Manager

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading national Inuit organization is seeking a Manager for Inuit Qaujisaringat in Ottawa. This role involves overseeing research policy aligned with organizational priorities, managing a dedicated team, and collaborating across departments and with stakeholders to support Inuit policies. The ideal candidate will have a master’s degree in a relevant discipline and substantial experience working with Inuit communities. This is a full-time in-office position at 75 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON, offering a salary band of $80,781 to $100,976.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in relevant field or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 4 years related work experience with Indigenous communities.
• Knowledge of Inuit land claim agreements and policies.

Responsibilities

• Manage and lead policy and research initiatives.
• Supervise staff and provide training and mentorship.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to further Inuit interests.

Skills

Good working knowledge of Inuit policy issues

Effective writing and communication skills

Strong problem solving skills

Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research

Understanding of community needs

Education

Master’s degree in Environmental Science or related field

Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline with 4 years experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖅᑖᕋᓱᐊᖅᑐ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᐅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᑎᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖅᑖᕐᑎᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓄᑦ. ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᕐᐸᑦᓯ ᐅᓇᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᓂᑦᓯᓐᓂᒃ.

Application Priority

Applicants who are enrolled under an Inuit Nunangat Land Claims Agreement will be given priority hiring. We encourage applicants to self-identify.

Closing Date

January 21, 2026

Position

Manager, Inuit Qaujisaringat – Existing position

Salary Band

Salary Band 5 – $80,781 – $100,976

Compensation

Compensation is aligned with internal equity and market benchmarks. In limited circumstances, offers above the posted range may be considered for candidates with exceptional qualifications or highly specialized expertise.

Work Location

This role, as with all positions at ITK, is 100% in-office, requires being in the office full-time at 75 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON.

Recruitment Philosophy

We do not use AI to assess or screen applications. Our hiring process is grounded in human review and values lived experience, cultural competency, and diverse career paths, in addition to formal education and work experience.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Inuit Qaujisaringat (IQ), the Manager, Research, is responsible for advancing the research policy, programs and services aligned with ITK’s strategic priorities. The Manager leads a team of staff that work collaboratively within the department and across the organization to deliver on key initiatives, monitor and develop research policies and provide research advice and services at ITK. The Manager oversees the production and recommendation of research policy positions, provides strategic guidance and project management oversight.

Key Accountabilities

Policy, Planning & Research

• Lead and support team members in researching and analyzing policies, programs, and services relevant to ITK’s mandate.
• Serve as a file lead on assigned policy and service areas, as designated by the Director and/or Executive, ensuring progress, quality, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Research, draft, edit, and produce high-quality policy and research products, including reports, studies, position papers, policy statements, and briefing materials.
• Identify research and evidence needs related to assigned policy areas and contribute to relevant research initiatives, projects, and partnerships.
• Develop internal strategic and operational documents, including work plans, policies, and planning frameworks that support departmental and organizational objectives.
• Conduct policy and research analysis and develop evidence-based recommendations and positions to inform national-level policy development and advocacy.
• Coordinate and facilitate departmental engagement with working groups, committees, and advisory bodies related to assigned policy and service areas.
• Collaborate with internal colleagues and external partners, including Inuit Land Claim Organizations and Governments, federal, provincial, and territorial governments, academics, agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor emerging trends, legislation, policies, programs, and issues with current or potential impacts on Inuit interests across Canada.
• Support the communication and implementation of strategic research and policy priorities, translating priorities into concrete actions and deliverables.

Communication

• Maintain open, respectful, and regular communication with team members and ITK staff.
• Establish and sustain effective working relationships with regional, national, and circumpolar Inuit organizations, governments, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations.
• Represent ITK in meetings, conferences, workshops, and virtual forums to support ongoing engagement with constituents and key stakeholders.
• Collaborate with internal teams and other ITK departments to develop coordinated plans and approaches on priority policy and research areas.
• Plan, facilitate, and actively participate in meetings, workshops, and conferences to support collaboration, information-sharing, and policy advancement.

