Research Assistant

**_**Indigenous Women are encouraged to apply. First preference will be given to all qualified Indigenous applicants.**_**

**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 are covered by the employer.
- Healthcare Spending Account and Lifestyle Spending Account
- Competitive Retirement Savings Plan
- Paid sick days
- Paid cultural/personal wellness days
- Paid summer wellness days
- Flexible scheduling to support work-life balance
- Ongoing professional development.
- Possible reimbursement on a portion of cell phone and internet expenses
- Remote/hybrid work offered for various positions

**VISION**:
At the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA), we celebrate and honor 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**:
The **Research Assistant - Healing, Empowerment, Reclamation, Safety (HERS)** will provide overall support and assistance to ONWA’s Policy and Research Portfolio. The Research Assistant will assist with community-based research and engagements and will conduct analyses of local, provincial, and national policies, programs, initiatives, and economic trends that affect Indigenous women and their families in Ontario. The Research Assistant will collaborate with Policy Analysts and Researchers to prepare information packages, briefing notes, tool kits, policy position papers and research reports. The Research Assistant will participate in working groups on pertinent issues impacting Indigenous women and their families in Ontario. They will bring to the attention of the Policy Manager and Research Director current developments in provincial and federal policies that affect Indigenous women and their families.

The vision of the **Healing, Empowerment, Reclamation, Safety (HERS)** program is to support, educate, and empower Indigenous women at an individual and collective level. Focusing on healing from our collective trauma is the foundation of reclaiming Indigenous women’s leadership and voice. It is essential that Indigenous women are provided the opportunities to learn about their identity, to reclaim leadership roles and to live and work in safe environments. Access to Indigenous women’s programming that is designed and delivered for and by Indigenous women is critical to changing the narrative of Indigenous women.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:

- A post-secondary diploma/degree and a minimum of 3 years work experience in the area of Political, Social Science (s) or Women’s/Indigenous Study (ies), or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- Proven work experience related to research.
- Knowledge of the corporate nature, government systems and administration and the ability to interact with other government departments, Indigenous organizations and communities.
- Knowledge of and experience working for Not-For Profit Organizations.
- Demonstrated organizational, time management and presentation skills with the ability to follow through on assigned duties independently within strict deadlines.
- Excellent written and oral communications, with emphasis on keen listening and ability to effectively interpret verbal communications and needs of prospective community members.
- Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office; competency working with other databases. Knowledge of data analysis software is an asset.
- Experience in data collection, management, cleaning data sets and practices to protect sensitive information.
- Experience working with Indigenous Peoples, knowledge of Indigenous cultures and traditions.
- Knowledge and understanding of current issues facing Indigenous Women and their families, including Indigenous Gender-Based violence and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)
- Demonstrated familiarity with Indigenous Gender-Based Analysis
- Excellent written and oral communications, with emphasis on keen listening and ability to effectively interpret verbal communications and needs of prospective community members.
- Ability to travel.
- Ability to speak an Indigenous Language is considered an asset.
- Current, valid vulnerable sector criminal records check.
- A cellular phone and internet access is required within this position.
- Must be willing and able to work a flexible working from home arrangement if required. This may include a combination of virtual remote work in your home and i