Edmonton Heritage Council is hiring an Indigenous Initiatives Lead

TITLE: Indigenous Initiatives Lead

POSITION STATUS: Full-time (0.8 – 1.0 FTE)

REPORTS TO: Programs & Partnerships Manager

STARTING SALARY: $52,000 – $57,000 (1.0 FTE)

POSTING DATE: August 25, 2021

CLOSING DATE: September 13, 2021

TARGET START DATE: October 7, 2021

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

The Edmonton Heritage Council (EHC) is a not for profit organization that connects people to the stories of our city through our leadership, support, and programs. We do this by helping Edmontonians research, preserve, interpret, and advocate for their heritage.

POSITION SUMMARY

The EHC is currently recruiting for the Indigenous Initiatives Lead role. The Indigenous Initiatives Lead will support EHC in its goal of supporting Indigenous peoples in revitalizing and participating in cultural practice that connects to their ancestors, the land, and living traditions. They will lead EHC’s newest grant program, Funding Indigenous Resurgence in Edmonton (FIRE), through its second call for submissions. They will work towards fostering relationships with Indigenous leaders in cultural work, developing partnerships within the heritage sector, and in developing and executing Indigenous heritage projects.

The Indigenous Initiatives Lead understands the dynamic and layered histories and living traditions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities living and working in the Edmonton area. They are experienced with grants administration and program evaluation. They understand and have successfully navigated multi-stakeholder partnerships. They are naturally at ease in new situations and understand the challenges and opportunities that exist when bringing people together. They will explore and develop new and existing relationships to enhance and increase representation of Indigenous voices in Edmonton’s heritage sector.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Grants Administration:

• Promotion, outreach, and awareness of the FIRE grant program;
• Responding to inquiries from potential grant applicants;
• Reviewing and providing feedback to grant applicants;
• Processing, documenting, and filing grant applications;
• Coordinating the peer review process;
• Program correspondence.

Community Outreach:

• Cultivate and maintain positive and respectful relationships to advance cultural activities, community-based research, and the sharing of stories amongst Indigenous peoples in Greater Edmonton;
• Raise awareness about the work of the Edmonton Heritage Council through in-person and virtual meetings, networking, and social media;
• Connect with Indigenous individuals as well as Indigenous-led cultural, health, and knowledge-sharing organizations across the Greater Edmonton area to learn about their needs regarding program and project development and delivery;

• Act as a representative for the Edmonton Heritage Council at community events and meetings

Indigenous Program and Project Development:

• Identify and advance opportunities for program and project development;
• Evaluate and respond to feedback in project and program design to ensure it continues to meet community cultural heritage needs;
• Assist in brokering partnerships with external agencies, organizations, and individuals interested in working collaboratively with EHC; and
• Lead and where appropriate contract external people to provide training in cultural teachings, intercultural competency through workshops and in-services.

Inter-Program Coordination:

• Understand and promote the Heritage Community Investment Program (HCIP);
• Understand and promote the Edmonton City as Museum Project (ECAMP) program and collaborative opportunities;
• Assist Indigenous community organizations and individuals in pursuing funding and other resources to conduct heritage work by providing coaching and feedback; and
• Liaise with other program staff (HCIP and ECAMP) to find opportunities to collaborate, share, refer, and where appropriate promote work already underway.

Administration:

• Utilize and update a database to track outreach activities and their impact on organizational goals;
• Complete all required reports and administrative processes; and
• Provides support and counsel to EHC Management.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Undergraduate coursework (minimum 3 years of study) in Native Studies, History, Public Policy, Public Administration, or other relevant field;
• Supplemental professional development such as U of A’s Indigenous Canada MOOC, virtual meeting facilitation, Banff Centre Indigenous Leadership program;
• Demonstrated experience working with Indigenous communities in program delivery, community development, and/or outreach;
• 2+ years of experience in grants administration, grant-writing, and/or program coordination;
• Demonstrated experience working with Indigenous ways of knowing and protocols regarding knowledge sharing, gathering consensus;
• Experience developing cultural and heritage-based programs that support community-driven heritage outcomes (i.e. language preservation, documentation, oral history, land-based education, Treaty studies)
• Knowledge and understanding of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, its history, Calls to Action, and work underway in response
• Familiarity with Edmonton’s relationships and Memoranda of Understanding with the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations, the Métis Nation of Alberta, and Enoch Cree Nation
• Project Management and administrative experience with meticulous attention to detail, process, and documentation
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Applications (Windows and Mac OS)

• Working experience with database systems preferred (i.e. CRM systems)
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral
• Excellent time management skills

Work Environment

The position’s workspace is located within the EHC offices. At present, all EHC staff are operating on a blended work-from-home and office schedule. There is regular contact with stakeholders and the public at the EHC office and around Edmonton. This position will involve occasional evening and weekend work.

Physical Requirements

There are minimal physical requirements such as infrequent setting up of table and chairs for meetings, moving boxes of meeting-related items in and out of vehicles, and traveling off-site to other locations.

Interested candidates, please email cover letter and resume as a single PDF attachment to:

Danielle Dolgoy, Programs & Partnerships Manager

Email: [email protected]

We are an equal opportunity employer. EHC encourages diversity and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals.

Candidates who are moving forward in the process will be notified within two weeks of the deadline. We thank all applicants in advance, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.