Senior Indigenous Rights and Consultation Lead

Dillon Consulting Limited•Edmonton, AB

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are currently seeking a Senior Indigenous Rights and Consultation Lead to join our team. We specialize in meaningfully integrating Indigenous rights, relationships, values, and perspectives into our planning and impact assessment processes. This is a new position and is based at an of our offices: Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Fredericton, Saint John, Halifax, St. John's. We offer flexible work hours and hybrid work arrangement options to help balance the competing demands of work and personal life. The successful candidate will support our planning, environmental science, and engineering technical groups across Dillon to: provide guidance on the Duty to Consult and associated engagement processes and best practices, including approaches to meaningful engagement; support relationship building with Indigenous communities through project consultation and engagement; integrate Indigenous Knowledge into assessment and planning processes; and undertake socio-cultural and Aboriginal and Treaty rights impact assessment processes in accordance with best practices and emerging approaches. Our teams work with a range of public, private, and Indigenous clients on a variety of exciting projects across the country, including infrastructure, environmental assessment, and planning projects.

Requirements

A degree in social sciences, geography, resource management, Indigenous studies, anthropology, archaeology, planning, or a related field, preferably at the Master’s level.
A minimum of 15 years of direct relevant experience, preferably in the consulting industry.
In-depth understanding of the Duty to Consult and Accommodate.
Knowledge of the history and present-day context of Indigenous Peoples, governments, and organizations in Canada.
Knowledge of how to identify potentially impacted and interested Indigenous Communities for projects in Canada and understanding of how to assess potential impacts to Aboriginal and Treaty Rights and interests in Canada.
Knowledge of relevant planning and legislative frameworks (Indigenous, municipal, provincial, federal) and planning principles and techniques.
Understanding of culturally-appropriate approaches to planning and engagement.
Strong writing skills are essential to this role – must be proficient in report and plan writing and able to prepare high-quality deliverables with attention to detail.
Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to think critically and strategically, and be adaptive and responsive in the face of emerging challenges and opportunities.
Acts with professionalism and personal accountability for attention to detail, time management, organization skills, quality control, and troubleshooting of project work to achieve quality, schedule, and budgetary expectations
Business acumen and understanding of the consulting environment - ability to work in a fast-paced consulting environment with multiple project demands and timelines.
A desire for continuous learning, professional development, and tackling new challenges.
Versatile and adaptable with ability to work in a self-directed, multidisciplinary team setting.
Willingness to travel, as needed.
Able to work across multiple time zones, as needed.
Valid driver’s license.
Experience in leading and conducting Aboriginal and Treaty Rights and cultural impact assessments in federal, provincial or territorial regulatory frameworks.
Demonstrated experience providing leadership, mentorship to and managing more junior staff.
Demonstrated success in project management including working in a team setting and meeting quality, schedule, and budgetary expectations.
Familiarity with IK/ILRU and related studies.

Nice To Haves

Experience in preparing and delivering consultation programs for a range of stakeholders and Indigenous communities, including developing communication materials and program documentation is considered an asset.
Experience facilitating meetings and workshops.

Responsibilities

Lead and support baseline programs and effects assessments with respect to Aboriginal and Treaty Rights and cultural impact assessments.
Support, guide and develop resources to support understanding of the Duty to Consult and impacts on Aboriginal and Treaty rights and interests.
Provide advice on current best practices and legal rulings related to the Duty to Consult and Accommodation.
Provide technical expertise and advisory support to project teams and clients related to Indigenous Knowledge/Indigenous Land and Resource Use (IK/ILRU), rights and interests, cultural protocols/considerations, and other related matters (e.g., UNDRIP, FPIC).
Conduct and contribute to detailed research, including jurisdictional and legislative framework reviews.
Support socio-economic data collection and assessments (qualitative and quantitative).
Contribute to territorial planning projects with the objective of asserting rights, title and jurisdiction.
Contribute to environmental assessment projects, and other planning or policy projects including baseline and background research, report writing, socio-economic data collection and analysis, IK/ILRU studies, and fieldwork (as required).
Communicate with clients, community leaders and members, staff and others regularly in a clear and professional manner, both orally and in writing.
Prepare and provide review of high-quality reports and deliverables in line with best practices and appropriate cultural protocols.
Support Indigenous community consultation and engagement programs and activities.
Lead and support meetings and facilitate engagement sessions with clients, community leaders and members, and regulators.
Manage and coordinate projects and project-related programs.
Provide mentorship to and manage more junior staff including delegating project-related tasks to team members with an appropriate level of direction, guidance, review and feedback.
Collaborate with and support technical and professional staff from across the company and sub consultants to complete project assignments.
Travel for project work across Canada as required.
Other duties as assigned.
Contribute to ongoing business development activities including development and enhancement of relationships with new and existing clients.
Lead and support marketing initiatives, including profile building exercises.
Lead and support proposals and work plans.
Collaborate with staff across Canada for the purposes of project delivery, client relationship development, and the identification of opportunities and associated strategies.
Contribute to Dillon’s corporate profile through active participation in professional associations and committees and representing the team at conferences and workshops.
Participate in corporate, office, and technical group meetings and activities.
Contribute to the career growth and development of less tenured team members through leadership, technical direction, mentorship, coaching and training recommendations.
Work with the larger Dillon team to identify and apply emerging best practices and new approaches to project activities, as well as legislative changes that may impact our work.
A commitment to self-development and ongoing learning and professional development.