Director, FNIM Holistic Practices Contract

Job Posting # 1022
Title: Director, FNIM Holistic Practices
Classification: Director
Employment Duration: Contract, Full-Time
Salary Range: $156,243 – $168,159
Location: Flexible, Remote work opportunities available

• Are you an Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) leader looking for a challenging opportunity and to make a difference for Indigenous children, youth, and families?
• Do you have expertise and experience to transform policies, practices, and procedures to support a more equitable and culturally responsive mindset to better serve Indigenous children, youth, and families?
• Can you collaborate with Indigenous employees, communities, and organizations to champion and drive the change needed for Indigenous children, youth, and families to thrive?
• Are you a strategic leader with cultural competency and knowledge of relevant theories and frameworks?
If so, we would like to hear from you!
The role of the Director, First Nation, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) Holistic Practices is responsible for the development of cultural resources, strategies and knowledge to provide advice and support within OACAS and to FNMI communities in the care of their children and youth. The position will play a key role in leveraging strategic partnerships and relationship building between OACAS, ANCFSAO, and other FNMI communities to support, guide, and advocate for the necessary resources to better service Indigenous children, youth and families. This role will also provide strategic involvement to OACAS projects, initiatives, consultations, advocacy strategies and education programs through an “FNMI lens” and facilitates the development and growth of working relationships between OACAS, member agencies, FNMI organizations and Indigenous communities. The Director, FNIM Holistic Practices position will be reporting to the Chief Executive Officer but will have a close working relationship with the Director, Practice Transformation.
Duties and Responsibilities
In response to the truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, the Director, FNIM Holistic Practices is a leader who will assist the OACAS and CAS agencies in the commitment to Reconciliation. This includes advancing cultural awareness learning opportunities, providing guidance and support to moving the commitment from Reconciliation to Reconcili-Action, as well as partnering with all stakeholders to move all work with cultural safety, respect, and humility.
Relationship Management and Political Acuity:
• Strengthen strategic partnership and relationship with FNMI partners and community to improve outcomes for Indigenous children, youth, and families
• To work in partnership with FNMI communities including ANCFSAO, First Nation, Inuit and Métis, in developing an identity-based strategy to enhance identification of Indigenous children, youth and families in the Ontario child welfare sector
• In partnership with member agencies ANCFSAO and other FNMI communities to operationalize Truth and Reconciliation strategy and sector commitments
• Support non-Indigenous agencies implement decolonizing practices through learning and capacity building initiatives
• Acts as a liaison and link to FNMI resource person and other stakeholders to support them in their various roles with OACAS
• Work with OACAS Events staff to organize and support FNMI events
• Represent OACAS on external groups, including special purpose groups, ad hoc committees, government committees, external task groups as required
• Partner with sector agencies and FNMI stakeholders to advance the work of C-92

Leadership:
• To lead, coordinate and support key stakeholder groups (eg. DOS, Zone Champions) to ensure OACAS has a forum to facilitate mutual support, to guide and inform government initiatives, policy and legislation
• Drive innovation and change with a focus on improved outcomes for all First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families by creating integrated, cross-functional opportunities that collectively deliver on work in support of First Nations, Inuit and Métis priorities
• Lead, coach and mentor OACAS colleagues with an accountability to delivering First Nation, Inuit and Métis focused work
• Advise the CEO and senior leadership team on FNMI best practices, emerging trends and issues to support strategic decision-making processes, and major or critical issues response
• Active participation in short and long-term planning that well informs the First Nation, Inuit and Métis -related outcomes for projects/programs; developing annual plans
• Support the non-Indigenous agencies in fulfilling their commitment to call to action from the TRC, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act and Missing and Murdered Indigenous women

Strategic Planning, Strategy and Delivery:
• Lead the implementation of a refreshed model for meaningful engagement and seeking advice and input from FNMI communities, ANCFSAO, elders, knowledge keepers and youth
• Lead the FNMI framework of devolution of services from mainstream agencies to well-being Indigenous child welfare agencies
• Lead the development of the OACAS provincial Indigenous Advisory Council and provide support to this group
• Provide support and guidance to research, surveys, analysis and interpretation of OACAS and other data and reports, as required
• Research, analyze and synthesize FNMI information regarding the significance, impact and relevance to the Ontario child welfare sector and develop a strategic workplan on how to better address the needs of FNMI children, youth and families
• Contribute to the development of the OACAS Strategic Plan, Annual Operational Plan, Operating Polices, Standards and Guidelines

