Indigenous Engagement and Programs

Position: Director of Indigenous Engagement and Programs
Organization: Awi'nakola Foundation
Location: Greater Victoria region preferred, BC
Employment Type: Full-time (Permanent) 37.5 hrs/week

Join a growing, collaborative and diverse team working to restore balance between people and the natural world through an Indigenous governance model led by an all-Indigenous Board of Matriarchs and Femmes.

The Awi’nakola Foundation is seeking to fill a new role within our organization. The Director of Indigenous Engagement and Programs will help advance our vision of connection, renewal, and responsibility. This leadership role is an opportunity to build partnerships, develop programs, and contribute to land- and water-based field research initiatives that strengthen Indigenous knowledge systems and environmental integrity.

ABOUT THE AWI’NAKOLA FOUNDATION

Awi’nakola Foundation is an Indigenous-led registered Canadian charity blending arts and sciences. Grounded in the teachings of land, water, air, and spirit, our programming is informed by values, laws, protocols and wisdom of the land and centers respectful relationships with the non-human world and sustainable reciprocity with biodiversity. We are recognized for the powerful role we play in convening and mobilizing a distributed organizing model made up of more than two dozen diverse organizations and communities.

Through field-based research, cultural learning, and on-the-land programming, we uphold Indigenous governance, ceremony—and the voices of the land itself. Our Board of Indigenous Matriarchs and Femmes exemplifies our foundational commitment to dismantling colonial legacies: re-centering Indigenous sovereignty, matriarchal leadership, Title and Rights, and healing.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Indigenous Engagement and Programs provides strategic leadership to strengthen Awi’nakola’s community-based partnerships, program growth and development, and formulate research priorities. This role is central to coordinating and expanding Awi’nakola’s fieldwork and community-based initiatives—including two annual signature events, our spring Kinship Gathering and our summer Tree of Life Land Gathering—integrating Indigenous knowledge and scientific research.

Working closely with the Executive Director, the Director of Indigenous Engagement and Programs will ensure that all relationship and program development efforts are guided by respect, integrity, and alignment with Awi’nakola’s mission. The successful candidate will thrive both in collaboration and independent work, bringing creativity, professionalism, and cultural understanding to all aspects of their leadership.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build and maintain meaningful relationships with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous Nations, community partners, and supporters.
• Lead the design, coordination, and delivery of Awi’nakola’s programs, with a strong focus on land- and water-based learning and field research initiatives.
• Collaborate across teams to strengthen program planning, strategy formation, fieldwork coordination, implementation, and evaluation processes.
• Contribute to project and organization-wide budget building, tracking expenditures and financial management.
• Support the development of research partnerships that align with Indigenous governance, protocols, and environmental priorities.
• Relationship-building with program officers, donors, and family offices and partnership development through proposal writing, reporting, and story-telling.
• Support internal communications and engagement with staff, Board Directors, and community collaborators.
• Represent Awi’nakola at meetings, gatherings, and events in a manner that reflects the Foundation’s values and commitments.
• Work both collaboratively and independently to meet organizational goals and timelines.

QUALIFICATIONS and SKILLS

• Deep understanding of Indigenous values, governance, and relationship-based leadership.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills across diverse communities and organizations.
• Extensive experience in program design, development, coordination, and/or management within Indigenous, environmental, or fieldwork contexts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a developed ability to communicate across multiple disciplines.
• Previous experience managing staff and diverse working styles.
• Experience with proposal writing, narrative and financial reporting, and partnership development.
• Past experience building and managing program or departmental budgets on track and on time.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team and independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent organizational, strategic thinking, and project management skills.

ASSETS

• Knowledge of Indigenous Nations’ governance models, awareness of Indigenous languages, and protocols.
• Experience in land-based research and fieldwork, cultural revitalization, or environmental conservation.
• Familiarity with digital tools for project management, fund development, data tracking, and communications.

COMPENSATION and BENEFITS

• Salary range: $85K - 100K CAD, commensurate with experience and qualifications
• Annual cost of living adjustments.
• Hybrid work environment, work from location agreements, and weekly in-person team meetings (position location: preferably based within the greater Victoria region).
• The position will require travel for community initiatives and expenses will be covered, including on-the-water and to remote and rural locations within the province. Travel for some international engagements may also be required.
• 3 weeks’ paid vacation, staff wellness days (one per quarter), paid holiday time between December and January (mandatory office closure), and annual stipend for professional development opportunities.
• Comprehensive health benefits package, including extended health and dental coverage, and vision care.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your cover letter and resume/CV to Director of Operations and Partnerships, Britton Jacob-Schram: britton@awinakola.com

• Subject line ‘Director of Indigenous Engagement and Programs – Application’.
• Please ensure your cover letter highlights Indigenous ancestry, Indigenous community or organization involvements, education (formal or community-based), past contract experience, and how such knowledge and abilities will serve you through a cultural lens in the role of Director of Indigenous Engagement and Programs.
• Please indicate your availability for interviews between November 10-13.

Applications will be considered as they are received. The start date is as soon as possible. And the competition will remain open until the position is filled. Only those candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.

Awi’nakola Foundation honours the Territories and Peoples on whose lands we live and work. We strongly encourage Indigenous applicants to apply: preference will be given to qualified candidates with First Nations, Inuit, or Métis ancestry in accordance with s.16(1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act. As an inclusive employer, we also encourage members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community to apply.

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