Job Specification

Purpose :

To foster the development of Indigenous community relations in support of ministry strategic objectives, and to facilitate Indigenous community access to economic development and mineral sector opportunities.

To lead legally required Indigenous consultations, including negotiating agreements and settlements on matters related to mineral exploration and development in the Ring of Fire development in Northern Ontario.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Consultations/ Negotiations
- Leads legally required Indigenous consultations, including negotiating agreements and settlements on matters related to mineral exploration and development in the Ring of Fire development in Northern Ontario.
- Leads consultation/project teams comprised of ministry multi-disciplinary staff: facilitates discussions among the parties; diffuses tensions; resolves issues arising in the consultation process; and negotiates consultation related expenses with Indigenous communities.
- Conceptualizes and implements strategies and approaches for engaging, consulting, negotiating, and maintaining linkages with Indigenous communities and land based sectors related to development and management of mineral and economic development initiatives in Indigenous communities.
- Prepares and/or participates in the preparation of work plans; responses to enquiries from government officials; briefings on mineral and related economic development/land management matters; notes, cabinet submissions, policy and program recommendations; communications/news release; Indigenous related training material.
- Maintains knowledge of Indigenous community relations, legal precedents affecting land rights and access, as well as related OPS policies, practices and procedures, through ongoing research and training.

2. Stakeholder Relations/ Partnerships
- Establishes and nurtures Indigenous community relations and networks to develop sound relations and to foster collaboration between government, mineral development, and other economic development sectors.
- Leads, in collaboration with other program areas, information sharing, training, relationship building forums and/or site visits with stakeholders (ministry, Indigenous representatives, prospectors, junior and senior mining companies.
- Represents the ministry at inter-jurisdictional working groups, conferences, meetings, and forums, to provide briefings, exchange information, promote /gain support for, the ministry position on issues.

3. Advice and Issues
- Provides strategic advice guidance and/or recommendations on Indigenous relations to ministry senior management and other stakeholders, including negotiators and OPS line ministries, on mineral economic development issues/concerns, opportunities to facilitate issues resolution, required consultations, and policy, program and training development and implementation.
- Identifies issues, assesses the political climate, legal and constitutional requirements, and provides input to ministry policies and strategies, in a context where relationship issues and decisions required are sensitive, impact remote communities, and are frequently time limited.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge and skills in:
- Provincial/Federal environmental legislation as related to the Secretariat's mandate, and related priorities, policies, practices, standards, legislation, agreements, services and providers, trends, issues, stakeholders and public policy directions in order to lead consultations, resolve issues, and assess the political climate, legal and constitutional requirements to input to ministry policies and strategies, and make sound recommendations.
- Ontario's environmental and land use policies and frameworks, practices, standards, legislation, agreements, programs, trends, issues, partners and stakeholders, including those of other related jurisdictions in order to ensure integrated development of new policies and legislation related to the Secretariat's mandate.
- The broad economic, legal, and political issues underlying Indigenous affairs, and the culture, governance, community perspectives, protocols, and political dynamics in the province, to conceptualize and implement strategies and approaches to promote, and gain commitment to the provincial position, and to provide advice/guidance/recommendations to various stakeholders engaged in consultations with Indigenous peoples.
- Mineral and economic issues affecting exploration and development, including community impacts and opportunities in the mining cycle, to provide strategic advice / guidance on Indigenous relations to ministry senior management and other stakeholders, including negotiators and OPS line ministries, on infrastructure and mineral economic development issues/concerns.
- Political acuity regarding relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, governments ( federal/provincial ), the mineral sector ( prospectors, junior and senior mining companies), and private sector organizations, to collaborate, share information, lead/participate in relationship building forums and/or site visits with stakeholders.
- Oral and written communications to respond to issues, provide recommendations, and represent the ministry / partnerships initiative at conferences, meetings, and forums.
- Standard software programs and tools to research and prepare own materials.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Consultation, presentation, and negotiation skills to lead consultations and liaison processes with project teams comprised of ministry multi-disciplinary staff and to negotiate agreements and settlements on matters related to Indigenous community access to opportunities in mineral exploration and development.
- Facilitation skills and diplomacy, to facilitate discussions, diffuse tensions; and resolve issues arising in the in the consultation process with Indigenous communities and stakeholders.
- Partnership building and relationship management skills to establish cross ministry linkages, foster collaborative relations, and nurture partnerships with stakeholders in order to further the provincial Indigenous agenda.
- Consensus-building and mediation skills to ensure that Indigenous voices, opinions and concerns are heard in deliberations and determinations.
- Presentation, advisory and persuasion skills to provide advice to senior management, to propose ministry responses/positions on certain contentious issues, to provide training, briefings, and information, to promote /gain support for, the ministry position on issues, and to represent the ministry at conferences, meetings, and forums.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analytical and problem-solving skills to:
- Determine the most effective approach when leading multi-jurisdictional consultations/projects, and when negotiating with Indigenous communities to achieve provincial objectives for Indigenous affairs and economic development in the Ring of Fire region.
- Assess a range of cross-sectoral factors, including political climate and legal and constitutional requirements, and balance stakeholder interests-- in a context where relationship issues and decisions required are sensitive, impact remote communities, and are frequently time limited.
- Analyze partnership related and policy proposals developed by others, including a range of stakeholders, and provide input on implications for the partner/relations strategies and consultations processes.
- Conceptualize and implement strategies and approaches for engaging, consulting, negotiating, and maintaining linkages with Indigenous communities and land based sectors related to development and management of mineral and economic development initiatives in Indigenous communities.
- Anticipate and absorb complex, inter-related, and highly political issues, and develop options and recommendations that address issues and concerns.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Conducting legally required Indigenous consultations, including leading consultation/project teams comprised of ministry multi-disciplinary staff.
- Negotiating agreements and settlements on matters related to mineral exploration and development to facilitate Indigenous community access to economic development and mineral sector opportunities.
- Coordinating/ leading information sharing and relationship building forums and/or site visits with stakeholders (ministry, Indigenous representatives, prospectors, junior and senior mining companies).
- Fostering constructive Indigenous community relations and networks and collaboration between government, mineral development, and other economic development sectors.
- Advising senior management on relationships, developments and their implications, on emerging issues requiring response, and on policy and programs impacting

