Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

POSITION SUMMARY: The Tribal Historic Preservation Officer is responsible for ensuring the Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) operates in accordance with the Southern Ute Tribal Historic Preservation Plan and all associated processes, procedures, and relevant codes and law. Performs a wide variety of high-level specialized duties to preserve and protect Southern Ute Tribal resources and materials to include, but not limited to, cultural sites/lands, artifacts, funerary and sacred objects, and human remains within the exterior boundaries of the Reservation and throughout the Tribe’s ancestral territory.

QUALIFICATIONS: Must have a BA/BS in History, Native American Studies, Southwest Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, Ethnology, History, or closely related field; OR an AA/AS in field of study listed above and 2 years of experience working in the Tribal Historic Preservation Office OR the successful completion of a 2-year apprenticeship under a current or previous NAGPRA Coordinator or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer can be substituted for the 2 years of experience. Must have extensive working knowledge of federal cultural preservation and environmental laws, such as NAGPRA and NHPA, and state laws Must have experience working with Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, State Historic Preservation Offices, and/or Federal and State Government Agencies. Must have experience researching, writing, and managing grants. Must have 1 year of experience with employee supervision. Must have 1year of experience in budget administration or managing high level financial transactions. Must have experience managing numerous projects simultaneously and possess the ability to administer or develop a structured approach to prioritize projects based on deadlines and importance. Must have 2 years of experience working in direct contact with the membership and tribal community and experience in collecting historical information from Tribal members and elected/appointed officials. Must have detailed knowledge of the Southern Ute tribal government, tribal sovereignty, Southern Ute Language, History, cultural events and activities, and traditions and be familiar with Ute cultural values and concepts and be willing to effectively apply them in a work environment. Must be able to work flexible hours to accommodate Cultural Department activities and programs and willing to travel locally and out of state for meetings, consultations, and training. Must have current knowledge and skill using computers and applicable technology, such as photocopier, scanners, and computer programs including Word, Power Point, and Excel. Must have a valid Driver’s License for state of residency and be insurable under the Tribal vehicle insurance policy. Must pass a thorough background check including Criminal History, fingerprint check, and pre-employment drug test. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Master of Arts in History, Native American Studies, Southwest Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, Ethnology, History, or another field related to historic preservation. Possess a working knowledge in Colorado State cultural preservation laws and the State Process for Unmarked Graves on Private and State Lands within Colorado, as well as be familiar with Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs and Tri-Ute Council. Experience operating geographic information systems software, such as ArcGIS. The ability to read, speak, and write in the Ute language. Experience teaching/ training, community outreach, public presentations, and event promotion. Advanced proficiency in computer programs such as Word and Excel; internet searching; website editing; presentation software such as PowerPoint and Publisher; equally comfortable in the Window or Apple environments; proficiency in scanning documents and using electronic storage and filing systems. TERO preference: all applicants welcome.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Consults on behalf of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, on projects on and off the Southern Ute Reservation to protect, preserve, and mitigate adverse effects to cultural resources per the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Archaeological Resource Protect Act (ARPA), and other relevant laws, executive orders, and ordinances with tribal, federal and state agencies, museums, and educational institutes. 2. Consults and works on projects for the protection of archaeological and sacred sites per NHPA NEPA, and ARPA. 3. Interprets and applies the appropriate tribal, state, and federal laws, including but not limited to cultural preservation and environmental laws, to complex situations by possessing knowledge regarding their applicability based on jurisdiction. 4. Monitors or delegates the responsibility of monitoring to a trained representative to oversee federal undertakings and archaeological excavations on the Southern Ute Reservation for compliance with appropriate federal and tribal law and policy. 5. Oversees the collection, protection, management, and maintenance of a physical and digital inventory of information pertaining to the tribe’s culture, history, ancestral sites, and religion/spirituality throughout the tribe’s ancestral territory. 6. Evaluates and responds to museum inventories and submits requests for repatriation and participates in the disposition and/or repatriation of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, objects of cultural patrimony per NAGPRA. 7. Determines whether human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony either found inadvertently or during permitted excavation, both within the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and on ancestral lands, have tribal affiliation. 8. Consults with federal and state agencies, the Colorado State government, and the private sector with regard to NHPA and the Tribal Historic Preservation Plan. 9. Consults with government agencies and institutions to development agreement documents, such as Memorandums of Agreement (MOA), Memorandums of Understandings (MOU), and Programmatic Agreements (PA), to identify and protect Tribal cultural interests 10. Collaborates with Cultural Preservation Department Director to manage Tribal Historic Preservation Office budget and operates programs within budget guidelines. 11. Works with tribal elders and tribal members with special knowledge of tribal traditions to identify and protect cultural sites of cultural and spiritual significance, as well as issuing cultural clearances for proposed projects. 12. Provides information and presents on findings of consultations to Tribal Council, tribal, federal, and state agencies as required regarding cultural preservation issues. 13. Oversees the management of the digital and physical Cultural Resource Database, which includes information about NAGPRA and NHPA Projects, with respect to ongoing consultation projects, which current and future decisions can be considered evaluated for the management of Ute cultural resources. 14. Responsible for personnel management of employees to include recruitment, orientation, training, scheduling of staff, performance evaluations, counseling, disciplinary actions, and terminations. 15. Meets with and updates Cultural Preservation Department Director and Tribal Council on projects, reports, and information as required or requested. 16. Assists Cultural Preservation Department Director in development of a Tribal Advisory Board pursuant to the Tribal Historic Preservation Plan. 17. Maintains the confidentiality, storage, and distribution of the Tribe’s culturally sensitive information. 18. Attends and presents at conferences, meetings, and trainings when required, either locally or out of state. 19. Perform other job-related duties as assigned

$70,570 annually