We are seeking a Director, Indigenous & Northern Engagement to join the Community Initiatives department. The Director, Indigenous & Northern Engagement will lead the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s Northern Gender Equality Strategy, while strengthening the Foundation’s overall work with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) grantees and partners.

Working as part of the Community Initiatives team, this leadership role will oversee planned deliverables under a new government-funded project and ensure alignment with existing, ongoing commitments. The Director will provide strategic oversight for grant distribution, research, convenings, and knowledge mobilization activities to ensure they are community-led, impactful, and culturally appropriate.

Managing a small staff team and working closely with key senior leaders on the Community Initiatives team, the Director will foster relationships, guide strategy development, and ensure project success. Additionally, the Director will lead critical work to build internal capacity and improve practices around supporting Indigenous grantees, engaging Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and creating welcoming learning spaces that respect and engage FNMI ways of knowing.

Key responsibilities will include building strong, reciprocal relationships with FNMI communities, growing the Northern program and ensuring the work and learnings of the Northern Gender Equality Strategy inform the Foundation’s ongoing work. The Director will collaborate with the Philanthropy team to contribute insights and strategic direction to fundraising efforts that aim to sustain and grow this work beyond the project term.

This is a designated position for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit candidates. 

The Canadian Women’s Foundation is Canada’s public foundation for gender justice and equality. We advance this by growing support for grassroots feminist action, partnering with communities and organizations to improve conditions, and building diverse leadership and knowledge for sustainable change.

Since 1991, thanks to our generous supporters and donors, the Foundation has raised more than $260 million to fund over 3,300 life transforming programs across the country. As a leading voice for women, girls, and gender-diverse people in Canada, the Canadian Women’s Foundation is committed to getting gender equality issues front and centre in the hearts and minds of people in Canada. For more information about the Foundation, visit our website. To learn more about what we offer to employees and why you should apply, visit Work With Us.

We strongly encourage applications from women, Two Spirit, trans, and nonbinary people who identify as Black and/or racialized, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, living with disabilities, and/or members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Feminist Philanthropy - Grants

• Provide direction and oversight on the distribution of grants through the Northern Gender Equality Strategy, ensuring that grantmaking is culturally responsive, focused on community priorities, and informed by the expertise of the Foundation’s Northern Women & Girls Advisory Committee
• Collaborate with internal teams to refine grantmaking practices, adapt strategies based on emerging trends, and ensure effective financial oversight.
• Work with the Senior Director, Grants to ensure the team meets individual and corporate donor reporting commitments, delivering clear, accurate, and impactful updates aligned with funder expectations.
• Work with the Philanthropy team to provide strategic input into funding proposals and support ongoing fundraising efforts to grow the Northern Strategy.

Feminist Learning - Convening & Community Engagement

• Build and sustain meaningful, reciprocal relationships with FNMI communities, organizations, and leaders—in the Northern regions and throughout Canada—fostering collaboration and advancing community-driven priorities.
• Provide oversight in planning and hosting a major Northern Women & Girls networking and knowledge-sharing event, in collaboration with the Manager, Northern Gender Equality.
• Support the staff team to develop and deliver welcoming, culturally appropriate, and relevant gatherings for FNMI grantees and partners to build capacity, amplify knowledge, and strengthen networks.
• Support the Policy team in ensuring the successful implementation of policy and research deliverables—led by the Manager, Policy & Research—including convening the community research advisory circle and facilitating hybrid roundtables on topics such as climate resilience, gender, and disaster response.
• Work with internal teams, including Measurement & Evaluation and Public Engagement to oversee program evaluation efforts, incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing, storytelling, and participatory methodologies into a Northern program evaluation framework, ensuring outputs reflect community priorities and lived experiences.

Feminist Advocacy - Community-Based Participatory Research & Knowledge Mobilization

• Support the Manager, Policy & Research to translate research insights, grantee engagement, and evaluation findings into actionable policy positions and government relations initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for Northern and Indigenous grantees and community partners to inform relevant policy discussions and public consultations.
• Represent the Foundation at sector-wide events and tables, positioning the Foundation as a leader in Indigenous-led, community-centered approaches to gender equality.

