Partnership Development Specialist Full Time

“Immediate for Hire”
Are you looking for a place where you can help people, do meaningful work, and grow as part of a positive, collaborative team? Are you creative, enthusiastic, and excellent at building meaningful relationships? Join Water First, a passionate and growing organization supporting sustainable access to safe, clean water in Indigenous communities.
Water First is a Canadian charity that partners with Indigenous communities across Canada to help address the water crisis through education, training, and meaningful collaboration.
We seek a Partnership Development Specialist to report to the Director of Programs.

Preference for this position will be given to candidates who can reliably commute to our Creemore, ON office two days per week, with the remaining three days being a work-from-home arrangement. Qualified remote candidates will also be considered.
Start Date: April 2025
Wage: $73,500 – $90,000 per annum
Water First supports progressive labour policies, including:
• Flexible hours
• Health benefits
• Defined benefit pension plan
• Generous paid vacation

The Partnership Development Specialist is responsible for leading engagement initiatives that support the scaling up of the Drinking Water Internships by establishing, developing and maintaining new community partnerships. This role will work closely with the Water First leadership team and Indigenous community partners throughout Canada, working towards increasing the number of certified Indigenous Water Operators to assist with meeting demand across multiple regions. This role can expand to our Environmental Water and School Water departments as needed.
Responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to:
• Developing new drinking water internship partners through networking, community engagement, and partner engagement activities
• Fostering relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations both provincially and nationally
• Establishing local community relationships and identifying new Indigenous community partners, including independent communities and nations, Tribal Councils, and other regional Indigenous organizations
• Researching community training needs, keeping track of engagement activities, and organizing meetings
• Representing Water First by networking (online, over the phone, and in-person) and attending relevant conferences & events
• Leading public and community relations, presentations and other public speaking engagements as needed
• Utilizing Water First’s customer relationship software program (Keela)
• Assisting with the preparation of project proposals, budgets, partnership agreements, and communication materials
• Supporting the Drinking Water department with other tasks as assigned

The ideal candidate for this position will possess the following:

● A post-secondary degree or diploma in a related field (i.e. Indigenous Studies/Governance, Environmental Science/Studies, Community Development, Business Administration, Communications/Public Relations)
● A degree, diploma and/or certification in the water science field would be highly advantageous
● 10+ years of related work experience with 5+ in a networking and project development role
● Sound understanding of cultural awareness and engagement approaches with First Nations, Inuit and Metis is a must for this role
● Experience in cross-cultural collaborations with Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations
● Strength in networking, partnership building, and project agreement development (MOU, contribution agreements, etc.)
● Sound understanding of water resource management and education and training initiatives in Indigenous communities
● Must be resourceful with the ability to troubleshoot challenges as they arise in remote locations
● Exceptional interpersonal communication skills with internal and external stakeholders
● Strong organizational skills and the ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail
● Expert-level writing and verbal communication skills
● Excellent public speaking and presentation skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences effectively
● Ability to be extremely effective independently
● Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint) and Google Suite
● Flexibility to work outside of regular business hours on an as-needed basis
● Class G Ontario driver’s license or another provincial equivalent with a clean driving record
● Regular access to a vehicle and the ability to travel, as needed, to Indigenous communities throughout Canada up to 25% of the time
● Strong cultural sensitivity and awareness
● A willingness to continually expand one’s professional skill set, learn on the job, take on additional responsibilities as required and respond to and thrive in a dynamic work environment
● Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the mission of Water First
● Candidates must have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada under relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations
We would love to hear from you if you want to learn more about this exciting opportunity! Qualified Indigenous applicants are encouraged to apply.

Water First is an equal opportunity employer and employs personnel without regard to race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, language, citizenship, creed, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, physical and or mental handicap or financial ability.

By following the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Water First Education and Training strives to ensure that all recruiting processes are non-discriminatory and barrier-free. If you require accommodation, please advise us before attending an interview.

While we appreciate all interest, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Candidates will be required to undergo a criminal check as a condition of employment.