Infrastructure Resilience and Climate Impact Director
Kawerak, Inc., Nome, AK, United States
KAWERAK POSITION DESCRIPTION
Recruitment Length: Two weeks, closes Monday, 4/13/2026
DIVISION: Infrastructure Division JOB TITLE: Infrastructure Resilience and Climate Impact Director STATUS: Regular Full time LOCATION: Nome EXEMPT STATUS: Non-Exempt GRADE: 14-15-16-17 ($44.08 – $60.98 DOE) REPORTS TO: Senior Vice President of Infrastructure
Kawerak, Inc. is a non-profit organization that relies on federal agency and grant funding primarily to fund positions. This position is funded by agency or grant funding. This means that this position, as with all positions at Kawerak, is subject to availability of funding each year to continue to fund the position.
The Infrastructure Resilience & Climate Impact Director provides leadership and coordination across divisions and Tribal communities to strengthen regional infrastructure resilience and elevate awareness of climate-related impacts affecting the Bering Strait region.
This position focuses on assisting Kawerak and its member Tribes in planning, prioritizing, and advancing infrastructure improvements that address erosion, flooding, permafrost degradation, severe storms, energy vulnerability, and transportation limitations.
The Director also plays a key role in communicating region-specific climate impacts to external partners, funders, policymakers, and agencies to ensure the needs of Bering Strait communities are accurately represented and supported.
Summary of Job Responsibilities 1. Support Community Infrastructure Resilience
Work collaboratively with Tribal Leaders and Kawerak programs to identify infrastructure vulnerabilities and resilience priorities.
Assist communities in developing infrastructure improvement strategies addressing erosion, flooding, storm surge, permafrost thaw, water/sewer instability, transportation access, and energy reliability.
Help align infrastructure projects with local, regional, state and federal funding opportunities.
2. Coordinate across Kawerak Divisions
Collaborate with Planning and Development, Emergency Services, Housing, Environmental, Transportation programs and other divisions to integrate resilience into planning and long-term infrastructure strategies.
Assist villages in incorporating resilience considerations into Hazard Mitigation Plans, Local Economic Development Plans, housing strategies, and capital improvement plans.
Facilitate cross-departmental planning as needed to coordinate regional approaches.
3. Strengthen Housing & Community Facilities Resilience
Partner with Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority and other housing stakeholders to advance resilient housing design, site planning, and protective infrastructure.
Support planning for community buildings, clinics, schools, bulk fuel storage, and other critical facilities vulnerable to environmental stressors.
4. Advance Funding & Capital Development
Identify, pursue, and assist in managing grants and funding opportunities related to infrastructure resilience and climate adaptation.
Support budget planning, grant reporting, and compliance requirements.
Assist communities in navigating FEMA, HUD, USDA, DOT, and other agency funding processes.
5. External Communications & Regional Representation
Develop briefing materials, reports, case studies, and presentations highlighting infrastructure challenges and climate impacts in the region.
Present updates to professional organizations, policymakers, agencies, and regional partners.
Coordinate with Kawerak leadership to share community stories and documented impacts in ways that elevate regional needs while honoring Tribal values.
Serve as liaison with federal and state agencies, Native corporations, and infrastructure partners to ensure village concerns are addressed.
6. Community Capacity Building
Support communities in strengthening local capacity to monitor infrastructure risks and respond to emerging impacts.
Assist in developing toolkits, guidance documents, and practical planning resources.
Coordinate trainings and workshops focused on resilience planning, infrastructure funding, and long-term sustainability.
7. Regional Resilience Strategy
Assist in developing and maintaining a regional Infrastructure Resilience Framework or Collaborative Plan that reflects Tribal priorities.
Track and document climate-related infrastructure impacts across communities to support advocacy and funding justification.
Maintain organized records, data summaries, and impact narratives to support decision-making and communications.
8. Administrative & Coordination Responsibilities
Arrange and facilitate regular meetings among Kawerak programs engaged in infrastructure and resilience efforts.
Coordinate travel, meeting logistics, and documentation.
Maintain strong communication and customer service with villages and internal departments.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or related field. Administrative work experience may be substituted for the degree requirement on a year for year basis.
Strong communication and facilitation skills.
Strong project management and organization skills.
Strong data analysis, verbal and written presentations skills.
Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, & PowerPoint, Adobe programs.
Proven leadership skills within and across organizations; ability to build consensus and resolve conflict with all stakeholders.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations and documentation.
Have a least one year of experience working with Tribal communities in the Kawerak region.
Familiar with Hazard Mitigation Plans and FEMA applications.
Strong knowledge of federal and state programs for climate adaptation and planning.
Skills to communicate and outreach to Tribal communities, Tribal leadership, agencies, Native corporations, and other stakeholders regarding Climate Change impacts.
Functional knowledge to effectively perform email management, excel spreadsheets, reporting analysis, grant applications, and technical writing skills.
Have the availability to travel to villages, state and possibly out-of-state meetings.
Budget, planning and management experience.
Team player, develop strong relationships with villages, staff and leadership.
Physical Demands Be able to perform routine office work, ability to stand, walk, lift and transport office equipment, boxes of materials for events. Ability to travel on small aircraft to villages as well as attend training/conferences out of region.
