Business Specialist

**Job Summary**
The National Circle of Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF) is seeking a experienced and dedicated Business Specialist to help our organization activate a community of partners focused on reigniting the role of Indigenous peoples in agriculture and food, through knowledge sharing and supporting business creation, while honoring first peoples, their lands, and mother earth. This role will be play an important role in achieving our three strategic pillars:

- Advancing reconciliation and building bridges between Indigenous communities, Peoples and rights holders to land and other agriculture and food industry stakeholders and creating a national vision for Indigenous agriculture;
- Support the development of Indigenous agriculture and food businesses; and
- Build Indigenous capacity for agriculture through awareness of opportunities, knowledge exchange, and education and skills development.

The NCIAF is an Indigenous-led non-profit organization operating on core values of collaboration, communication, innovation, entrepreneurship, inclusivity, effective planning and execution, visionary thinking, and respect for Indigenous values, protocols, and ways of doing. Empathy is an important part of this, and the organization strives to be a leading voice in Indigenous agriculture while also expanding the conversation to a broader audience to ultimately advance Indigenous agriculture and create a sustainable future for Indigenous communities and the broader food system.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Establish and maintain valued relationships with Indigenous clients and communities to advance and execute their goals towards food sovereignty.
- Effectively communicate with clientele to understand needs, identify barriers and problem solve to accelerate the development of sustainable Indigenous businesses.
- Advance the NCIAF Business Development strategy and enhance NCIAF’s offering by establishing, growing and maintaining relationships directly with industry, government, academia and other like-minded nonprofits.
- Look for opportunities to address barriers and gaps within the ecosystem through innovation and collaboration to create new programs or offerings with stakeholder groups.
- Support the delivery of effective and valuable events

**Skills and Qualifications**:

- Bachelor’s degree in Business or Agriculture (preferred)
- Proven leader with strong relationship building skills and tenacity to navigate ambiguity and persevere through challenges.
- Confident communicator able to uncover needs and deliver solutions that are in the best interest of the client.
- Genuine desire to support Indigenous communities, Peoples and rights holders to land journey to self sufficiency
- Experience building partnerships and working with Indigenous businesses, community members, governments and organizations.
- Established experience (10 years) and understanding of the Canadian agricultural Industry.
- Positive attitude, detail and customer oriented with organizational skills to meet deadlines.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: $76,000.00-$84,000.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Company events
- Company pension
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision care
- Wellness program

Flexible language requirement:

- French not required

Schedule:

- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday

**Education**:

- Bachelor's Degree (preferred)

**Experience**:

- Customer relationship management: 10 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 2024-09-20