Indigenous Engagement Partner (#ROM26-343)

HealthCareCAN; Ottawa; Sur place; CAD 59 000 - 68 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

HealthCareCAN in Ottawa is seeking an Indigenous Engagement Partner to support the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy program at The Royal. You will build trusted relationships with Indigenous communities, enhance staff training, and improve services and referral paths.

This role focuses on cultural safety, alignment with OCAP and privacy laws, and collaboration with clinicians and learning teams to advance reconciliation and health equity across the program.

Qualifications

• 3-year undergraduate degree in health and/or social sciences, social work, psychology, Indigenous studies or equivalent.
• 5 years' experience in relationship building and partnerships with Indigenous governments/organizations at multiple levels.
• Knowledge of Indigenous histories, cultures, rights and health contexts.
• Experience supporting cultural safety/competence and engagement with Indigenous policies.

Responsabilités

• Foster engagement with Indigenous communities to align with program goals and equity initiatives.
• Develop and implement engagement strategies and reports for continuous program improvement.
• Collaborate with clinicians and staff to integrate Indigenous perspectives across training and services.
• Support Indigenous Employee Resource Group and Indigenous Advisory Council initiatives.

Connaissances

Relationship building with Indigenous/

Cultural safety knowledge

Effective communication

Policy awareness (TRC/UNDRIP)

Facilitation and training

Organizational planning

Confidentiality and ethics

Formation

Undergraduate degree in health/science

Description du poste

Union: Non-Union
Status: Regular Full-Time (1.0 FTE Days/Evenings)
Program: Ontario Structured Psychotherapy
Campus: Corporate (Ottawa & Brockville)
Vacancies: 1

About the Position

The Indigenous Engagement Partner plays a vital role in supporting the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program at The Royal. This position is dedicated to fostering meaningful engagement with Indigenous community partners to enhance staff training and knowledge, build trusted relationships, while helping improve systems, policies, practices, services, and referral and navigation processes for Indigenous clients and their families.

Key Responsibilities

• Further education, knowledge and awareness of Indigenous priorities and needs among OSP and Royal staff.
• Promote culturally safe, integrated pathways of care that reflect Indigenous values, languages, and traditions, with particular attention to the needs of Inuit clients experiencing diverse mental health and substance use challenges.
• Develop and implement engagement strategies, work plans, and reports to support continuous improvement of programs and services.
• Ensure initiatives are responsive to the needs of Indigenous communities and reflect culturally grounded approaches to care.
• Review organizational policies, protocols, and practices through an Indigenous lens.
• Provide recommendations to enhance cultural safety, responsiveness, and relevance in service delivery and organizational operations.
• Lead and support short, medium, and long-term planning of initiatives that reflect Indigenous community priorities and align with The Royal’s reconciliation efforts.
• Provide strategic counsel on respectful communication and engagement practices.
• Participate in relevant committees to identify and advocate for unmet needs related to Indigenous patient care.
• Foster and maintain respectful, collaborative relationships with existing and emerging Indigenous community partners, government and organizations.
• Collaborate with clinicians and program staff, while working closely with The Royal’s Culture and Belonging Lead to align Indigenous engagement efforts with broader health equity initiatives across the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program and The Royal.
• Collaborate with Learning & Development to support staff and clinician training in culturally responsive and safe practices.
• Foster partnerships with Indigenous Cultural Safety training providers and other relevant organizations to build internal capacity.
• Contribute to the review and improvement of recruitment and retention strategies to support the hiring of clinicians and staff with lived experience and knowledge of Indigenous models of health and wellness.
• Support the establishment and facilitation of an Indigenous Employee Resource Group (ERG) within the OSP and The Royal.
• Assist in the development of an Indigenous Advisory Council in partnership with internal teams and external organizations.
• Develop and implement surveys and feedback tools to gather input from Indigenous partners.
• Contribute to annual budget planning by proposing engagement projects informed by community feedback and aligned with the Royal’s strategic goals.
• Adhere to all applicable privacy legislation (e.g., PHIPA, FIPPA) when handling patient information, community feedback, and consultation data. Ensure culturally appropriate confidentiality practices are respected, particularly in the context of Indigenous knowledge sharing and community protocols.
• Ensure that all engagement and consultation activities with Indigenous communities are conducted ethically, with informed consent, and in accordance with OCAP® principles (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession) where applicable.

Qualifications

• 3-year undergraduate degree in health and/or social sciences, social work, psychology, Indigenous studies or equivalent (We recognize that due to structural and systemic racism, Indigenous candidates may not have had the same access to higher education and professional development opportunities. As such, an equivalent mix of education, experience and knowledge will be considered.)
• 5 years’ experience in relationship building, learning and partnership development with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis governments and/or organizations at the community, regional, and national level,
• Demonstrated knowledge of the histories, cultures, rights, treaty obligations, and political structures of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
• Strong knowledge of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis health and wellness contexts, including social determinants of health, traditional protocols, community organizations, and current policies, research, and trends related to cultural safety and reconciliation.
• Knowledge and/or experience in supporting cultural safety/competence.
• Familiarity with the TRC’s Calls to Action, UNDRIP, Share Your Story, and related Indigenous policies and protocols.
• Lived or living experience of Indigenous cultures and wellness practices, with strong, established connections to one or more specific Indigenous communities.
• Excellent communication, facilitation and active listening skills, with experience providing guidance and learning in a culturally sensitive and empathetic manner, mindful of language barriers and varying levels of health literacy.
• Proven experience in building trust and fostering meaningful partnerships with First Nations, Inuit, and/or Métis health or service organizations at the community, regional, or national level, preferably within a health or social services context.
• Ability to develop and maintain, collaborative working relationships, partnerships, and networks.
• Ability to identify and assess emerging issues, trends, and policies to assess their implications for planning and program delivery.
• Knowledge of the styles of engagement preferred by Indigenous communities, governments, and organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion and respect.
• Strong organizational and time management skills to balance conflicting demands and priorities.

Language Requirements

• English level A- is mandatory in oral expression, comprehension, reading and writing. Bilingual or multilingual (French/English/ Algonquin/Inuktituk/etc.) is considered an asset.

Compensation

Salary Range: $42.87 to $49.70 per hour.