Head, Community Engagement

Role Responsibilities

The Royal Alberta Museum is actively seeking a dynamic and accomplished candidate to assume a leadership role within the newly established Community Engagement department. In direct collaboration with the Director of Engagement and Education, the Head of Community Engagement will play a pivotal role in cultivating relationships with diverse stakeholders, formulating inclusive engagement policies, and championing representation within the Museum.

Leveraging substantial experience in the field of community engagement, the incumbent for this position will engage within focused community groups and internally within the Museum, to establish meaningful relationships that contribute significantly to exhibitions, programs, research, collections, and overarching networks. The Community Engagement unit will strategically employ the museum's resources to educate and inform a diverse audience on matters that directly impact their daily lives.

In alignment with the broader organizational strategy, the Head of Community Engagement will collaborate closely with the Director of Engagement and Education (and other Executive), as well as their colleagues, to position community engagement as a central and integral practice within the Royal Alberta Museum. We welcome candidates with the vision and capability to contribute to this significant initiative.

Your main responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Engagement and relationship building with the diverse communities of Alberta, working to include them in RAM operations in a meaningful way.
• Collaborate with targeted communities, community service organizations, non-for-profits, professional associations, and other appropriate parties in the development of ongoing engagement strategies and RAM operations. 
• Foster connections to the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) sector in Edmonton and Alberta on behalf of the Museum and the Government of Alberta. 
• Assist with the implementation of reconciliation activities across RAM.
• Work to foster relationships with communities that do not feel represented or connected to RAM, including work to support accessibility and access for disabled and neurodivergent visitors. 
• Providing recommendations in the areas of diversity and inclusion, through community connections and knowledge of best practices to Museum staff and projects as required.
• Work with colleagues across the Ministry and other departments to ensure inclusion practices are in alignment with Government priorities.  
• Work with the Learning team, Curatorial team, and other relevant staff to provide contacts, relationships and resources from diverse communities and act as a bridge and relationship builder for RAM projects and public facing products. 
• Support exhibit planning for permanent, traveling, and in-house feature exhibitions through the lens of Community Engagement. 
• Supervision and administration of the Community Engagement staff and department.

Through the Community Engagement unit and the leadership of this vitial position, RAM will build stronger and more trusting relationships with various public organizations and communities. Through these relationships, RAM will be better able to tell the stories of all Albertans and increase the public's understanding of historical and contemporary issues facing diverse peoples across the province.  The Head, Community Engagement will be an energetic, empathetic individual with a demonstrated ability to build connections and work toward mutually beneficial outcomes and relationships.

Qualifications

Requirements:

• B.A. in a relevant discipline (e.g., Sociology, Community Engagement or Development, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, International Development) and a minimum of four years' related experience, plus demonstrated community engagement including direct work in communities and activities connected to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion or working directly with/in minority communities or equivalent.  
• A solid understanding of the theories and best practices regarding community engagement as applied to operations (such as exhibits, programs, interpretation, and research) as well as hands-on experience with the creation and implementation of engagement strategies. 
• Demonstrated history of working in community settings on behalf of an organization and leading community projects from ideation to implementation. 
• Ability to facilitate and lead community engagement workshops, work with Advisory Boards and both unofficial and official community groups. 
• Excellent ability to lead teams and create productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including mediation and communications skills related to working with diverse communities.
• Ability to successfully work in a politically sensitive environment.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects concurrently.
• Understanding and knowledge of diverse First Nations, Métis and Inuit history, cultures, traditions, beliefs, and protocols is an asset. 
• The ability to navigate and articulate, lead, and facilitate conversations, analyze, and apply communities’ learnings in a government environment is an asset. 
• French language or additional language fluency is an asset. 

Notes

This is a permanent full-time position

Hours of work are: 36.25 hours weekly.

Days of work are Monday to Friday.

Occasional weekend and evening work may be required, as well as occasional travel.

Location: Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, Alberta

Candidate must be eligible to work in Canada. A current work visa is required. Please ensure you provide a current email address in your resume.

To accurately reflect your related experience/education, in your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience.

For any Post-Secondary Education: Please specify your major and length of program, the educational institution, and the year you graduated

Cover letter is required. Your cover letter and resume will be used as a screening tool to assess your written communication.

Presentations may be used as part of the interview process.

Final candidate will be required to undergo a security screening.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service – https://www.alberta.ca/advantages- working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• Pension plans:
  • Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) – https://www.pspp.ca
  • Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) – https://www.mepp.ca
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information –  https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits 
• Leadership and mentorship programs
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-human-resource-directives
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreements
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca