Position Title: SSP Regional Regenerative Tourism Catalyst

Reports to: SSP Program Director FLSA

Status: Exempt

Location: Southeast Alaska (Remote)

Salary: $75,000-$85,000 DOE

Deadline to Apply: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis after November 18, 2025

About Spruce Root

Spruce Root, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) creating a sustainable future for Southeast Alaska’s people, communities and environment. We are shifting the paradigms of power to support localized economies grounded in Indigenous values and ways of living. Spruce Root is a team of ambitious people dedicated to a new way of working in our region; working collaboratively with others, prioritizing family and well-being, and honoring our ancestors while building for the future. As a federally-certified Native CDFI, Spruce Root works to create positive change and equitable access to economic development through financial products and services to individuals in Southeast Alaska. Other programs include Path to Prosperity, Resilience Circles, workforce development, financial wellness, community planning and facilitation, and the administration of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) and the Seacoast Trust.

About The Sustainable Southeast Partnership

The Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) develops the capacity of Southeast Alaska communities and creates projects that model triple-bottom-line approaches to sustainable development. SSP has a unique structure. Community Catalysts are employed by partner organizations/Tribes and their salaries are sponsored by SSP; local residents design and deploy projects to address community priorities. Regional Catalysts work closely with community catalysts to implement projects that target improved food, energy, natural resources, economic sustainability, and other regional priorities. Current SSP Community Catalysts operate in the Alaska Native communities of Angoon, Chilkat Valley, Craig, Hoonah, Kake, Kasaan, Sitka, and Skagway. Visit www.sustainablesoutheast.net to learn more.

Job scope

The Catalyst will work in small communities in Southeast Alaska to ensure that local voices and entities chart the course of the visitor industry - making strategic decisions and investments, engaging in its development, capturing local benefits, and defining their own unique identity rather than having an outside story imposed on them. The Catalyst will also help residents grow new tourism businesses that contribute to the ongoing stewardship of the cultural, environmental, and economic capital of their communities. This position will be dedicated to empowering Alaska Native communities in engaging with the visitor industry and achieving vibrant economies while conserving their homelands for future generations. Read more here.

Primary tasks and areas of responsibility 

● Manage and develop regenerative tourism activities and projects that align with the vision, goals, and objectives of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership.
● Serve as the Network Manager for the development of a Southeast Regenerative Tourism Network. At the center of the network, the network manager is responsible for fostering collaboration, tracking progress and facilitating the flow of information both in and out.
● Catalyze action teams of a variety of backgrounds and industries to refine and deliver on the priority strategies from the Regenerative Tourism Strategy which was developed via a collaborative process by the Sustainable Southeast Partnership. That strategy, which should be reviewed and updated, includes supporting the following initiatives:
○ Collaborate to foster a regenerative visitor economy
○ Communicate regional values and regenerative principles with potential visitors
○ Enrich communities and enhance the visitor experience ○ Develop local business resilience and capability

● Collaborate with community and regional catalysts and partners of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) to advance project initiatives in SSP communities across the region.
● Communicate to a broader community and audience about the ideas and theories that support regenerative tourism.
● Work with the SSP Communications team to identify and catalyze community-rooted storytelling, branding, interpretation, and other outreach necessary for a healthy, sustainable, and community-driven visitor industry.
● Develop an actionable strategy to identify a long-term funding source and host-organization for this position by year 2 of employment.

Compensation:

● $75,000-$85,000 annual salary DOE
● Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance as well as 401(k) retirement plan, a wellness program, personal leave, wellness leave, 12 weeks of sabbatical leave after five years of service, and professional development. 

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities

● Experience communicating with the public both in writing and verbally.
● Strong interpersonal communications and relationship-building skills.
● Experience with cultivating funding and technical assistance opportunities.
● Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including managing budgets and coordinating the work of other professionals and partners across multiple disciplines.
● Passion for the Sustainable Southeast Partnership’s mission.
● Ability to excel in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Required education and experience
● Bachelor’s degree and 5 years’ experience in tourism development, community development, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
● Experience working with Indigenous and rural communities.

Additional Requirements

● Valid driver’s license.
● Satisfactory completion of a background check.
● Satisfactory completion of a reference check.
● Experience with and desire to work with Alaska Native communities.
● Experience and passion for working and living in Southeast Alaska.
● Knowledge of current trends and practices in regenerative tourism.
● Ability to initiate and develop business plans.
● Capacity for catalyzing engagement and collaboration with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.
● Ability to work within a network of organizations with varying goals and practices while finding common-ground solutions, mediating conflicts, and building collaborative partnerships.
● Demonstrated leadership and ability to work effectively with and through others in a decentralized and geographically dispersed organization. Working conditions:
● Standard 35-hour work week with occasional evening and weekend assignments.
● The physical and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
○ Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to walk, use hands to finger, handle objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; bending or crouching; talk or hear. The employee must be able to lift/carry and/or move up to 30 pounds safely. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
○ Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to variable weather conditions at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and other elements prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal. This job requires regular travel in commercial planes, AMHS ferries, float planes, and twin engine planes to communities in Southeast Alaska.
● Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit their applications as soon as possible. Application review and interviews will be held on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled. There may be additional rounds of application reviews and interviews, as necessary.

To apply, send an email to kennedy@spruceroot.org with the subject line “[SSP Regenerative Tourism Catalyst – [YOUR NAME].”

In the email, please include the following as a single PDF attachment:
● Your resume
● 1-page cover letter explaining your interest in the organization and position
● List of 3 professional references with contact information and relationship to you
● Short answers to the following questions:
○ Where do you see yourself in 5 years and how will this position support you on that path?
○ Spruce Root conducts background checks, is there anything you want to share with us about your background?

In the body of the email, please also copy and paste the content of your short answers and include your name, phone number, and email address. As attention to detail is critical for success in this role, only applicants who follow these specific application guidelines will be considered.

With the goal of providing equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, Spruce Root, Inc. bases its employment decisions on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Spruce Root, Inc. does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, pregnancy, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law. Spruce Root, Inc.’s commitment to equal opportunity employment applies to all persons involved in the operations of Spruce Root, Inc., and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of Spruce Root, Inc., including supervisors and coworkers. Spruce Root is committed to fostering a workplace that reflects the communities we serve. As an equal opportunity employer, we ensure a fair and inclusive hiring process and welcome all qualified applicants.

For questions regarding the position or employment at Spruce Root, please reach out to Kennedy Kruchoski, Executive Assistant & Special Projects Manager, at kennedy@spruceroot.org.