Supervision & Leadership

• Supervise departmental staff, interns, students, and contract personnel, as required, and provide regular progress updates to the Director.
• Monitor team workloads, support performance management, and foster a respectful, inclusive, and high-performing work environment.
• Work closely with the Director to support employee development, address performance or operational challenges, and strengthen team capacity.
• Lead work planning and conduct performance reviews for direct reports.
• Assign team members to projects, working groups, and committees as required.
• Provide training, mentorship, and quality review of team members’ work to support professional growth and knowledge transfer.

Administration & Budgeting

• Review teamwork plans to ensure alignment with departmental and organizational priorities.
• Ensure the timely and organized dissemination of information to appropriate stakeholders.
• Oversee the management of assigned projects from initiation to completion, including budget tracking, consultations, working group and committee activities, logistics for meetings and workshops, communications coordination, and reporting requirements.
• Establish and maintain accurate policy, research, and administrative records and systems.
• Participate in recruitment and selection processes in collaboration with Human Resources, including interviewing candidates and providing hiring recommendations.
• Support the identification and pursuit of funding opportunities aligned with departmental priorities.
• Review and support the preparation of reports, records, financial documentation, and project files.
• Provide advice and guidance to ITK staff on research and related policy needs, as required.
• Monitor project expenditures to ensure compliance with approved budgets and authorize expenditures in accordance with delegated authority.

Representation & Relationships

• Represent ITK in meetings, conferences, task forces, committees, and working groups, as assigned by the Director.
• Promote ITK’s mandates and priorities and act as a liaison with partners and stakeholders, as required.
• Work independently and collaboratively with a wide range of partners, including government representatives, academics, NGOs, and Inuit Land Claim Organizations and Governments.
• Build and maintain strong, respectful, and effective working relationships with federal, provincial, and territorial government departments and agencies, academic institutions, NGOs, and Inuit organizations.
• Foster positive team dynamics, mentorship, a culture of collaboration and shared accountability.

Qualifications

Education

• A minimum of a master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as Environmental Science, Resource Management, Geography, Biology, Anthropology, Aboriginal Studies or a relevant applied science or an interdisciplinary major combined with 2 years of related work experience, particularly in Inuit communities.

OR

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline: health, health sciences, nutrition, political/social science, geography, Indigenous Studies or a relevant applied science or an interdisciplinary major combined with a minimum of 4 years of related work experience and/or field research in a similar role.

Knowledge & Skills

• Good working knowledge and understanding of a breadth of policy issues as they relate to Inuit in Canada.
• Good understanding of community needs and traditional values in Inuit communities.
• Knowledge and understanding of Inuit land claim agreements and organizations and related legislation and policy frameworks.
• Familiarity with federal government programs and policy including the ability to understand and interpret policy and legal documents, legislation, and regulation.
• Proven and effective writing, speaking, organization, facilitation, coordination, prioritization and time management skills.

• Understanding of quantitative and qualitative research principles and applications.

• Familiarity with the principles and practices of business administration, including program budgeting.

• Must have excellent oral and written communication skills (primarily in English; Inuktitut and/or French an asset).

• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access).
• Ability in the areas of analysis, program development, evaluation, and consultation.
• Sound problem solving and analytical skills.
• Sensitive to local, political and cultural issues.

Experience

• Working knowledge of research approaches, processes, methods as they apply to the Arctic and/or specifically with Inuit or other aboriginal populations (familiarity of both western science and Inuit knowledge systems an asset).
• Working knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research principles and applications.
• Experience with information systems and knowledge translation work.

• General research and policy development experience.
• Experience with project management or program development.
• Experience with partnership development and maintenance.
• Management and supervisory experience in leading teams.

Working Conditions

• Required to work on site five days per week.
• Role involves prolonged sitting and computer screen usage.

• Occasional travel and regular meetings.
• Operational direction is provided by the Director.
• Politically sensitive issues may become stressful.
• Frequent deadlines, which intensify when workload is large.
• Often managing several important projects concurrently.

*Applicants who are a Beneficiary under a Land Claims Agreement will be given priority hiring. We encourage applicants to self-identify.

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for their interest in ITK, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.