Indigenous Relations Liaison

Valard Group of Companies

21h

About The Position

Valard Construction is seeking an Indigenous Relations Liaison to support the Northeast Powerline and Northshore Link projects in Northern Ontario. Reporting to the Vice President, Indigenous Partnerships and Commercial Strategy, the Liaison will be embedded in the project team and help implement the projects’ Indigenous engagement and participation plan. The role works directly with partnering Indigenous communities to support the company’s commitments and build respectful, collaborative relationships with communities, leadership, and project-area partners. Frequent travel to Indigenous communities, including remote locations, is required.

Requirements

Five years of related experience in Indigenous relations, community engagement, stakeholder relations, or a similar role.
Proven ability to work independently while coordinating effectively with a broader project team.
Strong understanding of Indigenous community and cultural considerations, including the importance of protocols and trust-building.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Power BI, with strong general computer skills.
Legal authorization to work in Canada without restrictions.

Nice To Haves

Post-secondary education in business administration, communications, Indigenous studies, public relations, or a related field; equivalent experience will also be considered.
Experience in construction, energy, utilities, infrastructure, or linear projects.

Responsibilities

Work with Valard’s Indigenous Relations team, Project Management Team, Employee Services, and Procurement to support engagement objectives, workforce participation, community communications, and business opportunities.
Build and maintain respectful relationships with Indigenous communities, leadership, and stakeholders through meaningful engagement, feedback, and ongoing communication.
Identify, escalate, and support resolution of issues, risks, and community concerns in collaboration with project leadership and internal teams.
Maintain awareness of local and regional social, political, and economic considerations affecting projects and engagement approaches.
Prepare and distribute community communications, notifications, project milestone updates, lookahead schedules as appropriate, and construction progress notices.
Develop project information packages and community-facing materials for Indigenous leadership, members, businesses, and other stakeholders.
Prepare regular reports tracking and summarizing hiring, workforce hours, spending, and procurement.
Record and track communications, engagement activities, commitments, and issues according to project requirements.
Coordinate and participate in community events, open houses, career fairs, and other engagement activities to strengthen relationships and support workforce and business objectives.
Support workforce communications and respond to employee or community concerns related to project employment and engagement.
Assist in developing engagement plans and supporting achievable Indigenous participation targets.
Represent Valard professionally in community settings and on project-related matters.