Native Preference Per Public Law 93-638 Approved (3/30/2026) Slottning
14: BA or 4 years experience
15: BA +2 years experience or 6 years experience
16: BA +4 years experience or 8 years experience
17: BA +6 years experience or 10 years experience
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DIVISION: Infrastructure Division JOB TITLE: Infrastructure Resilience and Climate Impact Director STATUS: Regular Full time LOCATION: Nome EXEMPT STATUS: Non-Exempt GRADE: 14-15-16-17 ($44.08 – $60.98 DOE) REPORTS TO: Senior Vice President of Infrastructure
Kawerak, Inc. is a non-profit organization that relies on federal agency and grant funding primarily to fund positions. This position is funded by agency or grant funding. This means that this position, as with all positions at Kawerak, is subject to availability of funding each year to continue to fund the position.
The Infrastructure Resilience & Climate Impact Director provides leadership and coordination across divisions and Tribal communities to strengthen regional infrastructure resilience and elevate awareness of climate-related impacts affecting the Bering Strait region.
This position focuses on assisting Kawerak and its member Tribes in planning, prioritizing, and advancing infrastructure improvements that address erosion, flooding, permafrost degradation, severe storms, energy vulnerability, and transportation limitations.
The Director also plays a key role in communicating region-specific climate impacts to external partners, funders, policymakers, and agencies to ensure the needs of Bering Strait communities are accurately represented and supported.
Summary of Job Responsibilities 1. Support Community Infrastructure Resilience
Work collaboratively with Tribal Leaders and Kawerak programs to identify infrastructure vulnerabilities and resilience priorities.
Assist communities in developing infrastructure improvement strategies addressing erosion, flooding, storm surge, permafrost thaw, water/sewer instability, transportation access, and energy reliability.
Help align infrastructure projects with local, regional, state and federal funding opportunities.
2. Coordinate across Kawerak Divisions
Collaborate with Planning and Development, Emergency Services, Housing, Environmental, Transportation programs and other divisions to integrate resilience into planning and long-term infrastructure strategies.
Assist villages in incorporating resilience considerations into Hazard Mitigation Plans, Local Economic Development Plans, housing strategies, and capital improvement plans.
Facilitate cross-departmental planning as needed to coordinate regional approaches.
3. Strengthen Housing & Community Facilities Resilience
Partner with Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority and other housing stakeholders to advance resilient housing design, site planning, and protective infrastructure.
Support planning for community buildings, clinics, schools, bulk fuel storage, and other critical facilities vulnerable to environmental stressors.
4. Advance Funding & Capital Development
Identify, pursue, and assist in managing grants and funding opportunities related to infrastructure resilience and climate adaptation.
Support budget planning, grant reporting, and compliance requirements.
Assist communities in navigating FEMA, HUD, USDA, DOT, and other agency funding processes.
5. External Communications & Regional Representation
Develop briefing materials, reports, case studies, and presentations highlighting infrastructure challenges and climate impacts in the region.
Present updates to professional organizations, policymakers, agencies, and regional partners.
Coordinate with Kawerak leadership to share community stories and documented impacts in ways that elevate regional needs while honoring Tribal values.
Serve as liaison with federal and state agencies, Native corporations, and infrastructure partners to ensure village concerns are addressed.
6. Community Capacity Building
Support communities in strengthening local capacity to monitor infrastructure risks and respond to emerging impacts.
Assist in developing toolkits, guidance documents, and practical planning resources.
Coordinate trainings and workshops focused on resilience planning, infrastructure funding, and long-term sustainability.
7. Regional Resilience Strategy
Assist in developing and maintaining a regional Infrastructure Resilience Framework or Collaborative Plan that reflects Tribal priorities.
Track and document climate-related infrastructure impacts across communities to support advocacy and funding justification.
Maintain organized records, data summaries, and impact narratives to support decision-making and communications.
8. Administrative & Coordination Responsibilities
Arrange and facilitate regular meetings among Kawerak programs engaged in infrastructure and resilience efforts.
Coordinate travel, meeting logistics, and documentation.
Maintain strong communication and customer service with villages and internal departments.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or related field. Administrative work experience may be substituted for the degree requirement on a year for year basis.
Strong communication and facilitation skills.
Strong project management and organization skills.
Strong data analysis, verbal and written presentations skills.
Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, & PowerPoint, Adobe programs.
Proven leadership skills within and across organizations; ability to build consensus and resolve conflict with all stakeholders.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations and documentation.
Have a least one year of experience working with Tribal communities in the Kawerak region.
Familiar with Hazard Mitigation Plans and FEMA applications.
Strong knowledge of federal and state programs for climate adaptation and planning.
Skills to communicate and outreach to Tribal communities, Tribal leadership, agencies, Native corporations, and other stakeholders regarding Climate Change impacts.
Functional knowledge to effectively perform email management, excel spreadsheets, reporting analysis, grant applications, and technical writing skills.
Have the availability to travel to villages, state and possibly out-of-state meetings.
Budget, planning and management experience.
Team player, develop strong relationships with villages, staff and leadership.
Physical Demands Be able to perform routine office work, ability to stand, walk, lift and transport office equipment, boxes of materials for events. Ability to travel on small aircraft to villages as well as attend training/conferences out of region.
Native Preference Per Public Law 93-638 Approved (3/30/2026) Slottning
14: BA or 4 years experience
15: BA +2 years experience or 6 years experience
16: BA +4 years experience or 8 years experience
17: BA +6 years experience or 10 years experience
#J-18808-Ljbffr