This position is in the Natural Resource and Environmental (NRE) team of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Washington, DC. The NRE team is responsible for conducting and coordinating GAO's evaluations of the federal government's efforts to manage and oversee programs serving federally recognized Tribes and their members. GAO's tribal work includes issues such as energy development, environmental protection, broadband access, education, and health care.
Applicants must have at least one year (52 Weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the NEXT LOWER BAND, MS-1, PT-III, PE-IIB, or GS-14 grade level in the Federal service, which has equipped the applicant with the skills and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as experience within the last 3 years (1) interacting directly with Tribal leaders on programs and policies that recognize Tribes and their members; (2) advising management on the context of Tribes within the United States, including legal status and governance structures; and (3) demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of Tribal and Native American issues including tribal consultations and treaty rights to assist with program evaluations. Please do not cut and paste the position description, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
Serves as a key representative for the Director of the Natural Resources Environment's (NRE), Tribal and Native American Issue Area and acts on behalf of NRE and GAO by providing cultural awareness, strategic focus, and technical input for GAO's Tribal and Native American work. Advises GAO leadership on sensitive and emerging issues related to Tribal and Native Americans, tribal leaders' concerns, and potential strategies to improve GAO's internal capacity for analyzing programs and policies that serve Tribes, their members, and Indigenous communities. Acts as a NRE stakeholder for GAO engagement teams to ensure the methodological adequacy of planned outreach to Tribes and Indigenous communities, including appropriate and diverse case selection, and educate staff on appropriate communications strategies and cultural context in advance of tribal outreach. Directs efforts across GAO mission teams to streamline tribal outreach and optimize matrixing opportunities for jobs with tribal components or case studies. Advise NRE management on strategies to enhance tribal outreach and implementation of protocols across GAO mission teams that conduct Tribal and Native American work. Leads efforts to strengthen NRE's internal capacity to maintain and improve the success of the Tribal and Native American Issue area by sharing knowledge within GAO. Delivers agency-wide briefings, preparing written internal communications, delivering oral presentations, and providing written analyses on the Tribal and Native American Issue Area for internal senior executive audiences such as the GAO's Executive Committee and mission teams' management and staff. Coordinates within GAO to develop and implement a variety of internal learning activities relevant to GAO's tribal work. This includes developing guidance and protocols for GAO's work with Tribal Nations and contributing to training courses and materials relevant to understanding tribal issues including federal/tribal/state relations. Works with NRE and other mission teams on the preparation of the tribal components of GAO's strategic plan and related implementation efforts. Builds external networks and relationships with Tribes, leaders of tribal and Indigenous organizations, and other public and private sector organizations that help facilitate accountability, outreach, and collaboration. This includes attending and participating in tribal conferences, meetings, and events, and responding to inquiries from tribal leaders related to GAO's work. Assists with the planning and work of GAO's Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council. This includes coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, scheduling meetings, preparing agendas, and providing other logistical and substantive support.