Operations Coordinator

Location: Cowlitz Reservation (Onsite) 

Type: Regular Full Time, Non-Exempt 

Wage: Hourly $31.25 - 40.87, Annual conversion $65,000 - 85,000

Summary

The Cowlitz Economic Authority (CEA) builds a diversified, resilient economy for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe through the growth and support of tribal enterprises and business initiatives. The operations coordinator provides administrative, project, reporting, and operational coordination support across CEA’s holding company structure and non-gaming businesses, including Q’anápsu LLC and Cowlitz Tobacco Outlet. This role assists leadership by organizing information, tracking assignments and timelines, coordinating operational workflows, maintaining records, supporting reporting needs, and helping ensure follow-through on priorities, policies, and process improvements. Gaming operations managed by CTGA are out of scope for this role.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Operations 

• Provide operational coordination support across CEA business entities with a focus on consistency, efficiency, customer service, safety, accountability, and timely follow-through. 

• Track operational performance metrics, organize data, identify trends, and prepare summaries for leadership review. 

• Assist with developing, updating, distributing, and maintaining policies, systems, procedures, and tracking tools that support operational consistency and accountability. 

• Assist with organizing operational budget information, invoices, purchasing documentation, and reporting materials to support forecasting, resource allocation, and financial performance reviews. 

Strategy Development 

• Coordinate operational special projects identified by the CEO, Chief of Staff 

• Coordinate implementation tracking and administrative follow-up for assigned strategic plan priorities. 

• Maintain administrative dashboards, trackers, reports, and executive summaries that support CEO and Chief of Staff updates to Tribal and General Council, board members, and enterprise leadership. 

• Collect, organize, and summarize administrative, operational, and financial information to support timely decision-making, reporting, and follow-through. 

Business Development Administration 

• Organize and summarize information to support leadership evaluation of new business opportunities. 

• Support the preparation and administrative maintenance of business plans, operational plans, implementation timelines, and related planning materials. 

• Coordinate operational readiness planning for new or expanded enterprises, including early-stage planning, site coordination, implementation timelines, staffing assumptions, vendor needs, compliance requirements, and transition planning. 

• Support start-up, expansion, transition, and post-acquisition integration activities for new and existing enterprises, including staffing needs, vendor and service coordination, site readiness, reporting structures, and operational handoff planning. 

• Support operational coordination with Tribal departments, community organizations, vendors, consultants, and external partners as directed. 

• Track and document potential operational efficiencies, risks, and revenue opportunities for leadership review. 

Organizational Infrastructure 

• Assist with developing, documenting, updating, and maintaining standard operating procedures (SOPs) across CEA enterprises. 

• Support policy development and implementation to ensure consistency, where possible, across business entities. 

• Coordinate operational systems, workflows, meeting follow-ups, and process improvement tracking. 

• Collaborate with HR, Finance, IT and leadership to support organizational alignment, operational planning and consistent implementation across CEA enterprises. 

• Identify opportunities to standardize or integrate operational software systems across entities in partnership with IT, reduce redundancy, and improve cross-entity reporting capability. Support vendor management, contract administration, and procurement processes. 

• Ensure operational documentation, records, and reporting systems are maintained and organized. 

Quality Assurance and Compliance  

• Support compliance with Tribal, federal, state, and local regulations applicable to business operations by coordinating documentation, calendars, checklists, and follow-up items. 

• Monitor adherence to organizational policies, procedures, and internal controls. 

• Coordinate operational audits, inspections, compliance reviews, and document requests as needed. 

• Track operational risks, issues, and mitigation follow-up items for leadership review. 

• Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the organization. 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge of business operations, administrative coordination, organizational systems, and process improvement practices. 

• Knowledge of project management principles and strategic planning practices. 

• Knowledge of budget tracking, financial documentation, invoice coordination, and operational reporting. 

• Knowledge of tribal sovereignty, tribal governance structures, and tribal economic development strategies. 

• Knowledge of applicable Tribal, federal, state and local regulations impacting business operations. 

• Knowledge of point-of-sale, inventory management, and e-commerce systems used across retail operations. 

• Knowledge of risk management, internal controls and compliance practices applicable to multi-entity retail operations 

• Knowledge of licensing and regulatory requirements applicable to controlled or age-restricted product categories. Skill in developing and implementing operational systems, policies, and procedures. 

• Skill in organizing operational and financial information and preparing summaries for leadership review. 

• Skill in preparing reports, presentations, dashboards, and executive summaries. 

• Skill in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and reporting tools. 

• Ability to coordinate multiple projects, deadlines, documents, and follow-up items simultaneously. 

• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. 

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with tribal members, employees, leadership and external partners. 

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism in all interactions. 

• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and organizational needs. 

• Ability to demonstrate cultural awareness and alignment with CEA’s mission and goals. 

Qualifications:

Required 

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Public Administration, Finance, Economic Development, Organizational Leadership, or related field; equivalent lived or professional experience may be considered. Bachelor’s degree preferred.  

• 5 years of experience in operations coordination, administrative coordination, project coordination, business support, economic development support, or related experience. Retail operations experience preferred.  

• Experience working for a Tribal government, Tribal enterprise, native-led organization or Indigenous community. 

• Experience managing multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously. 

• Experience supporting, documenting, and maintaining operational processes, policies, procedures, trackers, or reporting systems. 

• Experience organizing budget, invoice, purchasing, financial, or operational performance information for review. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, reporting tools, and business management systems. 

Preferred 

• Experience supporting multiple business entities, departments, or a holding company structure. 

• Experience working in economic development, enterprise development or business incubation environments. 

• Experience with strategic planning and organizational performance management. 

• Experience with budgeting, forecasting and financial analysis.  

• Experience operating in a regulated industry (e.g., cannabis, tobacco, alcohol) with familiarity in compliance requirements  and licensing processes.  

• Project coordination, administrative coordination, or project management training preferred. 

• Cowlitz and tribal member preference will be applied in accordance with the applicable tribal employment policies and law. 

Working Conditions:

• Onsite work on the Cowlitz Reservation with periodic travel to enterprise sites. 

• Schedule flexibility is required based on enterprise operations, site needs, meetings and project demands. 

• Typical working hours are Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm. 

• Frequent travel between business locations, vendor sites, and development projects. 

• Occasional evening, weekend, and holiday work may be required. 

Background Investigation Requirements:

• Reference checks, education and employment verification. 

• Federal, state, and/or tribal criminal history and sanction checks including fingerprint verification. 

• Must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and UA test. 

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license. 

• Must comply with all applicable tribal, federal, state, and organizational policies and requirements. 

***If you are an American Indian/Alaska Native and/or a Veteran and would like this to be considered a preference in hiring, please upload documentation with your resume and cover letter. Acceptable documentation includes Tribal Enrollment card, a letter from your Tribe stating your enrollment, or BIA 4432 and/or DD214.***