Has latitude to: identify issues and recommend strategies/options that advance provincial/ministry objectives for mineral and economic development and support Indigenous communities; advise on developments that impact those objectives; facilitate discussion and diffuse tensions; resolve issues arising in the consultation process; and negotiate consultation related expenses with Indigenous communities.

Decisions are guided by sectoral legislation and regulatory guidelines, policies, standards and precedents, and the strategic focus of the Secretariat.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Senior management, to the Minister level, and specialist policy and program staff in the ministry, regarding consultation meeting arrangements; to provide briefings and information; to propose strategies; and to provide advice on Indigenous relations and contentious issues.
- Other OPS ministry stakeholders, to exchange information, to identify cross-sectoral issues and implications, and to discuss priorities and consultation processes.
- Indigenous leaders and communities to enhance relationships and promote collaboration, to conduct consultation processes and negotiate settlements, to exchange related information, and resolve issues.
- Other public (federal) and private sector stakeholders, including mineral sector and economic development stakeholders and organizations, to provide information and expertise, to foster partnerships, and resolve issues.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Provides leadership and technical guidance to multi-jurisdictional teams when leading consultations/projects.
- Provides functional expertise to policy staff in own and other ministries, and to a range of stakeholders with respect to consultation processes and on Indigenous governance and decision-making.
- Provides advice and guidance to senior management on strategies related to economic development, on mineral economic development issues/concerns, and on opportunities to facilitate issues resolution.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Frequently required to respond to requests within short deadlines, and to deal with deadlines which are subject to change without notice, priorities that are not anticipated, or contentious issues which arise unexpectedly. Frequent requirement to travel to remote locations, often in adverse conditions.

Mental / Sensory :

- Frequent requirement to concentrate when reading materials, analyzing documents and research.
- Frequent requirement to listen intently when attending meetings, seeking input from stakeholders.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.