American Indian Health Director

To be considered for this position you must complete the state application and attach all required documents through the Montana State Careers site at .

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has a career opportunity within the Directors Office / Office of American Indian Health.

The American Indian Health Director (AIHD) serves as the operational lead for Tribal Relations Manager (TRM) coordinating health and human services support to Montanas eight Tribal Governments five Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) the Indian Health Service (IHS) and other American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) stakeholders. This position leads the Office of American Indian Health (OAIH) in identifying trends in health disparities and gaps in human services and works with DPHHS programs to develop culturally appropriate strategies to address them. The AIHD also provides a crucial liaison role between DPHHS programs Tribal Health Departments and UIO Health Centers.

Why Join DPHHS

Our mission at DPHHS is serving Montanans in their communities to improve health safety well-being and empower independence. By joining our department you will have the opportunity to perform meaningful work in public service to our state and its residents.

The State of Montanas comprehensive benefits package includes healthcare coverage retirement plans paid vacation sick leave and holidays work/life balance and eligibility to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) addition DPHHS is the largest state agency with a wide range of advancement opportunities whether you are joining the workforce or have several years of experience.

Qualifications for this Career Opportunity

• Ability to provide leadership in complex and highly sensitive situations.

• Working knowledge of Tribal and Urban Indian health issues and available services.

• Ability to work with establish and maintain credibility and develop and maintain strong working relationships with Tribal health partners.

• Ability to analyze data and develop approaches and strategies to solve identified problems.

• Knowledge of grants and contracts administration.

• Ability to act on opportunities and find the most effective way to achieve goals.

• Ability to collaborate lead discussions and facilitate discussions on policy changes.

• Meet minimum qualifications:

  • Bachelors degree in public health public policy public administration Native American studies or related field.

  • Five years of experience working with tribal governments understanding the commonalities and differences among Montana tribes understanding the commonalities and differences between Indian people living on reservations and in urban settings establishing and maintaining relationships with tribes andleading/facilitating major projects.

  • Other combinations of directly related education and experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

  • Preferred: Experience with Tribal Health Program Indian Health Service or an Urban Indian Health Center.

How to Apply

To be considered for a DPHHS position submit the following required documents with your application on the State of Montana Careers website. When submitting the required documents you must check the relevant document box to ensure your attachments are uploaded correctly to your application for this position.

• Cover Letter

• Resume

• References

Successful applicants will be subject to background checks relevant to the position and must pass reference checks before an offer will be extended. DPHHS is an equal opportunity employer. Women minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For a copy of the full job description or if you need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process contact DPHHS Human Resources listed below.

Additional Information

This position may be eligible for partial teleworkwithin the state of conditions will be provided by the supervisor and must adhere to state policy.

This position may be eligible for a statutory $1.00 an hour base pay increase effective July 1 2026.

The primary location for this position is Helena Montana. The work of this position requires on-site presence. However location could be a discussion for the selected candidate. If located elsewhere it is expected that the selected candidate be present in Helena 5 days every month.