Chief Executive Officer

BC First Nations Justice Council; Kelowna; On-site; CAD 203,000 - 243,000; Full time

Job summary

BC First Nations Justice Council seeks a Chief Executive Officer (Executive Lead) to provide strategic leadership and external advocacy with First Nations communities, funders, and governments. The role emphasizes trauma-informed practice, integrity, and accountable governance, reporting to the Justice Council and collaborating with the COO.

Based primarily in-person from Kelowna, BC, the CEO will drive strategic plans, secure diverse funding, and ensure effective operations across a multi-site

Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of BC First Nations governance structures and Indigenous laws and protocols.
• Senior executive leadership experience in a complex organization (150+ employees preferred).
• Working knowledge of Canada’s criminal justice system.
• Legal background in criminal defense and/or child protection or equivalent Indigenous-led legal services experience preferred.
• Proven ability to build and sustain respectful relationships with Indigenous communities, government partners, Elders and frontline staff.
• High integrity, confidentiality, and accountability.
• Experience reporting to an Indigenous-led governance board or Council is preferred.
• Ability to lead in a culturally safe, trauma-informed environment for staff and clients.
• Strong political acumen and ability to advocate from an Indigenous lens for self-determination.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through complex change and growth.
• Indigenous identity (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) required, with BC First Nations identity preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and organizational direction for the BC First Nations Justice Council.
• Engage with First Nations leadership, funders, and governments to advance justice reform.
• Oversee financial forecasting and resource allocation with the Finance Lead.
• Ensure governance, risk management, and performance monitoring across the organization.

Skills

Indigenous governance

Senior leadership

Criminal justice knowledge

Criminal defense

Relationship building

Integrity

Board reporting

Trauma-informed leadership

Political acumen

Change leadership

Indigenous identity

Job description

About BC First Nations Justice Council

The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) represents First Nations in BC on justice-related issues to bring about transformative change to the legal system. Created in 2015 by the BC Assembly of First Nations, the First Nations Summit and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, the Council has a clear mandate to challenge approaches that contribute to the growing over-representation of First Nations children and youth in the care of government and First Nations men and women in incarceration, and to productively engage with government to advance strategies that achieve better outcomes for Indigenous people in the justice system. The BCFNJC works with First Nations to support their self-determination over justice and to advance justice system reform for all Indigenous Peoples. It provides free legal services and support to help Indigenous people in BC navigate the justice system with respect and understanding. Through the BC First Nations Justice Strategy, signed in 2020, the Council upholds self-determination, reclaims legal traditions and addresses systemic injustice to support the well-being of future generations.

Summary & Key Functions

We are seeking a Chief Executive Officer (Executive Lead) to provide the strategic leadership that carries our mission forward. Reporting to the Justice Council, you will serve as our senior ambassador and advocate, cultivating respectful relationships with First Nation communities, partners, funders, and governments while ensuring alignment with Indigenous governance, laws, and protocols. You will work in close partnership and collaboration with the Chief Operating Officer (Operations Lead), each role reinforcing the other so you can lead confidently externally while trusting that internal operations are well managed. This role calls for a leader distinguished by integrity and honesty, one who makes principled decisions and stands behind them, and who is committed to the work itself rather than the title, bringing the resilience to guide the organization through change. Above all, you will understand that transforming the lives of our most vulnerable peoples is the priority, carried out through trauma-informed practice, emotional intelligence, and a thoughtful balance of compassion and accountability.

As the CEO, you will be responsible for these key functions:

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Direction

• Develop and implement both short and long-term strategic and tactical plans in accordance with organization goals and objectives.
• Regularly report, accurately and as needed, to the Justice Council on the organization’s status against, and ability to meet, its strategic and operational objectives.
• Provide effective direction, leadership, and support for direct reports, in a culturally appropriate, healing-centered and resilience-building manner.

Relationships, Partnerships & Council Engagement

• Build and maintain positive relationships with funders, partners, and community.
• Lead respectful, strategic engagement with First Nations’ leadership and representative bodies, including the First Nations Leadership Council as well as the Assembly of First Nations at the national level, the Indigenous Justice Secretariat, federal, provincial, and municipal governments, justice-sector partners, Indigenous organizations, and the 204 First Nations communities across British Columbia, and other Indigenous organizations.
• Create a streamlined process for Council-member engagement that is organized, efficient, effective, and tied to the overall strategy of BCFNJC.

Financial Oversight & Resource Allocation

• Work in tandem with the Finance Lead in managing project budgets, forecasts, and long-term financial plans; ensure corporate adherence to annual budgets.
• Diversify BCFNJC’s funding base.
• Help determine resource allocation among business units and/or departments.

Executive Oversight, Governance & Organizational Performance

• Provide executive oversight of the organization’s operating model, leadership structure, and internal accountability systems, with day-to-day operational leadership delegated to the Operations Lead, the internally focused executive role.
• Work effectively and in collaboration with senior leaders to ensure accountability across the organization by monitoring progress against strategic priorities and ensuring appropriate corrective action is taken where needed.
• Provide strategic oversight of risk management, governance, and organizational planning processes to support effective service-delivery, long-term sustainability, and alignment with Justice Council priorities.

Your Toolkit Includes

• Demonstrated knowledge of and respect for BC First Nations governance structures, the First Nations Leadership Council, and Indigenous laws and protocols.
• Senior executive leadership experience in a complex, multi-site organization of comparable scale (ideally 150+ employees) preferred.
• Working knowledge of the structure and procedures of Canada’s criminal justice system is required.
• Legal background in criminal defense and/or child protection (CFCSA) or demonstrated equivalent clinical/operational experience in delivering Indigenous-led legal services is preferred.
• Proven success building and sustaining respectful relationships with Indigenous communities, government partners, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and frontline staff.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, and accountability.
• Prior experience reporting to an Indigenous-led governance board or Council is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to individually focus and lead the organization in a culturally safe, trauma-informed environment for staff, partners, and clients.
• Strong political acumen and ability to manage conflicts and both champion and advocate from an Indigenous lens that promotes greater self-determination of Indigenous people and organizations to all involved parties and the public.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead an organization through complex change, growth and evolution.
• Verifiable and validated Indigenous identity (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) is required, with BC First Nations identity strongly preferred. Candidates must bring deep cultural grounding, lived experience, and demonstrated accountability to Indigenous communities.

This is a full-time, permanent position. Due to the nature of the role, it is expected to be primarily in-person, based out of any of the IJCs, with a preference for Kelowna, BC. The role offers a competitive target hiring salary range of $203,000-$243,000 annually, along with a comprehensive total compensation package, including RRSP/TFSA matching program, paid professional development support, and cultural leave. The full salary range for this position provides opportunity for progression and growth over time, based on performance and tenure.

Read the Opportunity Profile to learn more about the role, BCFNJC, and why Kelowna, BC is a great place to live. A full outline of the job responsibilities and requirements can be found in the complete job description.

If you require accommodations in the recruitment process, please let us know by contacting Alleta Newnham at [e-mail].