Remote Policy Manager

Bilinguallink; Riverview; Hybrid; CAD 87,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

Generous vacation

Comprehensive benefits

Healthcare Spending Account

Retirement Savings Plan

Paid sick days

Flexible scheduling

Professional development

Remote/hybrid work

Paid management days

Job summary

Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) is looking for a Policy Manager to lead policy development and ensure alignment with Indigenous gender-based analysis. You will manage a policy team, collaborate with stakeholders, and translate community input into policy briefs and submissions.

The role emphasizes advocacy, governance knowledge, and coordination of workshops with partners across Indigenous communities. Remote/hybrid options may be available.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in policy, social sciences, or related field with 5+ years in leadership.
• Experience drafting and analyzing policy affecting Indigenous families.
• Ability to supervise a team and provide support as required.
• Strong written, oral, and interpersonal skills to influence partners.
• Experience with financial planning and program management within budgets.

Responsibilities

• Lead the policy team to develop and evaluate policies for Indigenous women and families.
• Collaborate with ONWA teams to reflect stakeholder feedback in policy submissions.
• Manage projects and coordinate input from community members.
• Ensure policy work aligns with Indigenous gender-based analysis and human rights lens.
• Guide workshops and conferences related to policy engagement.

Skills

Policy drafting

Policy analysis

Administrative management

Stakeholder negotiation

Relationship management

Financial planning

Program/project management

Reporting

Workshop coordination

Organizational communication

Creative thinking

Decision making

MS Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Policy, Social Sciences, Political Science, Indigenous Studies, Women’s Studies, or Public Administration

Job description

Why make ONWA your career choice?

Make a difference in the lives of Indigenous peoples by supporting and advocating for positive change.ONWA prides itself on providing all employees with a total rewards package that is generous and supports our workforce and their family members:

• Competitive salaries
• Generous paid vacation time
• Paid time off at Christmas above paid vacation time
• Additional paid stat and civic holidays
• 35 hour work week
• Comprehensive benefits program including health, paramedical, dental, vision and EAP. All premiums covered by the employer
• Healthcare Spending Account and Lifestyle Spending Account
• Competitive Retirement Savings Plan
• Paid sick days
• Paid cultural/personal wellness days
• Flexible scheduling to support work-life balance
• Ongoing professional development.
• Possible reimbursement on portion of cell phone and internet expenses
• Remote/hybrid work offered for various positions
• Paid management days

VISION:

At the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA), we celebrate and honour the safety and healing of Indigenous Women and Girls as they take up their leadership roles in the family, community, provincially, nationally and internationally for generations to come.

SCOPE:

Reporting to the Director of Policy, Strategy and Communications, the Policy Manager ensures community knowledge policy is implemented and managed according to program standards and guidelines that facilitate the achievement of ONWA’s nine strategic issues related to policy. The Policy Manager provides leadership to the policy team to ensure analysis is completed through an Indigenous Gender-Based Analysis and human rights lens. The incumbent collaborates with other ONWA teams to ensure feedback from engagements with ONWA members and community members is reflected in policy submissions, briefs, legislative reviews, and other policy-related materials. The Policy Manager leads a team to define, analyze, develop, and evaluate policies to effect positive change for Indigenous women and their families in a manner that honours, respects, and restores Indigenous women’s leadership. The position manages projects and works with stakeholders and community members to gather input and share information.

QUALIFICATIONS:

SKILLS

• A bachelor’s degree in Policy, Social Sciences, Political Science, Indigenous Studies, Women’s Studies, or Public Administration with a minimum of five (5) years’ experience in a supervisory or management role.
• Extensive experience in drafting and analyzing policy and issues affecting Indigenous families and awareness of community resources.
• Demonstrated administrative management experience with the ability to supervise a team and provide information and support as required.
• Demonstrated high-level written, oral, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and negotiate with partners and stakeholders to find collaborative solutions to complex issues.
• Demonstrated stakeholder management skills with the ability to establish and maintain credible and trusting relationships with senior management, Community Members, and partners.
• Experience with financial planning, program/project management, planning processes, reporting, results-based planning, and annual planning within budgets.
• Excellent human resources skills and ability to work as a member of a team while acting independently to meet deadlines.
• Experience providing written submissions, drafting policy, and analyzing government policy, legislation, regulations, engagement approaches, and working agreements related to Indigenous women, families, and communities.
• Solution-oriented with proven analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience coordinating workshops and/or conferences.
• Ability to effectively communicate and influence across the organization.
• Creative, flexible, and strategically focused on organizational change.
• Strong decision-making skills to establish priorities and allocate time and resources effectively.
• Proficient working knowledge of MS Office software, internet, and general office equipment.

KNOWLEDGE

• Working knowledge of not-for-profit and government organization policy and program delivery.
• Experience working with Indigenous governance structures and communities.
• Strong awareness of issues affecting Indigenous women and their families.
• Knowledge of and relationships with service agencies and the ability to establish, maintain, and strengthen those relationships.
• Knowledge of policy development, legislative processes, advocacy initiatives, and systemic change approaches impacting Indigenous women and families.
• Knowledge of Indigenous cultures, communities, and leadership perspectives.
• Ability to speak an Indigenous language is considered an asset.

Please know, this is an existing role we are looking to fill.

The full salary range for this role is $87,000 – $107,574 ONWA conducts annual performance reviews, and employees may be eligible for salary adjustments based on performance outcomes and available funding.

We welcome applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.