The Wabanaki Benefit Foundation (WBF) seeks an Executive Director who is a relationship-builder, fundraiser, and administrator with a demonstrated passion for Wabanaki people and culture. Our ideal candidate will serve as an enthusiastic spokesperson within Tribal communities in Maine, regionally, and nationally; model creative and collaborative leadership; effectively engage partners and supporters; and manage the organization’s grantmaking, programs, and resources. For the complete position posting please visit wabanakifoundation.org/hiring.

Organization Background: Wabanaki Benefit Foundation’s mission is to honor our ancestors' dream of the health and prosperity of our people, through fostering our collective traditions of respectful relationships and giving. We are growing a community foundation that addresses the needs and opportunities of Wabanaki people. This will allow significant financial resources to return, creating intergenerational wealth to be stewarded and disbursed by Wabanaki people. Wabanaki traditions, language, and culture guide our approach and inform the ways we do this work.

Position Summary: The focus of the position will be launching this emerging organization and working with a hands-on Board of Directors to conduct ongoing endowment and diverse fundraising campaigns, make grants and operate programs, and build and maintain relationships with Wabanaki Tribes and community organizations, philanthropists and other regional and national partners and supporters. The Executive Director will serve as the primary point person for all Foundation activities, support the work of the Board, coordinate with consultants, supervise future staff, and ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and foundation best practices.

This new position calls for a strategic thinker who is innovative, an active learner, detail-oriented, able to work independently, relationship-oriented and has a solid familiarity with Wabanaki people and cultures. The position will involve leading the Foundation’s rapid endowment growth, shaping its grantmaking, implementing strategic directions, conducting external communications, and managing operations. This position offers the opportunity to learn and grow alongside wisdom-keepers and make meaningful contributions to Wabanaki communities and individuals today and to future generations.

Essential Job Functions

1. Build and maintain relationships and lead communications with Wabanaki leaders, people, Tribal staff, funders, and other important constituencies.
2. Serve as the lead WBF fundraiser, including managing its upcoming feasibility study, capital campaign, partnerships, grant seeking, and other philanthropic opportunities.
3. Develop and implement programmatic and grant making philosophy and systems.
4. Participate in local and national networks and organizations pertinent to WBF’s mission and goals.
5. Partner with the Board to assure the effective development and implementation of organizational policies, systems, and procedures reflecting Indigenous foundation best practices.
6. Oversee maintenance of official records and required documents to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and organizational policies and procedures.
7. Manage consultants and their deliverables.

Characteristics and Skills for Success

Successful candidates will bring many of the following skills, experience, and attributes to the position, as well as the aptitude and enthusiasm to learn and further develop areas for growth.

1. A people-person who values and cultivates trusting relationships with Wabanaki people, philanthropic leaders, and others.
2. Exceptional interpersonal and communications skills with proven ability to: build collaborative relationships across the philanthropic, private, and public sectors; exercise high diplomacy; and solve problems.
3. Resourcefulness—the ability to leverage networks in Wabanaki country, Maine, and nationally to identify new opportunities for engagement and impact.
4. Proven fundraising skills, including cultivation and solicitation of partnerships, major gifts, and grants.
5. Familiarity with grant making; ability to attend to and transition between the small details of grant-making and donor cultivation and the big picture of communicating with partners about this work.
6. Deep knowledge, relationships, and understandings of Wabanaki communities and organizations.
7. Leadership experience in a mission-driven organizational setting that leverages relationships with local and community stakeholders.
8. Experience supporting and working with an activist Board of Directors.
9. Enthusiasm for initiating and growing new projects, and the ability to navigate the ambiguity and change that comes with this process.
10. Exceptional leadership, time management, and organizational skills.
11. Self-motivated and able to work independently, as well as with a team.
12. Patience, persistence, and flexibility to accomplish collaborative projects, and the ability to maintain grace when confronted with delays and challenges.
13. Demonstrated capacity and willingness to learn new skills.
14. Proficiency with technology, standard software and the use of databases.

Pay, Benefits & Work Conditions

1. Compensation: $80,000 - $95,000 annual salary, healthcare and retirement stipend and paid time off.
2. The Executive Director must be able to reside within a reasonable proximity of the Wabanaki Communities and will be expected to be able to travel among these communities regularly, throughout the area, and to national meetings and events.
3. The Executive Director will work from home and other locations agreeable to the board; flexibility is essential.

How to Apply

1. To submit your application, please send cover letter and resume to wabanakibenefitfound@hallcollaborations.com, Attn: Vice Chief Richard Silliboy, President
2. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; the deadline for materials to be submitted for the position is March 14. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible!
3. The goal of the Board is to have an Executive Director in place May 2025.

Commitment to Equity

We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law, and to maintain a non-discriminatory environment free from intimidation, harassment or bias based upon these grounds. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please send a note to wabanakibenefitfound@hallcollaborations.com to discuss how we can meet your needs to apply for this position.