovereignty grantees, food sovereignty activities, and Northwest Tribal Food Sovereignty coalition.

Responsibilities include developing, coordinating, and facilitating meetings, conferences, and trainings, coordinating the strategic planning and implementation of workplans and future external funding opportunities, providing food sovereignty grantee oversight, providing tribes with subject matter expertise (specifically around food systems, food sovereignty, access to food, and traditional food topics), supporting the budget management for food sovereignty initiative events, and providing overall project support as needed.

This position is also responsible for collaborating with other WEAVE-NW team members for projects related to food sovereignty (such as food-related issues around diabetes, nutrition, diet and exercise, tobacco, and chronic disease prevention).

Under the guidance of the WEAVE-NW Project Director, the FS Project Specialist also collaborates with other NPAIHB staff members, including fellow WEAVE-NW team members and the Project Director Evaluator to achieve the goals and objectives of assigned subawards.

The Food Sovereignty Initiatives Project Specialist serves on the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board’s WEAVE-NW team of public health professionals which manage and facilitate the strategies and activities under the Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country (GHWIC) initiative. The Food Sovereignty Initiative Project Specialist reports to the WEAVE-NW Project Director. This scope of work is housed within the NW Tribal Epidemiology Center (“NW-TEC” or “EpiCenter”) Division. This position is based at NPAIHB’s offices in Portland, Oregon. Local travel and/or overnight travel outside of the area is required approximately 10% of the time, mostly within the service area.

WEAVE-NW Program Essential Functions

· Provides WEAVE-NW program direction and support in alignment with NPAIHB Strategic Plan

· Facilitates the delivery of WEAVE-NW food sovereignty content for the NWTEC, and for NPAIHB programs, including the Food Sovereignty and the GHWIC grant, along with future projects and services

· Participates in (and leads, as appropriate) all NPAIHB WEAVE-NW related grant meetings and program discussions

· Facilitates and provides staff support to the NW Food Sovereignty Committee, and assists with running the Food Sovereignty meeting during the Quarterly NPAIHB Board of Directors Meeting (QBM)

· Leads the development of NPAIHB’s WEAVE-NW food sovereignty initiatives, along with NPAIHB staff, Tribal partners, and consultants

· Conducts long-term and short-term research (including surveys, feasibility studies, and research studies) to guide WEAVE-NW program development, improvement of services, and development of Tribally based best practices for NW Tribes

· Creates and implements capacity building and quality improvement strategies based on the needs and priorities of Northwest Tribes

· Updates WEAVE-NW priorities throughout the year, as directed by Northwest Tribes, and through the NPAIHB Strategic Planning process and/or annual federal and state policy priorities

· Works closely with Director of Government Affairs and/or Executive Director to identify Northwest, federal, and state policy priorities related to WEAVE-NW

· Assists in finding and pursuing grant funding from other sources for WEAVE-NW and food sovereignty

· Supports collaboration and compliance between projects, partners, and funding agencies to meet all goals and objectives for each grant’s fiscal period and the larger strategic plan of the NPAIHB

· Establishes and maintains relationships with Portland Area IHS and Tribal health program leadership and staff to enhance broad regional participation in projects

· Represents the NPAIHB and its NWTEC and Health projects at state and national meetings, conferences, events, and workgroups relating to WEAVE-NW

Administrative and Reporting Functions

· Supports the preparation and submission of all required project reports for the WEAVE-NW program

· Engages staff in the collection of pertinent data to meet reporting requirements

· Maintains well-organized filing systems for all WEAVE-NW related required documentation and supporting records (both electronic and hard copy) in compliance with both NPAIHB and funding agency requirements, including securely archiving files as appropriate

· Prepares activity reports for NPAIHB Delegates (for Quarterly and ad hoc Board Meetings), the Deputy Director, eMar, and funding agencies

· Submits a Monthly Activity Report (MAR) to the Project Director at the end of each month, and any additional reports required to track project activities as needed

Other Duties

· Collaborates with the WEAVE-NW and other NPAIHB staff to meet related goals and objectives, with supervisor approval

· Supports unique Tribal provider education within formal systems and Tribal training structures, and acts as a lecturer, instructor, or preceptor as appropriate

· Performs other duties as assigned by the WEAVE-NW Director, Division Director, and/or Executive Director

· Works closely with supervisor to support the identification of Northwest, federal, and state policy priorities related to WEAVE-NW

· Manage coalitions, listserv, and newsletter content

· Monitor, implement, track completion timelines

· Coordinate with evaluation specialist to assure subaward tribes are completing evaluation plan and evaluation data collection is complete and submitted

Standards of Conduct

· Act in service to the Tribes and Tribal communities we serve

· Uphold the Mission, Values, and Vision of the NPAIHB

· Maintain the highest level of confidentiality with all NPAIHB information and documentation

· Consistently exhibit professional behavior and a high degree of personal and professional integrity and impartiality appropriate to the responsible and confidential nature of the position

