Community Engagement & Communications Specialist

Department: Marketing

Reports To: Marketing Director

Location: Remote or Hybrid | Headquarters: Rapid City, South Dakota

Position Type: Full Time, Exempt, At-will

Travel: 30 to 40 percent, including travel to Native ranches, events, and conferences and additional 1 week per quarter in headquarters office in SD

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Community Outreach & Rancher Recruitment

  • Develop and implement recruitment strategies to attract new Native Buffalo Producers to Tanka Fund programs

  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with tribal members, community leaders, and stakeholders across Indigenous communities

  • Serve as a primary point of contact and liaison between Tanka Fund and Native ranching communities

  • Plan and execute outreach initiatives including community events, workshops, and informational sessions

  • Collaborate with the Tanka Fund team to align recruitment efforts with organizational goals

  • Track and report recruitment metrics using Tanka Fund's Salesforce system

Storytelling & Content Development

  • Conduct interviews with Native ranchers, program participants, and community members

  • Develop long-form and short-form content including rancher profiles, newsletters, donor impact narratives, and social media campaigns

  • Travel to ranches and events to capture photos and video for digital use

  • Edit short-form video and photo content for social and digital platforms

  • Maintain and organize the organization's digital asset library

Digital Communications & Campaign Support

  • Support execution of digital campaigns across social media, email, and web platforms

  • Contribute to campaign planning and the annual communications calendar

  • Maintain consistent publishing cadence aligned with organizational priorities

  • Support website content updates, blog posts, and program resource pages

  • Monitor digital performance and provide basic reporting and recommendations

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

  • Collaborate with development and program teams to align messaging and storytelling

  • Support donor communications, campaign launches, and grant storytelling

  • Assist in preparation of marketing materials for events and outreach

  • Reporting on current grants assigned, maintaining deliverables and communications with all departments

  • Other duties as assigned

POSITION SUMMARY

The Community Engagement & Communications Specialist serves as a primary bridge between Tanka Fund and the Indigenous communities and Native Buffalo Producers we exist to serve. This role unites two essential functions: recruiting and supporting new Native rancher partners, and amplifying their stories through compelling content and digital communications.

This position is for someone who is equally at home sitting with a rancher on the land as they are crafting a social media campaign or writing a donor impact story. It requires cultural awareness, strong communication skills, and a genuine commitment to the mission of returning Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies.

WHY THIS ROLE EXISTS

As Tanka Fund enters a new phase of growth, including a 3-year grant period focused on expanding our network of Indigenous buffalo ranchers, we need someone who can do two things simultaneously: grow the network and tell its story. The most powerful content we can create comes directly from the field. This role ensures that the relationships we build become the narratives that move donors, inspire communities, and advance the mission.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

  • 3 to 5 years of experience in communications, community outreach, marketing, or a related field

  • Knowledge of and experience working within Indigenous communities; preference given to individuals of Indigenous descent

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, both internal and external

  • Experience in community outreach, recruitment, or relationship-based roles

  • Photo and basic video capture and editing capability

  • Ability to work independently and manage multiple deadlines

  • Willingness to travel regularly, including to rural and reservation communities

Preferred

  • Experience in nonprofit or mission-driven organizations

  • Familiarity with agriculture, conservation, or Indigenous food systems

  • Experience with social media management and analytics

  • Email marketing and campaign platform familiarity (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact)

  • CMS experience for website content management

  • Familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM platforms

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.

● Internal and public-facing environment

● Regular speaking, hearing, communication with others

● Ability to sit for extended periods (example: sitting at work desk during workday)

● Ability to handle harsh weather and terrains where ranches and Buffalo are situated

● Periodic driving required (example: up to 4-hour distance)

Skills & Competencies

  • Cultural awareness, humility, and active listening

  • Relationship-building and community trust development

  • Content development and editorial judgment

  • Visual storytelling and field media capture

  • Digital communications fluency

  • Campaign coordination and project management

  • Time management and prioritization in a remote environment

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Salary range: $50,000 – $60,000 annually

Benefits:

  • PPO Medical Coverage 

  • Dental Insurance 

  • Vision Insurance 

  • Ten days of PTO

  • 7 Paid Holidays 

  • Paid two-week end-of-year company holiday

Equal Opportunity Statement

Tanka Fund 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.

Native American 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, Tanka Fund applies an Native American Preference in employment. Qualified Native American candidates will be given preference in hiring.

How to Apply

Please send an email to jobs@tankafund.org with the subject line “INSERT JOB TITLE – [YOUR NAME].” In the email, please include the following as a single PDF attachment:

  • Your resume

  • 1-page cover letter explaining your interest in Tanka Fund and the position

  • A separate page with short answers to the following questions:

    • What does Buffalo restoration mean to you and have you worked around our relatives?

    • How has your experience working in Indigenous communities or communities at large, informed your current work and your interest in this position?

    • Describe a specific instance in which you managed multiple projects with competing deadlines. What strategies or processes did you use to prioritize and stay organized, and how would you evaluate the overall success of your efforts?

    • What are your career goals and what drives you?

  • In the body of the email, please include a short introduction and include your name, current address, and phone number. 

As attention to detail is critical for success in this role, only applicants who follow these specific application guidelines will be considered.

Note: Please apply to one position only. Apply by Friday, April 24th, to be considered for this role.