Cultural Relations Lead

Location: Calgary, AB

Position Type: Full-time (37.5 hours per week); Salary

Program: Miskanawah Cultural Services

Position Summary:

Miskanawah is an Indigenous agency that draws jointly from the strengths and guidance of Indigenous teachings and traditions, and culturally based practices in human services, to support vulnerable children, youth, and families.

The Cultural Relations Lead is responsible for enhancing Miskanawah’s cultural capacity and Building Relatives- ReconciliACTION strategy within the Moh'Kinsstis community. This includes:

1. Building internal cultural capacity to meet the needs of Indigenous people accessing cultural supports through Miskanawah programming.
2. Direct support, planning, and coordination of Miskanawah’s core Building Relatives (ReconciliACTION) annual offerings, which include: Truth and Reconciliation Bringing Them Home: 4-day Sacred Fire Ceremony, Friendship Round Dance, and Land-based Sundance.

Responsibilities:

Build internal cultural capacity:

• Provide cultural leadership for Miskanawah programs, including youth and land-based programming and supports.
• Determine staffing requirements and oversee the hiring, training, and supervision of Cultural Team staff.
• Coordinate and organize responsibilities through the Cultural Team, including invoicing and payment schedule for contracted supports.
• Develop and maintain relationships with Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
• Coordinate, purchase, and harvest cultural supplies, including tobacco, cloth, and medicines.
• Ongoing cultural support and involvement with Miskanawah’s Leadership Team.
• Support Cultural Orientation for all Miskanawah staff: Provide teachings, education, and training to build cultural capacity within Miskanawah staff.

• Responsible for managing program budgets.
• Track, monitor, and report cultural activities and impact stories for agency and program Annual Reports.
• Monitor data collection, lead annual outcomes reporting, and ensure the fidelity of program measurement tools, in alignment with contract deliverables.
• Lead and develop program reporting needs in alignment with Miskanawah’s Indigenous Evaluation Framework.
• Identify opportunities to enhance cultural supports and services, increasing positive outcomes for families.

Direct support, planning, and coordination:

• Lead, develop, and coordinate Miskanawah Building Relatives Reconciliation initiatives.
• Collaborate with Miskanawah’s Land-based Coordinator and Cultural Services Manager to enhance land-based healing offerings, focusing on Building Relatives.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with community partners, allies, and relatives.
• Create and maintain a positive and supportive learning environment for community partners to build relations and engage in ReconciliACTION.
• Provide direct support to the Cultural Services Manager and CEO in planning, leading, and developing Miskanawah bi-annual Tea Dance Ceremonies to elicit community feedback and inform ongoing cultural developments at Miskanawah.

Skills and experiences:

• Knowledge of and willingness to engage Indigenous cultural traditions.
• Experience working with Indigenous people and communities.
• Promotion of Indigenous resiliency and wellbeing into service delivery.
• Willingness to engage with diverse Indigenous ceremonies and Elders/Knowledge Keepers.
• Experience building partnerships and working collaboratively to meet shared objectives.
• Strong ability to make sense of complex and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Ability to respond quickly in a dynamic and changing environment.
• Ability to take initiative.

Requirements:

• Diploma or Degree in a Human Services or related field; Cultural Equivalency will be considered.
• Minimum five (5) years of experience working with vulnerable children, youth, and families.
• Minimum three (3) years of leadership experience in a Human Services field.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, and oral communication skills.
• Strategic thinker with organizing, planning, and analytical skills.
• Passion for learning and developing Indigenous parallels to Western knowledge systems.
• Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check.
• Child Intervention Check.

We offer the opportunity to be part of a creative and positive work environment, supports for professional development, and the chance to be part of a team that supports children, youth, and families to thrive within a culturally responsive community.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected] by and reference “Cultural Relations Lead” in the subject line. We thank all interested applicants, however, only those selected for interview will be contacted.