Siċaŋġu CDC Senior Director of Program and Leadership Development
JOB SUMMARY
Siċaŋġu Community Development Corporation (Siċaŋġu CDC) is seeking a Senior Director of Program & Leadership Development to strengthen our programs and leadership capacity across the organization. This position serves as the primary steward of program execution and people leadership, ensuring that CDC initiatives are high‑quality and aligned to organizational strategy.
This position is a senior program and leadership role focused on coaching Directors, translating strategy into program‑level priorities, and ensuring that programs deliver meaningful impact for the Siċaŋġu Lakota Oyate. The Senior Director of Program & Leadership Development (DPLD) works in close partnership with the Executive Director (ED) and the Director of Strategy & Operations (DSO) in leadership of the Siċaŋġu CDC to balance strong execution, learning, and accountability. This is a high-capacity role requiring exceptional organizational skills, systems thinking, relationship-building, and the ability to balance multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced, values-driven environment.
About Siċaŋġu Co and the Siċaŋġu Community Development Corporation (Siċaŋġu CDC)
Siċaŋġu Co is an indigenous ecosystem of interconnected organizations and initiatives dedicated to creating a healthier, more prosperous future for the Siċaŋġu Lakota Oyate. Anchored in Lakota values and guided by the principles of self-sufficiency and community empowerment, Siċaŋġu Co operates as a collective effort to strengthen the social, cultural, and economic well-being of the Rosebud Reservation. Together, the ecosystem leverages shared resources, expertise, and partnerships to create impactful, lasting change. Grounded in our ancestral and cultural wisdom, with a deep understanding of the profound challenges faced by our people, see Siċaŋġu Co is working towards Wicozani or “the good way of life” for the Siċaŋġu Oyate - holistic health, economic self-sufficiency, cultural revitalization, sustainable housing, food sovereignty, climate resilience, and shared lasting prosperity.
Within the ecosystem lies Siċaŋġu Community Development Corporation (Siċaŋġu CDC), a nonprofit organization leading efforts to foster sustainable community development. Siċaŋġu CDC focuses on food sovereignty, education, housing, and health while working collaboratively with other Siċaŋġu Co entities to provide holistic support and opportunities for the community.
Essential Functions:
Programmatic Leadership
● Supervise Program Directors for the Food Sovereignty Initiative (FSI) and Siċaŋġu Health Initiative (SHI).
● Ensure program quality, consistency, and alignment with organizational strategy and values.
● Support Directors in the translation of organizational strategy and priorities into clear program‑level expectations.
● Surface program‑level insights, risks, and recommendations to the ED, escalating only high-level strategic or systemic issues.
● Support programs in moving from planning to execution, addressing barriers to delivery early and constructively.
● Maintain active, working knowledge of Wakanyeja Ki Tokeyahci (WKT) and Keya Wakpala (KWW) programs and operations that intersect with Siċaŋġu CDC initiatives, with particular attention to family- and community-facing work.
● Identify and support coordination around programmatic intersections between CDC initiatives (including FSI, SHI, and WKT) and related entity programming, helping ensure efforts are aligned and mutually reinforcing.
● Surface programmatic risks, dependencies, and opportunities to the ED and DSO, supporting organizational alignment and informed decision-making.
● Attend Board meetings as needed, providing program context and insight when relevant.
People Leadership
● Serve as the organizational leader for people leadership development, establishing shared supervision practices, coaching frameworks, feedback loops, and accountability norms.
● Provide mentorship, coaching, and leadership development opportunities to all Siċaŋġu CDC managers and team leads, as relevant (varying from one-on-one coaching to the creation of group professional development opportunities).
● Support Directors in supervising and developing their teams, modeling values‑aligned leadership.
● Participate in hiring and personnel decisions, in partnership with Human Resources (HR), the DSO, and the ED.
● Contribute to onboarding, training, and professional development efforts for program leadership.
Organizational Impact
● Partner with the DSO and ED on the design and refinement of Key Program Indicators (KPIs) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), ensuring program realities are reflected.
● Lead the design and use of KPIs and OKRs at the program level, in partnership with program Directors and Head of School as tools for learning, improvement, and accountability.
● Support Program Directors (FSI, SHI, and WKT) in clarifying program-level data needs and learning questions, and reinforce consistent progress tracking and use of insights to strengthen program delivery.
● Partner with the DSO on the creation of appropriate systems and tools to support programmatic work.
Finance & Fundraising
● Support Program Directors (FSI, SHI) and Head of School (WKT) in understanding and managing their initiative‑level budgets; partner with Directors to develop initiative budgets aligned with strategic priorities.
● Serve as an Intacct and Ramp approver for Program Directors (FSI and SHI) and Head of School (WKT).
● Help translate financial information into accessible insights for program leadership.
● Participate in fundraising and external relationship efforts when program expertise is needed, as determined by the ED.
● Support Program Directors to proactively align program execution with grant commitments and compliance requirements.
● Build program-level grant readiness and compliance capacity by teaching best practices across the CDC and supporting Directors in understanding their grant responsibilities, expectations, and risks.
● Review grant narratives and program reports alongside Program Directors, supporting their programmatic contribution to fundraising efforts.
Ecosystem Leadership and Collaboration
● Maintain active working knowledge of related Siċaŋġu CDC and Siċaŋġu Co entities (including Wakanyeja Ki Tokeyahci and Keya Wakpala Woicageyapi) and program intersections.
● Surface cross‑entity program risks, dependencies, or opportunities to the ED and DSO.
● Stay informed about programs’ Central Services and operational needs, elevating programmatic priorities to Central Services and/or the ED as needed.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
● 3-5 years of progressive leadership experience, preferably in nonprofit, community development, or mission‑driven organizations.
● Demonstrated experience supervising and coaching senior staff or program leaders.
● Strong understanding of program design, execution, and quality improvement.
● Experience using KPIs, OKRs, or similar frameworks to support learning and accountability.
● Ability to translate high‑level strategy into clear, actionable program priorities.
● Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to coach, challenge, and support leaders effectively.
● Comfort navigating ambiguity and supporting leaders through change.
● Financial literacy sufficient to support program budgeting and fiscal oversight.
● Leadership grounded in Siċaŋġu Lakota culture and values, with deep respect for community‑centered approaches.
● Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify problems, define solutions, navigate ambiguity, and present complex information in clear, accessible formats for decision-makers
● Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
● Strong written and verbal communication skills.
● Strong systems thinking and ability to create organizational structures that enable efficiency and effectiveness
● Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain quality under pressure, especially in a role that requires juggling strategic projects and detailed follow-up.
● Ability to work effectively across organizational boundaries and build productive partnerships.
Physical Demands & Work Environment:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
● Office and public-facing environment
● Regular speaking, hearing, communication with others
● Ability to sit for extended periods (example: up to 70% of time sitting at a computer)
● Ability to stand for extended periods (example: up to 3-4 hours for an event)
● Periodic driving required (example: up to 1.5-hour distance)
Benefits:
● Health, vision, and dental insurance
● Life Insurance
● 401(k) matching
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Siċaŋġu Co is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Indian Preference
In accordance with applicable federal law, including the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. § 5307) and other relevant regulations, Siċaŋġu Co applies an Indian Preference in employment. Qualified Native American candidates will be given preference in hiring.
