Director, Community Engagement – Native / Tribal Communities

Feeding America

Community engagement director strengthening Native and Tribal food systems for Feeding America, the United States’ largest hunger-relief charity. Building partnerships, grant strategies, advocacy, and learning initiatives with community organizations and internal teams.

Posted 8/14/2026full-timeChicago • Illinois • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $127,932 - $132,932 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in developing and executing community engagement strategies for Native and Tribal communities, with a strong focus on building partnerships and addressing food insecurity disparities. Possesses excellent communication, project management, and facilitation skills to effectively engage stakeholders and manage community projects.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Community Engagement Strategy DevelopmentPartnership ManagementCultural CompetenceProject ManagementNative American Food Systems Understanding

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Grant-Making StrategyTraining and FacilitationPolicy AdvancementResource CreationProblem-SolvingWritten CommunicationInterpersonal SkillsProject ManagementStakeholder PresentationTechnical Assistance

Soft Skills

Relationship BuildingCultural CompetenceLeadershipIndependent WorkThriving Under Pressure

Industry Keywords

Native/Tribal CommunitiesFood InsecurityCommunity-Based OrganizationsSocial ImpactTribal GovernanceLow-Income CommunitiesCoalition MeetingsCommunity OutreachMatrixed StructureFormal Education in Native Studies

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and execute Feeding America's Native & Tribal community engagement strategy
Establish and deepen partnerships with national and regional organizations and associations serving Native and Tribal communities
Manage a portfolio of national and regional partners and identify potential partnerships and coalitions
Advance policies and programs addressing food insecurity disparities, especially in Native and Tribal communities
Collaborate with the Community Partnerships team on a grant-making strategy to strengthen local food systems and partnerships
Collaborate with government relations, marketing and communications, advocacy, and development teams
Gather field learnings and establish consensus around promising practices
Facilitate webinars and digital convenings related to Native/Tribal communities
Represent Feeding America at conferences, forums, convenings, coalition meetings, similar events, and in media
Manage Community Engagement team projects, including technical assistance, resource creation, briefings, proposals, and capturing partner priorities and learnings

Requirements

What you’ll need

Professional and/or lived experience within Native/Tribal communities
8+ years’ experience working with community-based organizations, state and local government officials, state agency staff, and/or businesses and engaging low-income communities
Ability to leverage existing relationships and/or cultivate new relationships to build productive, trusting partnerships
Cultural competence and expertise
Experience in leadership roles within complex operating environments, ideally a network and/or matrixed structure
Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills
Strong written communication, problem-solving, priority-setting, project management, and computer skills
Ability to work independently, thrive under pressure, and perform multiple tasks
Experience, including formal education, ideally in Native/Indigenous studies, Community Outreach, or another social-impact-related discipline, or equivalent experience working in tribal communities
Understanding of Native American food systems, culture, and tribal governance
Excellent training and facilitation skills with a proven record of designing and delivering formal and informal training, communities of practice, and conference presentations
Ability to speak and present to key stakeholders
Authorization to work in the U.S.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible work environment
Work from home on days not in the office
Access to a 30-day “work anywhere” program during each calendar year
Ability to combine the 30-day “work anywhere” program with PTO and/or holidays
Regular merit increases
Step promotions
Diverse, collaborative, values-driven work environment