SENIOR ADVISOR, INDIGENOUS RELATIONS

Business Development Bank of Canada; Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 110,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Top 100 Employers recognition

Diversity and inclusion culture

Job summary

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) seeks a Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations to strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities and rights-holders across Canada. You will translate insights into practical partnerships, coordinate initiatives, and advance BDC’s Reconciliation Strategy with senior leadership.

The role requires extensive community engagement experience, cultural knowledge, and travel across Canada.

Qualifications

• Seven+ years in Indigenous relations, community work or related field.
• Direct, respectful engagement with Indigenous rights-holders and communities.
• Strong understanding of First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures and reconciliation context.
• Proven program and project management experience; multi-initiative delivery.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to present to leaders.
• Willingness and ability to travel across Canada, including Indigenous communities.

Responsibilities

• Build and sustain trusted relationships with Indigenous rights-holders and partners.
• Translate community insights into actionable recommendations for BDC teams.
• Lead and coordinate Indigenous relations and reconciliation initiatives from planning to execution.
• Represent BDC at forums to identify collaboration opportunities and ensure commitments.
• Support implementation of the Reconciliation Strategy with measurable outcomes.
• Provide guidance on reconciliation and cultural protocols to colleagues across BDC.

Skills

Relationship building

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Cross-cultural communication

Public policy knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Indigenous studies or related field

Job description

We are banking at another level. Choosing BDC as your employer means working in a healthy, inclusive, and skilled workplace that puts forward the best conditions to bring together unique teams where employees are empowered to act. It also means being at the centre of ambitious economic and financial projects to see further and to do things differently, to fuel the success of Canadian entrepreneurs.

Flexible and competitive benefits, including an Employee Savings and Investment Plan where BDC matches part of your voluntary contributions, a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, a $750 wellness and health care spending account, to name a few. In addition to paid vacation each year, five personal days, sick days as necessary, and our offices are closed from December 25 to January 1. A hybrid work model that truly balances work and personal life. Opportunities for learning, training and development, and much more... Explore the BDC Way in our Culture Book.

POSITION OVERVIEW

At BDC, we envision a future where First Nations, Métis and Inuit entrepreneurs and employees thrive, and where inclusive growth and economic reconciliation are embedded in our work. Our approach is guided by Indigenous perspectives and priorities, meaningful relationships, mutual respect and sustained action. The Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations strengthens BDC’s relationships with Indigenous rights-holders, communities, Nations, organizations, economic development partners and other rights-holders. The role translates community and partner insights into practical advice, partnerships and initiatives that advance BDC’s Reconciliation Strategy and improve how BDC supports Indigenous entrepreneurs. Reporting to the Director, Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, the Senior Advisor brings established community relationships, works across BDC to coordinate engagement, support implementation and build shared understanding.

CHALLENGES TO BE MET

• Build and sustain trusted relationships with Indigenous rights-holders, communities, Nations, organizations, entrepreneurs, financial institutions and ecosystem partners across Canada through respectful, reciprocal and informed engagement, guided by engagement plans aligned with BDC's Reconciliation Strategy.
• Listen to, understand and translate community and partner perspectives into actionable insights and recommendations for relevant BDC teams and decision-makers.
• Lead and coordinate assigned Indigenous relations, partnership and reconciliation initiatives from planning through execution, ensuring clear accountabilities, milestones, deliverables and measurable outcomes.
• Represent BDC at selected community, industry, government and economic-development forums to strengthen relationships, identify opportunities for collaboration and ensure commitments are followed through.
• Support implementation of BDC's Reconciliation Strategy and action plan by translating priorities into assigned initiatives, workplans and measurable outcomes; conducting research and benchmarking; and preparing recommendations, briefings and progress reports for senior leaders and governance forums.
• Serve as a subject matter expert by providing advice and guidance on reconciliation, Indigenous engagement and cultural protocols to colleagues across BDC.
• Contribute to BDC's PAIR certification by participating in relevant working sessions and providing Indigenous-relations expertise, partner perspectives, evidence, narratives and assigned deliverables.

Required qualifications

• Minimum of seven years of experience in Indigenous relations, community or rights-holder engagement, partnership development, economic development, government relations, reconciliation or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience engaging directly and respectfully with Indigenous rights-holders, communities, Nations, organizations and partners, and ability to build and sustain trusted relationships.
• Strong understanding of the distinct histories, cultures, rights, governance structures, priorities and protocols of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples, and of the Canadian reconciliation context.
• Proven program and project management experience, including the ability to manage multiple complex initiatives, contributors, timelines, risks and deliverables.
• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with community partners, colleagues and senior leaders.
• Ability and willingness to travel within Canada, including to Indigenous communities, as required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Indigenous studies, business, public administration, political science, social sciences, communications or a related field, or an equivalent combination of community leadership, cultural knowledge, education and professional experience.

Preferred qualifications and assets

• Proficiency in English and/or French is important; Indigenous language knowledge and community-based communication experience are equally valued.
• Strong understanding of the Canadian reconciliation context, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
• Experience developing partnerships or programs that support Indigenous entrepreneurs and economic participation.

Proudly one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment where all employees can thrive and feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work.

If you require an accommodation to complete your application, please do not hesitate to contact us at [e-mail].

While we appreciate all applications, we advise that only the candidates selected to participate in the recruitment process will be contacted.

BDC is a bank unlike any other. We are the only bank dedicated exclusively to the development of Canadian businesses. The only institution whose purpose is to promote the growth of the Canadian economy by focusing on the success of small and medium-sized businesses, with a human touch and a genuine presence. At BDC, we’re changing people’s and businesses’ lives for the better. That’s what makes us unique as a bank. That’s why we are banking at another level.

We are banking at another level.