· Exercise good judgment and initiative in performance of duties and responsibilities

· Demonstrate high emotional intelligence in the performance of all duties and responsibilities

· Orientation toward learning, innovation, service, and the building of second-line leadership

· Commitment to building an organizational culture which centers NPAIHB’s service to Tribes, promotes professional excellence, and builds an environment where employees grow and thrive

· Commitment to build an inclusive workplace across a range of identities and experiences, including (but not limited to) geography, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, class, language, disability, religion, spiritual practices, and immigration status

· Sees diversity as a strength, and equity as a baseline

· Work in a cooperative manner with all levels of management and with all NPAIHB staff

· Effectively plan, organize workload, and schedule time to meet workload demands

· Use reasonable judgment to consistently display professional work attire during normal business hours, and/or dress appropriately for the workday, space, or event in lieu of a formal dress code

· Be present, available, and responsive for meetings and calls during regular working hours

· Commit to sharing knowledge and building expertise by participating in all virtual spaces in our workplace with cameras on

· Show consideration by communicating effectively and building collective understanding.

· Recognize relationships are the cornerstone of NPAIHB’s work by treating all NPAIHB delegates/ alternates, partners, staff, and American Indian/Alaska Native people with dignity and respect

· Participate willingly in NPAIHB activities

Qualifications

Education

Minimum education required*:

· Bachelor’s Degree preferably in health promotion/disease prevention, community public health, public health, or related field

· *A minimum of (4) years of demonstrated experience in health promotion/disease prevention, community public health, or related field may serve as an acceptable substitute

Experience

Minimum experience required:

· At least 3 years of experience practicing in a health promotion/disease prevention program

· Preparing written reports

Additional experience preferred:

· At least 2 years of professional experience working in Tribes, Tribal organizations, Tribal communities, or Tribal health clinics

· Direct experience working with Northwest Tribes

· Experience in planning, organizing, implementing, and ongoing development of public health-related coalitions

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

· Demonstrated knowledge, discretion, tact, judgment, and overall ability in working effectively with federal, Tribal, and other professionals, and facilitating participation and partnership in the activities of the WEAVE-NW project

· Proficiency with computer applications (specifically Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft Office Suite programs)

· Strong technical writing skills, including good spelling and grammatical skills, and the ability to produce polished writing under a deadline

· Excellent research and analysis skills

· Excellent interpersonal skills

· Must be sensitive to cross-cultural differences, and able to work effectively within their context.

· Ability to work with minimal supervision, exercise initiative, and make independent decisions and recommendations

· Ability to make professional oral presentations in settings at the national, regional, and community levels, as well as in Tribal settings

· Ability to complete tasks in a timely and accurate manner

· Ability to travel occasionally is approximately 10% of the time

Probationary Period

External applicants must agree to serve a minimum six-month probationary period during which time their employment can be terminated at will. For the purpose of evaluating job performance, internal applicants must agree to serve a minimum six-month probationary period when job duties change significantly.

Work ConditionsPhysical Demands

This position:

· Occasionally it involves light work (exerting up to 20 pounds of force and/or up to 10 pounds of force and/or a negligible amount of force to move objects)

Physical Requirements

This position:

· Consistently requires the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and expressing or exchanging ideas or important instructions accurately, loudly, or quickly

· Constantly requires working with fingers, rather than the whole hand or arm

· Constantly requires repetitive movement of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers

· Often requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks

· Occasionally requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time

· Occasionally requires ascending or descending stairs or ramps using feet and legs and/or hands and arms

· Infrequently it requires raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally

· Infrequently requires stooping, which entails the use of the lower extremities and back muscles.

· Infrequently it requires crouching

Typical Environmental Conditions

The worker is frequently subject to inside environmental conditions, which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes, and is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions.

Travel Requirements

Local travel to subaward locations within Idaho Washington and Oregon is required approximately 10% of the time. Overnight travel outside of the area is infrequently required to attend several conferences or training courses per year. Attendance at quarterly NPAIHB Board Meetings (QBMs) is typically optional, however employees are encouraged to attend at least one QBM annually (with prior supervisor approval). These meetings are held both locally and hosted by our member tribes on a rotating basis, taking place during the third or fourth weeks of January, April, July, and October, and typically require a minimum stay of two overnights per meeting.

Disclaimer

The individual must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation efficiently and accurately without causing a significant safety threat to self or others describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required of all personnel so classified.

Except as provided by Title 25, U.S.C. § 450e(b), which allows for Indian preference in hiring, the NPAIHB does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, politics, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, genetic information, ancestry or any other characteristic protected by law.

Apply online at: https://ats.rippling.com/npaihb/jobs

SEND RESUME AND APPLICATION TO:

NPAIHB Human Resources Department

920 NW 17th Avenue

Portland, Oregon 97209

FAX: (503) 228-8182

Email: HR@npaihb.org