Engagement Advisor

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Manager of Strategic Engagement and Relationships, the Engagement Advisor plays a pivotal role in advancing meaningful Indigenous engagement across land and natural resource initiatives. This position provides expert advice, strategic analysis, and engagement leadership to support timely, informed decision-making on high‑profile projects across the Government of Alberta (GOA). As an Engagement Advisor, you will offer specialized guidance to partner ministries on Indigenous engagement and consultation processes.

You will assess complex initiatives, provide recommendations that ensure Indigenous voices and perspectives are meaningfully considered, and contribute to shaping policies, plans, and decisions at senior and executive levels. Your work will include reviewing and advising on strategic engagement plans, preparing a range of advisory documents including quick advice, strategic advice, and comprehensive Engagement and Consultation Analysis and Recommendations (ECAR) and leading or co‑leading Indigenous engagement components of cross‑ministry projects.

Projects may involve broad strategic topics such as:

• Land use policies, regulations, and procedures
• Consultation policies and guidelines
• Sub‑regional land use planning
• Environmental management frameworks
• Initiatives that may evolve into formal consultation processes

1) Engagement

• Deliver Indigenous consultation and engagement expertise for Crown-led land and natural resource decisions.
• Support GoA ministries in integrating Indigenous perspectives into programs, policies, and initiatives.
• Provide rapid, strategic engagement advice, including identifying relevant Indigenous groups; analyzing consultation needs; advising on potential consultation triggers; and recommending legal input when required.
• Assist ministries with strategic Indigenous engagement on high‑profile land and resource initiatives, including participation in engagement activities.
• Flag sensitive issues, funding needs, and risks affecting GoA initiatives.
• Ensure meaningful consideration of First Nations Treaty Rights, Traditional Uses, and Métis harvesting and traditional activities.
• Share engagement and consultation best practices across GoA.
• Use SEPI geodata tools (e.g., ACIMT) to identify appropriate Indigenous communities, stakeholders, protocols, and engagement approaches.

2) Relationships

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations, cross‑ministry partners, other jurisdictions, and industry to support coordinated responses to natural resource projects.
• Design and deliver collaborative processes that strengthen shared understanding between the Crown and Indigenous communities.
• Recommend approaches to improve relationships with Indigenous peoples and advance social and economic reconciliation.
• Provide expert advice on consultation and engagement protocols across Alberta.
• Share cultural knowledge and protocol guidance with GoA project teams.

Role Responsibilities

3) Strategic Advice

• Ensure leadership receives accurate, comprehensive information on GoA land and resource projects and their potential impacts on Indigenous communities and rights.
• Provide analysis and advice to senior leaders for IRMS, LUF ADM, and RRDL agendas.
• Review strategic engagement documents to identify potential concerns or impacts on Treaty Rights and Traditional Uses.
• Prepare briefing materials and correspondence for senior leadership.
• Support or attend senior‑level meetings to provide relevant information.
• Contribute to annotated agendas and prepare background materials for decision‑making.
• Consolidate updates and advice across multiple policy files.

4) SER Team Effectiveness

• Inform SER planning and priorities to advance team goals.
• Collaborate with other branch units on shared priorities.
• Recommend improvements to team processes and functions.
• Stay current on ministry issues, industry developments, Indigenous issues, and Aboriginal law, and recommend policy or program reviews as needed.

5) Indigenous Knowledge Keepers Circle

• Support analysts, management, and leadership in designing, promoting, implementing, and delivering the IIKKC initiative.
• Maintain professional relationships with IKKC Elders.
• Collaborate with Alberta Education on shared objectives.
• Support reporting to senior leadership and maintain accurate records.

6) Capacity Building

• Promote consistent use of the 2023 Internal Procedures across IRMS and other departments to ensure alignment and reduce legal risk.
• Deliver presentations and information sessions to build cultural knowledge and engagement capacity across ministries.
• Lead or support ongoing updates to the Internal Procedures to ensure alignment with Alberta’s consultation policies.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:

https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Agility: Proactively incorporates changes into processes, creates opportunities for continuous improvement, adapts flexibly to changing priorities, remains objective under pressure while supporting emotional management, and explains the impact of change on roles to integrate it into existing work.

Systems Thinking: Integrates broader contexts to identify emerging issues and opportunities, anticipates outcomes with stakeholder and Indigenous perspectives, collaborates to identify areas for cooperation, and aligns actions and plans with APS (Alberta Public Service) values.

Build Collaborative Environments: Leads productive teamwork conditions, facilitates conflict resolution through open discussions, considers the impact of differences before acting, and recognizes that personal interpretations may not be correct.

Drive for Results: Identifies key outcomes and maximizes resources for results, maintains accountability to the Government of Alberta, stakeholders, and Indigenous peoples, commits to what benefits Albertans despite challenges, and takes responsibility for outcomes while delegating effectively.

Develop Networks: Proactively builds trust and networks with diverse stakeholders, leverages relationships for input and perspectives, actively seeks feedback for change initiatives, and communicates regularly to share information and insights.

Qualifications

A University degree in a related field (Natural Resources, Environmental Management, Environmental Sciences, Indigenous Studies, Public Policy, History, Political Science, Geography, Law, Anthropology, etc.) supplemented by a minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible related experience is required.

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of:

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

Required Experience:

• Project management including planning, execution and records management.
• Research and analysis in policy and/or natural resource management.

Assets:

• Knowledge of Indigenous peoples, governance, culture, history, and community dynamics.
• Experience establishing networks with Indigenous communities, including specialized training or lived experience.
• Education or experience with land and natural resource management and associated legislation and regulations in Alberta.
• Understanding of current land and natural resource management practices in Alberta, including economic development opportunities.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 
Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Hours of Work:

• 8:15 am to 4:30 pm
• 36.25 hours per week (full-time) Monday to Friday.

Term of Employment:

• Permanent

Location:

•  Edmonton

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. For example, January 2006 – June 2009 (part-time). This example is provided for illustrative purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to present their information clearly and thoroughly, using a format that best conveys their experience.

Cover letter is Mandatory.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.