Senior Specialist, Indigenous Programs

University of Ottawa•Ottawa, ON

7d•CA$95,594 - CA$120,750•Onsite

About The Position

The Common Law Section of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa is a national and global leader in legal education. It is the only law school offering a common law degree in both English and French, with an accomplished faculty known for its public engagement and strong ties to the legal community. The faculty is highly cited in the media and provides students with significant experiential learning opportunities and interaction with high-level judges. The position of Senior Specialist, Indigenous Programs provides leadership and strategic advice on indigenization, reconciliation, and decolonization within the Common Law Section. This role focuses on building community among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader community, while facilitating cooperation and ensuring the meaningful participation of Indigenous communities in university life. A key aspect of this role is advising and supporting Indigenous law students in a culturally responsive manner that respects privacy, inclusivity, and human rights. The position also involves implementing the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission relevant to legal education and professional development, including managing academic and cultural support services, collaborating on research, and providing guidance on admissions, academic success, and professional networking. Additionally, the role collaborates with the Admissions office to recruit Indigenous students through effective strategies and stakeholder engagement.

Requirements

A university degree is required, with a strong preference for a candidate with a JD or master’s degree, in a relevant field such as law, education, social work, etc.
Minimum five years of relevant professional experience, such as education or social work, or in the practice of law.
Lived Indigenous experience and extensive knowledge and understanding of Indigenous culture, history, education, protocols and practices learned through active Indigenous community engagement.
Strong problem-solving, critical thinking ability and creative solutions.
Strong organizational and analytical skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities with competing deadlines;
Knowledge of University of Ottawa and Faculty of Law programs, standards, regulations, policies and procedures, and supportive services at the undergraduate and graduate level;
High degree of commitment to the advancement of Indigenous students at the Faculty of Law;
Comprehensive knowledge and experience in the development and implementation of organization-wide policies and strategies;
Excellent interpersonal, student services and/or human resources skills;
High degree of professionalism, initiative and ability to work independently and autonomously.
Willing to work flexible hours to deliver Specific Accountabilities
Knowledge and engagement of local, regional and national resources and services provided by and for Indigenous partners, organizations and communities.
Strong ability in project management, planning and organizing events.
Bilingualism in English and French, or a willingness to learn a second official institutional language is required.
Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of an Indigenous language is an asset.

Responsibilities

Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to develop and implement Truth and Reconciliation initiatives at the Common Law Section, ensuring alignment with the University's Indigenous Action Plan, Transformation 2030, and other relevant internal and external policy documents.
Acts as a primary resource for Indigenous students, providing individualized and culturally appropriate support for academic, personal, and financial challenges, and coordinating appropriate campus services and accommodations.
Designs and implements student engagement initiatives, including orientation programs, speaker series, networking opportunities, and graduation events to enhance the Indigenous student experience.
Manages the Indigenous student tutor program, including hiring and supervising academic and writing tutors.
Develops and implements, together with the Admissions office, strategies and best practices to attract top Indigenous candidates to Common Law Section programs that are aligned with industry standards in Canadian legal education.
Sets objectives for access to law school and addresses gaps in admissions pathways programming and student retention services.
Engages in relationship and community building with external stakeholders and partners, such as the Law Society of Ontario, various local and national professional associations, various Indigenous organizations, and Indigenous alumni to support Indigenous legal education and collaboration with the Common Law Section.
Represents and promotes the positive reputation of the University of Ottawa and the Common Law Section both externally and internally to raise the profile of the Section’s Indigenous students and faculty, and indigenization, reconciliation and decolonization efforts.
Develops and manages the implementation of ongoing professional development programs for the Common Law community related to indigenization, reconciliation and decolonization within the Common Law Section.
Plans and executes major events and initiatives, related to annual events such as Treaties Recognition Week, National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, etc., with the goal fostering community engagement, and promoting awareness of Indigenous legal and social issues, indigenization, reconciliation and decolonization within the Common Law Section.
Plans and delivers culturally relevant programming to the Indigenous community as well as the broader Common Law community, such as Community Beading Circle, and moccasin, mittens, ribbon skirt, and orange-shirt-pin workshops.
Develops and manages the implementation of communication strategies for promoting Indigenous programming and supports, though printed materials, social media, and other available channels to reach potential applicants, students, alumni, the Common Law community and external stakeholders and partners.
Provides strategic advice to the senior leadership team on development and implementation of communications related to indigenization, reconciliation, and decolonization mission and activities of the Common Law Section.
Prepares and manages the operational budget for Indigenous programs and produces annual reports on progress, accomplishments, and challenges related to Specific Accountabilities, while recommending improvements to advance the Faculty’s indigenization, reconciliation, and decolonization goals.
Collaborates with the Faculty’s Research Office to develop new research initiatives, partnerships, and grant opportunities that support the strategic research goals of the Faculty of Law related to indigenization, reconciliation and decolonization.