Indigenous Community Relations Specialist

Locations: Ottawa, Toronto, London, Thunder Bay
The Opportunity:
WSP’s Social Science and Engagement team in Ontario is seeking an Indigenous Community Relations Specialist to join our group on a full-time basis!
As part of WSP’s commitment to working with Indigenous communities, this position is accountable for planning and carrying out Indigenous engagement, working collaboratively with Indigenous nations and organizations on studies, and contributing to the development of our Indigenous engagement practice.
As part of the broader Environmental Planning business, you will work alongside a diverse group of environmental planners and social researchers from across Canada on interesting and diverse projects. Together, in an interdisciplinary environment, we study the interactions between human populations and the natural and physical environments in project-specific contexts. This involves working with a wide range of industrial, government and Indigenous partners, on a diverse range of projects in many sectors, from municipal infrastructure to natural resource development.
Our team’s services include communication and engagement with Indigenous nations and peoples, social and economic baseline research, impact assessments (including GBA+ analysis, land and resource use, visual aesthetics and impacts on Indigenous Rights), socio-economic effects monitoring and management, as well as Indigenous Knowledge studies.
A day in the life:
As part of the Social Science and Engagement team, your primary focus will be on the engagement of Indigenous communities to support environmental impact assessments (EIA) and permitting of our clients’ projects. The work will include preparing engagement plans, carrying out engagement activities on behalf of our clients, tracking and reporting on the results of consultation and engagement and, in collaboration with Indigenous nations and communities, supporting the completion of Indigenous Knowledge and Traditional Land Use studies, assessment of the impacts of projects on Indigenous rights and interests, and developing mitigation and monitoring programs. You will also support primary research, by conducting key informant interviews with knowledge holders within Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
You will collaborate with other WSP staff as part of EIA and permitting, supporting the integration of Indigenous Knowledge issues, interests and input across disciplines and throughout the regulatory process. As part of this work, you will follow best practices such as OCAP® principals, the preferences and cultural protocols identified by participating Indigenous groups, and/or provincial, territorial and/or federal regulatory requirements (e.g., Impact Assessment Act).
Your work will be highly collaborative, and you will engage with Indigenous communities to coordinate participation of their interested members in WSP’s field programs for relevant projects.
You will support or lead outreach to Indigenous nations and organizations to learn and document engagement protocols for use by our teams on a variety of projects, and you will support the broader team with guidance and knowledge about how to work in collaborative and inclusive ways with Indigenous nations, communities and organizations.
You will prepare and advise on communications and messaging with, and directed for, Indigenous Nations about project activities throughout a project’s lifecycle. You will also prepare or support communication messaging and materials, such as notices, display boards, factsheets, as well as digital messaging and materials, such as website / social media content, and surveys.
You will also contribute to proposal preparation, technical presentations and technical reporting.
While your work will be focused on the delivery of engagement for EIA and permitting of projects, you will also support the work of our corporate Indigenous Relations team. You will build meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities, nations, businesses and individuals, while adhering to WSP’s Indigenous Relations Policy and direction from the national Indigenous Relations lead. You will remain current and contribute to the continual advancement of best practices in engagement and Indigenous participation consistent with the expectations of Indigenous nations, regulatory requirements, and international standards.
Field work and travel are essential components of the work, and you might be working in communities in various parts of Ontario. There will also be opportunities to work across Canada depending on project need. You will act as a subject matter expert and provide strategic advice to all business lines within Ontario and collaborate with others nationally.
We'd love to hear from you if you have ...

• Class G driver’s license and ability to travel for work.
• An in-depth knowledge of Indigenous history, culture and governance in Canada, including issues relating to Indigenous interests, treaties and rights, UNDRIP and Truth and Reconciliation.
• A minimum of 7 years working in a similar role.
• Experience preparing and incorporating Indigenous Knowledge and land use studies to meet regulatory requirements and on community-based monitoring and other projects.
• Relevant experience conducting and providing input to EIAs or related studies.
• An in-depth knowledge of the Canadian regulatory and policy context, including leading practice in Indigenous engagement and participation.
• A university degree (graduate degree preferred) in a social science or natural resource management, or other relevant program. Applicants with a college degree will be considered with appropriate commensurate experience.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills in English. French or an Indigenous language is an asset.
• Familiarity with current consultation and/or community engagement tracking software.
• Excellent research, analysis and technical writing skills.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage and prioritize several assignments at one time, deliver on time and within budget.
• Professional and life experiences that will assist in your success with this position.
• Demonstrated experience working with Indigenous communities in Ontario.
• A strong passion – WSP will give serious consideration to candidates that may not demonstrate all the above qualifications but show promise and a desire to develop their career in this area of practice.

About Us
WSP is one of the world's leading professional services firms. Our purpose is to future proof our cities and environments.
We have over 65,000 team members across the globe. In Canada, our 12,000+ people are involved in everything from environmental remediation to urban planning, from engineering iconic buildings to designing sustainable transportation networks, from finding new ways to extract essential resources to developing renewable power sources for the future.
At WSP:

• We are future focused and challenge the status quo
• We have an empowering culture and hold ourselves accountable
• We foster collaboration in everything we do
• We value our people and our reputation
• We are locally dedicated with international scale

Please Note:
Health and Safety is a core paramount value of WSP. Given the importance of keeping one another safe and the growing list of our clients including vaccination status as part of their mandated health and safety requirements to work with them, you will be required to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination to WSP as a condition of employment. You may also be required to undergo additional immunization to maintain a fully vaccinated status against COVID-19 whenever local Public Health Authorities recommend additional immunization.
Offers of employment for safety-sensitive positions involving fieldwork are contingent upon candidates being able to perform key physical tasks of the job as described in the job posting and interview. This may include the ability to work in a variety of environmental conditions, such as remote or isolated areas, working alone, and in inclement weather (within safe and reasonable limits).
WSP welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
WSP is committed to the principles of employment equity. Only the candidates selected will be contacted.
WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. For more information please READ THE FULL POLICY.
WSP Canada Inc.