Director, Indigenous Relations

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Consider this opportunity to help provide strategic guidance for the ministry's policy and program development work on matters involving Indigenous communities and organizations, and to support policy & program offices, and the Ministry's regional offices in building critical partnerships with Indigenous peoples across the province.

For context, the Ministry of Transportation conducts a variety of policy, legislative, regulatory and operational functions that directly involve Indigenous communities in Ontario. Some of the Ministry's key projects include transportation infrastructure planning, new highway construction and improvements to existing roads and bridges; supporting negotiations on the acquisition of reserve lands for highway purposes; inspections of commercial vehicles and school buses; and the operation of airports servicing remote northern communities. Specific Indigenous initiatives include supports for Indigenous Procurement, development of an Indigenous Consultation Framework and input into a Provincial Indigenous Economic Development Strategy.

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About the job

• You will lead the development of policy and program supports for the Ministry to establish and maintain positive relationships with Indigenous communities while implementing the ministry's mandate.

• You will provide strategic advice and support to the Ministry's various divisions in the resolution Indigenous issues to facilitate the development of transportation infrastructure plans, delivery of the ministry's capital infrastructure, maintenance and rehabilitation programs, as well as the development and delivery of road user safety programs and activities.

• You will serve as the point of contact for the Ministry with the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and co-ordinate Ministry input into government-wide corporate policy and program initiatives addressing Indigenous affairs.

• You will collaborate with the Ministry's Regional Offices on the design, development, implementation and management of Indigenous engagement frameworks, consultation and issues management frameworks, as well as processes related to specific negotiations.

• You will establish and maintain collaborative, positive and constructive business relationships with internal and external partners to keep abreast of issues, problems, opportunities and to promote the goals and objectives of the Ministry and the Government of Ontario.

• You will represent the Ministry and the Ontario Government at senior tables to resolve roles, responsibilities, policy issues and cost-sharing agreements, and attend forums, conferences and symposia to promote the Ministry's position on Indigenous issues.

• You will provide strategic advice as a member of the ministry's senior management team through effective business planning, program development and crisis management.

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What you bring to the team

Leadership

• You have the ability to provide leadership and strategic policy direction to staff on initiatives and projects involving others outside the branch or government.
• You have strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated commitment to develop staff through coaching, managing performance and mentoring on policy development and program delivery issues.
• You are an innovative and inclusive leader who values diversity and creates a culture of inclusion and excellence.

Policy and Indigenous Affairs Knowledge

• You are an influential leader with demonstrated management experience in a policy development and/or program delivery setting.
• You have superior critical analysis and research skills to manage sensitive and high-profile policy development/operational issues.
• You have a strong understanding and awareness of Indigenous cultures and communities both past and present.
• You have the ability to develop strategic policy that integrates input from and is reflective of the needs of contemporary Indigenous communities.

Stakeholder Relations, Communications and Political Acuity

• You have a track record of building and sustaining positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders and through collaborative and consultative work processes.
• You have demonstrated success in risk-management and in managing complex and contentious issues.
• You have superior presentation and writing skills necessary to deliver briefings on complex matters to senior executives, including the Minister.
• You have the ability to leverage your skills and experiences to build immediate credibility on key executive committees.
• You are a strategic communicator with experience managing and speaking to complex situations and earning the trust of external partners and stakeholders.
• You have proven political acuity and can demonstrate sound judgement on sensitive and political issues.

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Additional information:

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Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.