Program Lead, Inuit Nunangat

Colonial Group; Canada; Hybrid; CAD 136,000 - 176,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Isolated Post Allowance

Health & Dental Benefits

RRSP

Vacation & Holidays

Indigenous Employee Network

Job summary

MakeWay seeks a Program Lead, Inuit Nunangat to oversee the Northern Program across Inuvialuit, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut regions. This full‑time role leads grants, partnerships, and learning, ensuring Inuit stewardship and wellbeing drive our work.

The role translates priorities into workplans and budgets, builds funder and community relationships, and advances Inuit leadership in conservation and environmental decision‑making. Comfortable travel within Canada is required.

Qualifications

• Experience working with Indigenous governments, communities, or rights holders.
• Knowledge of Inuit Nunangat, Inuit governance, and Northern institutions.
• Experience managing programs, projects, partnerships, or funding portfolios.
• Strong project management, analytical, writing, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Ability to travel within Canada, including to Northern and remote communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and execution of programmatic initiatives across Inuit Nunangat.
• Translate strategic priorities into actionable workplans, timelines, and partnership approaches.
• Initiate, cultivate, and manage strong relationships with funders, grantees, community partners, governments, and collaborators.
• Communicate program priorities, approaches, and impact clearly to diverse audiences.
• Explore the connections between culture, conservation, and community wellbeing.
• Support initiatives that advance Inuit leadership in conservation, stewardship, and environmental decision‑making.
• Manage a growing portfolio of grants and funding relationships across Inuit Nunangat.
• Conduct due diligence and carry out thoughtful decision‑making related to grants and investments.
• Develop and manage program budgets in support of the Director.
• Support forecasting and resource planning at the program level.
• Supervise and mentor supporting staff.
• Foster clarity of roles, strong communication, and collaborative team culture.
• Contribute to an inclusive and supportive working environment.
• Work in partnership with colleagues across MakeWay to advance shared priorities and integrated approaches.

Skills

Strong relationship-building skills

Project management

Written & verbal communication

Strategic thinking

Education

Relevant degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Program Lead, Inuit Nunangat

Terms: Full-time (37.5 hours/week), Permanent

Location: Inuit Nunangat

Salary: $121,000 + Isolated Post Allowance of $15,256-$55,178 (location- and dependent-based)

The Program Leadis responsible forMakeWay programming within Inuit Nunangat (Inuvialuit, Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut regions. This role works across an established portfolio of grants, partnerships, and strategic initiatives supporting Inuit stewardship, community wellbeing, and cultural priorities across Inuit Nunangat.

Working closely with the Director, Northern Program, the Program Lead provides leadership across program delivery, grantmaking, strategic learning, and partnerships. The role offers significant exposure to philanthropic practice, Inuit ways of knowing and doing, cross-sector collaboration, and the design and delivery of community-informed programs.

MakeWay’s Northern Program is collaborative, relationship-based, and responsive. The work is shaped through ongoing dialogue with Inuit communities, organizations, funders, and partners. Priorities may evolve as new opportunities emerge, circumstances change, or partners identify new needs. This creates a working environment that is active, intellectually engaging, and grounded in real-world relationships.

To learn more about the Northern ecosystem and staff visit https://makeway.org/where-we-work/the-north/.

If our values align with yours and you want to learn, grow, and develop within a supportive team that shares knowledge and cares, then we want to hear from you! Join us and make a difference.

What You’ll Do:

Program Leadership, Learning & Delivery

• Lead the planning and execution of programmatic initiatives across Inuit Nunangat.
• Translate strategic priorities into actionable workplans, timelines, and partnership approaches.

Relationship Stewardship, Partnerships & Conservation

• Initiate, cultivate, and manage strong relationships with funders, grantees, community partners, governments, and collaborators.
• Communicate program priorities, approaches, and impact clearly to diverse audiences.
• Explore the connections between culture, conservation, and community wellbeing.
• Support initiatives that advance Inuit leadership in conservation, stewardship, and environmental decision‑making.

Strategic Grantmaking & Portfolio Management

• Manage a growing portfolio of grants and funding relationships across Inuit Nunangat.
• Conduct due diligence and carry out thoughtful decision‑making related to grants and investments.

Financial & Operational Support

• Develop and manage program budgets in support of the Director.
• Support forecasting and resource planning at the program level.

People Leadership & Cross‑organizational Collaboration

• Supervise and mentor supporting staff.
• Foster clarity of roles, strong communication, and collaborative team culture.
• Contribute to an inclusive and supportive working environment.
• Work in partnership with colleagues across MakeWay to advance shared priorities and integrated approaches.
• Lead or contribute to internal working groups, initiatives, and communities of practice where relevant.

Who You Are:

• Curious with a strong desire to learn.
• Respect for Inuit leadership, knowledge, and self‑determination.
• Strong relationship‑building skills.
• Adaptability and sound judgement.
• Initiative and follow‑through.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery.
• Comfort working across government, community, nonprofit, and philanthropic settings.
• Strong listening and communication skills.
• A collaborative approach to problem‑solving.
• The ability to bring expertise while remaining open to different perspectives and ways of working.

Experience You Bring:

• Indigenous partnerships, philanthropy, community development, public policy, or a related field.
• Experience working with Inuit governments, organizations, communities, or rights holders.
• Knowledge of Inuit Nunangat, Inuit governance, and Northern institutions.
• Demonstrated experience managing programs, projects, partnerships, or funding portfolios.
• Strong project management, analytical, writing, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Experience developing workplans, budgets, reports, briefing materials, and recommendations.
• Experience with grantmaking, funding programs, contribution agreements, or due diligence is an asset.
• Ability to travel within Canada, including to Northern and remote communities, as required.

It Would Be a Bonus if You Have:

• Inuktut proficiency.
• Experience supervising or mentoring staff.
• Experience in conservation and environmental stewardship.

What We Offer:

• The opportunity to enable community‑led impact in the North.
• Full‑time annual salary of $121,000 ($100,000 base + $21,000 MakeWay Northern top‑up)
• Isolated Post Allowance of $15,256-$55,178 (location- and dependent‑based; consistent with rates established by the National Joint Council).
• Comprehensive employer‑paid extended health, vision, and dental benefits package, including an annual $300 Health Spending Account starting on your first day of employment.
• Year‑end RRSP contribution.
• Pregnancy and Parental/Adoption Leave top‑up (subject to eligibility).
• Four weeks’ vacation (increases with tenure) plus statutory holidays. MakeWay has implemented a Substitution Statutory Holiday policy which allows employees the flexibility to substitute another day for a statutory holiday.
• Winter break office closure and 9‑day summer fortnight program.
• 10 annual sick and personal days.
• Flexible work environment with remote working.
• An Indigenous Employees Network.
• Committed colleagues and a culture of collaboration, caring, and learning.
• High level of responsibility and autonomy.
• Opportunities and support for professional learning and development.

MakeWay is strongly committed to equity and creating a diverse workplace community. We recognize that our recruiting and hiring processes are key to this commitment. We strive to reflect the diversity of our society on our teams and to provide a respectful workplace and equal working opportunities for all employees and applicants. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. If you require accommodations at any point during the application or hiring process, please contact us at [e-mail].

This role is for an upcoming vacancy and MakeWay does not use artificial intelligence (AI)
to screen, assess, or select applicants.

Our sincerest appreciation to all those expressing interest in the position, however,
only those applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. Thank you!