Director of the Commission of Indian Affairs

Who We Are

Colorado Governor-elect Phil Weiser is committed to an administration that represents all of Colorado, and serves and protects every Coloradan. Governor-elect Weiser and his team will lead State government to ensure that we serve the people of Colorado, working to make their lives better, and together, we meet opportunities and challenges with creativity, collaboration, and compassion.

His commitment to serve as the People’s Governor means that he and his team will have a sustained focus on how to make Colorado safer, more affordable, more sustainable, and a great place to live, build a business, and raise a family.

We Have Strong Core Values

Our core values drive our actions. We are: 1) principled, maintaining the highest ethical standards, acting with integrity, and operating transparently; 2) public servants, who are always ensuring our work is not about us, but instead is about improving the lives of the people of Colorado; 3) innovative, by seeking to solve problems creatively and operate with a continuous improvement mindset; and 4) "better together," by working to support each other as a team and collaborate effectively.

Department Information

In 1976, the Colorado General Assembly created the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs (CCIA) within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. The commission is the official liaison between the State of Colorado, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. It works on a government-to-government basis with each of the two Tribal governments and keeps direct contact with the Tribes and with American Indian and Alaska Native communities statewide.

The commission’s ongoing goal is to partner with the Tribes and assist with state government interactions and issuesThe Lieutenant Governor chairs the commission. Eleven voting commissioners and several non-voting members represent a range of interests within the Native American community. Staff of the recently renamed Commission on Indian Affairs, including the Director and interagency tribal liaisons, carry out the commission’s day-to-day work.

• Description of Job
• Department: Office of the Lieutenant Governor; Commission of Indian Affairs
• Position Title: Director

Summary of Functions: The Director is the Chief Executive Officer of the recently renamed Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs. This position is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs, and strategic plan of the office as well as the consistent achievement of its mission and objectives. The role is responsible for the state’s government relationship with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The Director is a member of the Governor’s Cabinet and works with the Cabinet on tribal matters.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Manage the statutory responsibilities and business of the commission, including the budget, commission meetings, and communication with the Tribes and other American Indian and Alaska Native organizations

• Serve as the official liaison for state government to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
• Lead the Executive Departments’ partnership with the Tribes as sovereign nations and ensure that state agencies work with the Tribes as valued partners and co-equal entities
• Coordinate and implement annual state-tribal consultations with State agencies

Coordinate with History Colorado and follow state burial law on the consultation, transfer, and reburial of Native American human remains and funerary objects from inadvertent discoveries on state and private lands

Partner with the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives to reduce violence against Indigenous people

Visit Tribes in Colorado regularly, attend major Tribal functions, and assist in problem solving on the issues and opportunities facing American Indian and Alaska Native communities statewide

Advise the Governor, the commission, Tribal councils, and off-reservation American Indian and Alaska Native groups on pending legislation

Brief the Governor’s Office on relevant policy issues arising from state and federal legislative activities that may impact the Tribes

Build and cultivate a high-performing team through effective leadership focused on recruiting and retaining top talent and providing guidance, coaching, and development to direct reports

Organizational Relationships: Lieutenant Governor; Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs; Southern Ute Indian Tribe; Ute Mountain Ute Tribe; tribal liaison in every agency; Department of Human Services; Department of Public Health & Environment; Department of Natural Resources; Department of Local Affairs; Department of Public Safety; Office of Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives; Office of Emergency Management

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications & Conditions of Employment

Minimum qualifications:

• The following minimum qualification is required by Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-44-105(1) to be eligible for appointment as Executive Director:
• An enrolled member of a federally recognized Indian tribe
• Preferred Education/Experience: A bachelor’s or advanced degree in public administration, public policy, Native American and Indigenous studies, law, or a related field
• Ten or more years of leadership experience in tribal government, intergovernmental relations, or public policy affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities
• Five or more years of professional executive management experience, including establishing goals and objectives and developing and managing a budget to achieve program goals and objectives
• Five or more years of experience working as a liaison between state and tribal entities
• Experience building relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders with varying perspectives and interests

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of Federal Indian Law and government-to-government consultation practice
• Standing with both Tribal governments and with Colorado’s urban Native communities
• Familiarity with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the state processes that implement it
• Background in state-tribal agreements in areas such as the Indian Child Welfare Act, public safety, emergency response, and criminal jurisdiction
• Understanding of tribal sovereignty in state legislation
• Understanding of state and tribal efforts to address missing and murdered Indigenous relatives
• Conditions of employment: Applicants must pass a thorough background check prior to employment and reside in Colorado once employed
• FLSA Status: Exempt
• Supplemental Information
• A resume must be submitted with the application for consideration. Your resume must provide sufficient detail about your background and experience to allow the screening panel to properly assess your experience in the required elements, including your experience and achievements.