Language and Protocols Lead

POSITION TITLE: Language and Protocols Lead (2 positions available)    

DEPARTMENT: Culture Camp 

WAGE: Contract, $1000.00 per 5 day camp  

FLSA STATUS: 

ESC CODE: 

FUNDING SOURCE: Grant funded 

OPENING: June 6, 2025

CLOSING: June 16, 2025

Position Summary:

FUNDING SOURCE:

Grant funded

Position Summary:

The Language & Protocol Leads are essential to ensuring that the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe’s Culture Camp is deeply rooted in Tlingit language, customs, and ceremonial practices. These individuals will encourage the integration of daily Yakutat Tlingit language immersion, clan protocol teachings, and cultural etiquette across all camp activities.

Working closely with instructors, artists, and camp leadership, the Language & Protocol Leads will help campers and staff maintain cultural respect throughout the camp experience. They will offer language instruction, lead cultural reminders before and during workshops, and support the ceremonial flow of camp events such as openings, closings, honoring, and transitions between activities.

This role requires strong cultural knowledge, a commitment to teaching and modeling respectful behavior, and a deep understanding of the importance of sustaining Tlingit language and traditions.

 Essential Functions:

• Lead daily use of Tlingit language across camp activities, including greetings, songs, commands, and basic conversation.


• Provide daily reminders and teachings on proper clan protocol, respect for opposites, and ceremonial practices appropriate to different activities.


• Support camp ceremonies, including camp opening, closing, meal blessings, and honoring of Elders, guests, and instructors.


• Collaborate with instructors and artists to incorporate language and cultural teachings into workshops, outdoor activities, and mealtimes.


• Offer cultural teachings in an accessible, engaging, and age-appropriate manner.


• Mentor campers and staff in understanding and practicing cultural respect and responsibility.


• Assist with camp planning sessions, including ensuring cultural protocols are considered in scheduling and activities.


• Participate in final camp debriefs to help document what was learned and offer feedback for future camps.


• Participate in set-up before camp begins, daily and final clean-up at the end of camp.


• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Working with Tribal programs, education programs, or youth programs is preferred.


• Tlingit language fluency not required but preferred, needs to have a strong commitment to cultural learning.


• Culture of Yakutat and Southeast Tlingit clan structures, songs, protocols, and ceremonial practices.


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• Safety protocols and hygiene standards and ability to follow them.


• The Tlingit History of Yakutat, Tlingit Arts and subsistence lifestyle is preferred but not required.


• Cultural knowledge of Tlingit practices, or willingness to learn and respectfully integrate traditional teachings into daily camp life.

Skill in:

• Strong written and oral communication.

• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills across multiple program areas.


• Dependability and a strong work ethic.


• Leadership, with the ability to guide and support young people respectfully.


• Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.


• Strong interpersonal and people skills, including the ability to work with parents, youth, Elders, and staff in a respectful and welcoming manner.


• Problem-solving skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.


• Self-motivated and dependable, able to work independently or collaboratively.

• Working well with others, to include public

Ability to:

• Handle multiple tasks and work under short timeframes and attend to

• Ability to adapt activities to meet a range of developmental needs and interests of older youth.


• Serve as a positive role model.


• Model and reinforce respectful behavior, humility, and generosity throughout camp life.


• Be flexible, patient, and have a team-centered attitude.


• Comfortable working with youth of all ages and backgrounds.


• Meet physical demands to assist with set-up, clean-up, and carrying supplies between locations.


• Provide support where needed and proactively offer support to instructors, cooks, and leadership staff.

• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with care and professionalism.

• Flexibility to adapt to shifting schedules or needs during Culture Camp operations.


• Safely transport themselves to and from the Situk River camp site.

• Work independently with brief verbal instructions, as well as prioritize

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items. The work may require specific, but common, physical characteristics and abilities, such as above average agility and dexterity.   The employee must be able to read, write, speak and hear.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility:

This position has no formally assigned supervisory responsibility or authority.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required.


• Must be 18 years of age or older.

• Teaching and/or mentoring experience, especially with youth audiences preferred.


• Prior experience with cultural education, immersion camps, or ceremonial leadership is a plus.

• Must be able to pass a National Criminal and State background check.


• Must be able to pass a fingerprint based National Criminal Background Check.


• Valid Alaska Driver’s License.

Disclosures:

•  We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.

• THE YAKUTAT TLINGIT TRIBE IS A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE. THIS POSITION MAY BE SUBJECT TO RANDOM DRUG TESTING AND CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK.  
  

• Preference will be given to qualified Yakutat Tlingit Tribal Member and/or Alaska Native candidates.

• NATIVE AMERICAN PREFERENCE WILL BE APPLIED TO HIRING OF THIS POSITION AS DEFINED IN TITLE 25, US CODE, CHAPTER 14, SUBCHAPTER V, SUBSECTION 273 AND 274.  WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER WITH PREFERENCE GIVEN TO QUALIFIED NATIVE AMERICAN/ALASKA NATIVE APPLICANTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW AND TRIBAL POLICY.