Project Management, Evaluation & Reporting

• Ensure the team fulfills government-funded project deliverables, including grant distribution and oversight, convening activities, community-based research, financial tracking, and timely submission of reporting requirements.
• Oversee and track Northern Strategy program budgets, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently, expenses align with project goals, and financial accountability is maintained across all activities.
• Develop tools and processes for monitoring project progress, ensuring continuous alignment with the Foundation’s strategic priorities and reconciliation commitments.

Team Support & Collaboration

• Supervise a small team, providing leadership, mentorship, and performance management to ensure deliverables are met.
• Collaborate closely with senior leadership on the Community Initiatives team to ensure effective implementation of project goals and alignment across areas of work.
• Support broader internal conversations about the Foundation’s role as a feminist grantmaker working toward Reconciliation, encouraging continuous learning, reflection, and action on equity and systems change.

Qualifications

Experience:

• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in program leadership, project management, policy, or community engagement, with a focus on Indigenous and/or Northern communities.
• Demonstrated experience working with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit organizations using community-driven and culturally responsive approaches.
• Experience supervising teams and managing complex projects with multiple deliverables and detailed reporting requirements.
• Experience in grantmaking or philanthropy is an asset.
• Lived experience in Indigenous and/or northern communities is strongly preferred.

Education:

• Degree in related field OR an equivalent combination of training, expertise, and lived experience

Skills:

• Strong understanding of Indigenous contexts, systemic barriers, and culturally appropriate, non-extractive approaches to engagement, research, and program delivery.
• Proven leadership, project management, and organizational skills.
• Experience in project management, evaluation, and guiding community-based knowledge mobilization efforts.
• Strong relationship-building skills to engage and foster trust with FNMI communities, Elders, and partners.
• Excellent communication (written, verbal) and strategic planning abilities.

Abilities:

• A strong intersectional and gender-based analysis of issues affecting women, girls, and gender-diverse people.
• Ability to navigate a mainstream feminist institution while advancing Indigenous-centred work and approaches.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Good judgement, flexibility, and capacity to work closely with one or more team members on a common project.
• Willingness and ability to travel to and between Northern and Indigenous communities across Canada.

Expectations and Conditions

The chosen candidate will be able to start work as soon as possible and would complete a three-month probation period.

Compensation

The hiring range for this position is $85,000 - $100,000. The Foundation provides generous vacation time, comprehensive health and dental benefits, as well as professional development opportunities. This is a full-time contract position for 16 months (Feb 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026), with possibility of extension based on funding and organizational priorities.

Job Location

Depending on the location of the successful candidate, this position could be a hybrid or remote work environment, with flexibility to travel to and between Northern and Indigenous communities required.

Apply Today by Submitting:

• A one-page cover letter outlining why you want to be part of the Canadian Women’s Foundation and briefly summarizing your key skills and relevant experience.
• A resume that provides an overview of your work, education, and volunteer experience.

The deadline for submission is 8:00 PM EST on January 15, 2025. Please email the document to and indicate “Director, Indigenous & Northern Engagement” and quote reference number “CI-032” in the subject line.

Canadian Women’s Foundation Commitment to Equity

The Canadian Women’s Foundation is strongly committed to equity in employment and seeks to attract, select, and hire a diverse team with a high level of professional skills, passion for, and belief in our vision and mission. We aim to be inclusive of diverse people across gender and sexuality spectrums. This includes people who identify as women, girls, trans, Two Spirit, genderqueer, nonbinary, and 2SLGBTQIA+. If comfortable, we encourage candidates to share information about their identities, lived experiences, and the communities they are part of in their cover letter.  

The Canadian Women’s Foundation adheres to Canadian Human Rights legislation and will provide accommodation to candidates during any part of the interview or hiring process, if requested. We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those selected for a first interview will be contacted. We anticipate two rounds of interviews before the successful candidate is selected.