Ilakucaraq Project Coordinator

Job Description - Ilakucaraq Project Coordinator

Ilakucaraq Project

The Ilakucaraq Project (IP) supports Alaska Native youth in building cultural confidence and connection to heritage through youth-focused programming and professional development for adults who work with youth. This project is executed in partnership with the Alaska Native Heritage Center through a grant from the US Department of Education Alaska Native Education Program. The Alaska Humanities Forums role within IP is to engage educators that work with Alaska Native youth to become more culturally responsive and affirming in their relationship-building with students and families as well as their teaching practices with an emphasis on building connection between urban and rural communities. IP guides educators through a professional development program centered on Indigenous Awareness and Culturally Responsive Teaching that includes a graduate-level university course culturally immersive gatherings and supportive peer connections with a cohort of other teachers from around the state. Educators who come through IP programming gain the tools support and confidence to sustainably build welcoming school spaces that reflect and honor the cultures of their communities.

Position Summary

The Ilakucaraq Project Coordinator will play an integral role building important connections and cultivating relationships with rural communities as part of the Forums cross-cultural work with educators. The Ilakucaraq Project Coordinator will engage with Alaska Pacific University cultural partners and conference organizers to further the projects success. The position will provide critical logistics support communication and engagement with community members educators and partners to ensure program success. This position will report to the Ilakucaraq Project Manager.

Essential Job Duties
Community Engagement
Coordinate logistics of culture camps across rural Alaska with guidance from local communities and partner organizations (identify camp hosts culture bearers establish dates and potential schedules volunteer needs)
Maintain connection and communication with Alaska Pacific University for course recruitment implementation and evaluation
Manage logistics of presenting at and attending several large statewide conferences to deepen our network of organizations and individuals working in education and in support of Alaska Native youth
Support course instructors and course design as needed including engaging culture bearers to attend Zoom classes
Co-facilitate summer culture camp orientations and debriefs

Program Coordination
Assist the IP Project Manager in recruiting educators for university courses and provide ongoing supports for teachers as needed
Cultivate strong relationships with program partners educators community members and Culture Bearers
Provide technical assistance as needed for course instructors and educators (registration credit access Blackboard platform)

Development Facilitation and Continuous Improvement
Work with C3 Director IP Project Manager and program partners to plan and facilitate gatherings for educators
Contribute to Forum team of facilitators by supporting C3 Program and Forum internal convenings as opportunities arise
Participate in annual professional development to enhance skills in project design and facilitation
Participate in weekly Forum staff meetings and team meetings
Perform data collection and project evaluation and reporting functions including logging participant information and activities
Other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Must support and believe in the mission of the Alaska Humanities Forum
Must be committed to supporting an equitable and inclusive organizational culture
Must have an understanding of the history dynamics and challenges of Western education in rural Alaska
Must have own transportation drivers license and reliable personal vehicle
Must be able to pass state and federal background checks

Keys to Success
A successful candidate for this position will have the following mindset and approaches to the job:
Relationship building: the coordinator will engage and support people from different backgrounds perspectives and approaches both in-person and remotely. They aspire to make connections with people build trust and understanding and approach the smallest and largest of tasks with a team-oriented mindset.

Attention to detail: the coordinator aims to leave things better than they found them. As the coordinator for a project that spans Alaska and often depends on factors outside of our control they maintain their cool while collecting data communicating weather-related programming shifts and look for what others might be missing in the bigger picture.
Curious about and comfortable talking about culture: The thought of guiding others through exploring and articulating their own cultures feels interesting and exciting to the coordinator and they are interested in learning about cultures different from their own.
Adaptability and problem solving: the coordinator is always ready to take advantage of unexpected opportunities and address obstacles and is okay when things shift. They look for the root of both simple and complex problems so they can seek solutions. They approach work with a spirit of yes and adapt as things change.

Education/Training
Applicant must have experience working and/or living in Alaska (but outside of Anchorage). Experience working in predominantly Alaska Native communities preferred.
Applicant must have interest in facilitating workshops and conversations and is open to growing this skill
Applicant must have demonstrated experience successfully planning and managing a project that takes place in rural Alaska including travel logistics
Applicant must have an associates degree or equivalent life experience

Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 25 lbs;
Must be comfortable traveling in small (6-seater) airplanes and boats;
Comfortable driving participants in rental vehicles
Ability to participate in virtual meetings for up to four hours with short breaks;
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Microsoft Teams G-Suite Zoom.

Conditions of Employment

The Ilakucaraq Project Coordinator role is an exempt full-time position based at the Forum offices in Anchorage with a regular weekday work schedule of 40 hours per week. This position will involve some weekends & evenings. Benefits include medical dental disability ten paid holidays per year over 5 weeks of annual paid time-off and sick leave paid family leave and a 403(b)-retirement plan.

Application and Hire Date

The first round of applications will be reviewed on October 27.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At the Alaska Humanities Forum we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race color religion sex pregnancy (including childbirth lactation and related medical conditions) national origin age physical and mental disability marital status sexual orientation gender identity gender expression genetic information (including characteristics and testing) military and veteran status and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We believe that diversity and inclusion among our employees are critical to our success and we seek to recruit develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

Benefits

The Forum offers several benefits including:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Plan
• Vision Plan
• Life/AD&D/STD/LTD Insurance
• 403(b) plan with full employer match up to 3% gross salary (after 6 months)
• 10 annual holidays
• Paid Time Off and Sick Leave (total of 5.4 to 6 weeks per year depending on tenure)
• Parental Leave
• Bereavement Leave

Contact for Questions

For questions about this position contact Julie Rowland at or

Required Experience:

Manager