Others:
• Responsible for supporting the organization-wide commitment to embed First Nations, Inuit, and Métis priorities within all priorities of the OACAS
• Works collaboratively with OACAS colleagues to provide knowledge and expertise on FNMI issues and provide input to OACAS projects, initiatives, consultations, advocacy strategies and education programs through an “Indigenous lens”.
• Provide consultative support to communication methodologies within OACAS to ensure relevance to Indigenous children, youth and families
• Provides advice and assistance to pre-mandated agency members to ensure access to OACAS information and resources and to act as a resource to First Nations, Métis and Inuit organizations and communities, including providing support to pre-mandated agencies to achieve designation
• Participate as needed in sector wide initiatives where the Association plays a major role on behalf of Ontario’s child welfare agencies
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:
• Post-secondary degree in Social Services, Native Studies or related field
• Minimum of 7 years’ demonstrated progressive experience working within FNMI organizations and/or communities in the child welfare sector
• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.

Knowledge and Skills:

Authentic Engager
• Strong political acumen and internal and external relationship building skills, including the ability to engage with and align efforts among multiple stakeholders in the development and implementation of strategy, particularly within child welfare sector and First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations
• Respectful and authentic Indigenous community engagement and dialogue which has led to long-term mutually beneficial relationships
• In-depth understanding of Indigenous traditions, cultural practices, values, and beliefs and familiarity with Ontario’s Indigenous communities and organizations.
• Knowledge of Ontario child welfare legislation and service delivery structure and an understanding of current and historical issues and directions for Indigenous child welfare

Strong Communicator
• Excellent written communication skills to write clear, concise documents such as reports, consultation papers, briefing notes, and responses to information requests
• Excellent facilitation, presentation, oral communication and listening skills to conduct consultations, focus groups, webinars
• Facilitation, presentation, oral communication and listening skills to conduct consultations, focus groups, webinars

Strategic Thinker
• Demonstrated ability to deliver advice and strategies that align with corporate and project strategies and the capability to provide advice to the executive team.
• Enterprise perspective and experience ensuring practices, divisional strategies and tactics align with organizational culture, plans and priorities and maintain a holistic and informed perspective.

Result-Oriented
• Results-oriented with strong managerial skills including experience in program management, financial management and human resources management with an understanding of government accountability principles and agreements
• Project management skills to lead, develop, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate projects; contract management skills to manage vendors
• Holds themselves accountable, and takes ownership for outcomes

Creative Mindset
• Excellent analytical skills and judgment to interpret and assess information, determine significance and relevance, identify risk and implications, and recommend how, to whom and in what format it should be distributed

Collaborative Influencer
• Exceptional interpersonal, collaboration and relationship management skills to interact effectively as a team member, as well as build and nurture effective working relationships with member agencies, colleagues in other jurisdictions, Indigenous communities, First Nations and Métis organizations, partners and stakeholders
• Strong consulting and problem-solving skills to provide expert assistance, advice and guidance to member agencies
• Proven leadership and negotiation skills with the ability to foster cooperation, build consensus, gain support and influence decision making and outcomes

Self-Starter
• Initiative to creatively identify and execute Indigenous relations opportunities, respond quickly to issues, and recommend effective solutions
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing demands and tight timelines
• Flexibility with the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment

Computer Literacy
• Proficiency in full suite of Microsoft Office products

Assets:
• Bilingual English/French

APPLY ONLINE at: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=5504a194-52e8-4f07-ae3b-2acc61f702f0&ccId=19000101_000001&lang=en_CA
By April 7, 2023.

We thank all candidates for their interest; however only those considered for an interview will be contacted.

OACAS is committed to building a diverse workforce representative of the communities we serve. We encourage and are pleased to consider applications from all qualified candidates, without regard to race, colour, citizenship, religion, sex, marital / family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, aboriginal status, age or disability.

Accommodation at OACAS
We are committed to a selection process and work environment that is inclusive and barrier free. Accommodation will be provided in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code. Applicants are required to make any accommodation requests for the application, interview or selection process known in advance by contacting the Human Resources Department at 416 987-7725. Human Resources will work together with the hiring committee to arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation for the interview or selection process which will enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner.