Knowledge Holder - 1126

The Family Centre of Northern Alberta; Edmonton; On-site; CAD 64,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully paid Group Benefit Plan

Health spending account

RRSP matching

Ongoing paid training

Mileage compensation

Paid sick time (up to 8 days per year)

Agency-wide social events

Employee Resource Groups

Job summary

The Family Centre of Northern Alberta is seeking a Knowledge Holder to share Ceremony, Indigenous knowledge, and teachings with children, youth, families, staff, leaders, and community members. The role centers Indigenous Practice Frameworks and relational accountability to support culturally grounded healing.

You will collaborate with Elders and staff to weave ceremony, nehiyaw language, and land-based teachings into service delivery and trauma-informed care, while fostering spaces for culture,

Qualifications

• Must be actively involved in Indigenous ways of being, ceremony and practice.
• Experience working in the community with service users and service providers.
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary and collaborative team.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evening and weekend hours.
• Strong understanding of nehiyaw language and concepts, or willingness to learn.
• Experience working with Children and Family Services is an asset.
• Experience working with people from diverse cultures; and
• Requires knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively support people impacted by trauma, through a trauma informed lens.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with program leadership to integrate sîtôskam iyiniwatisiwin (Indigenous Practice Framework) into agency practices and all aspects of service delivery.
• Provide teachings, training, and experiential learning opportunities based in ceremony and the nehiyaw language that support the transition from trauma-informed practice to ceremony-informed healing.
• Facilitate, teach, and mentor through training and teaching opportunities on several Indigenous teachings including but not limited to ceremony, nehiyaw language, Four Natural Laws, relational accountability, circle process, and turtle lodge teachings.
• Provide continual coaching, mentorship and guidance on protocol, engaging with Elders, and being a gentle and kind mentor or guide with children, families, staff, and community members.
• Provide land-based teaching opportunities such as sweat Teachings, medicine picking, and feast teachings to support children, youth and families develop a foundational understanding of the physical realm and opportunities to connect to the land.
• Consistently offer ceremony support children, youth, families, staff (both internal and external), such as teachings on smudge, hosting sweats, pipe ceremonies, ceremonial feasts, etc.;
• Provide facilitation of Indigenous teachings for social enterprise and various external organizations; and
• Support the facilitation of healing and planning circles based on the needs of the children, family and staff (both internal and external) - focused on relationships, processing loss and grief, and celebrating reunification

Job description

Why work with us: The Family Centre (TFC) is seeking a Knowledge Holder to share Ceremony, Indigenous knowledge, and teachings with children, youth, families, staff, leaders, and community members. Grounded in sîtôskam iyiniwatisiwin (Indigenous Practice Framework), the Knowledge Holder supports culturally grounded, Ceremony-informed, and trauma-informed practice through ceremony, land-based teachings, circle processes, and relational accountability.

The Knowledge Holder strengthens staff and organizational capacity by sharing teachings, guidance, and resources, and supporting respectful relationships with Elders, Knowledge Holders, and ceremonial leaders. This role helps create spaces where Indigenous children, youth, families, and communities can experience culture, connection, and belonging.

At TFC, we value authenticity, relationship, and inclusion. We are committed to creating a safe, supportive workplace where Indigenous ceremony, knowledge, and lived experience are respected and welcomed. We offer paid training, excellent benefits, a wellness program, and opportunities for ongoing learning and growth.

What you will be doing:

• Collaborate with program leadership to integrate sîtôskam iyiniwatisiwin (Indigenous Practice Framework) into agency practices and all aspects of service delivery;
• Provide teachings, training, and experiential learning opportunities based in ceremony and the nehiyaw language that support the transition from trauma-informed practice to ceremony-informed healing;
• Facilitate, teach, and mentor through training and teaching opportunities on several Indigenous teachings including but not limited to ceremony, nehiyaw language, Four Natural Laws, relational accountability, circle process, and turtle lodge teachings;
• Provide continual coaching, mentorship and guidance on protocol, engaging with Elders, and being a gentle and kind mentor or guide with children, families, staff, and community members;
• Provide land-based teaching opportunities such as sweat Teachings, medicine picking, and feast teachings to support children, youth and families develop a foundational understanding of the physical realm and opportunities to connect to the land;
• Consistently offer ceremony support children, youth, families, staff (both internal and external), such as teachings on smudge, hosting sweats, pipe ceremonies, ceremonial feasts, etc.;
• Provide facilitation of Indigenous teachings for social enterprise and various external organizations; and
• Support the facilitation of healing and planning circles based on the needs of the children, family and staff (both internal and external) - focused on relationships, processing loss and grief, and celebrating reunification

What you bring to the role:

• Must be actively involved in, and committed to Indigenous ways of being, ceremony and practice;
• Experience working in the community with service users and service providers;
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary and collaborative team;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evening and weekend hours;
• Strong understanding of nehiyaw language and concepts, or willingness to learn;
• Experience working with Children and Family Services is an asset;
• Experience working with people from diverse cultures; and
• Requires knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively support people impacted by trauma, through a trauma informed lens.

Attributes that will help you be successful in this role:

We are looking for someone who is relationship-centered, practice-oriented, trauma-informed, culturally humble and equity-oriented, strengths-based, collaborative, adaptable and grounded, self-directed, reflective and resilient, and professional and values-aligned.

Background Check Process & Requirements:

• As part of the selection process, The Family Centre will conduct reference checks with current and former employers.
• Satisfactory Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Check, renewed every three years;
• Satisfactory Alberta Child Intervention Record Check, renewed every three years;
• Current suicide intervention certification, such as ASIST or an agency-approved equivalent (Our Child Are Sacred);
• Current Standard First Aid with CPR Level C/AED;
• Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle for regular work use;
• Proof of automobile insurance with a minimum of $2 million third-party liability coverage, verified annually;
• Satisfactory five-year driver’s abstract, renewed every three years; and
• Registration with the applicable professional regulatory body is required where eligible for profession.
• Preference will be given to Indigenous applicants

What you can expect:

Training – comprehensive onboarding/orientation process which includes service specific, leading-edge training, and agency-wide core training

Feedback – a strong reflective supervision model that provides regular formal and informal opportunities for feedback

Performance Coaching – formal and informal coaching regarding the development of personal and professional growth and development

Reasonable Accommodation – The Family Centre will provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee

Compensation – Our comprehensive compensation package offered to employees reflects a strong commitment to employee wellbeing and is competitive within the marketplace

• starting salary range of $64,284 to $70,659 (commensurate with experience)
• Fully paid Group Benefit Plan
• Health spending account
• RRSP matching
• Ongoing paid training
• Mileage compensation
• Paid sick time (up to 8 days per calendar year)
• Agency-wide social events
• Employee Resource Groups

The Family Centre acknowledges that our work takes place on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional meeting ground, gathering place, and traveling route for the nehiyaw (Cree), Anishinaabe (Ojibway/Saulteaux), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Dene, and Nakota (Stoney).

Through our support of an Indigenous way of being and seeking towards being wichitasowak (people who are helping), the Family Centre acknowledges all the many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit whose footsteps continue to enrich these lands.

The Family Centre thanks all applicants in advance. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.