Mi'kmaw Indigenous Health Consultant

Req ID:
Department/Program: Health Equity, Safety and Wellness, Health Equity, Safety and Wellness 
Location: Halifax  
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT (100% FTE)  x 1 position(s)
Start Date: October 2025
Union Status: Non-union, Management/Non Union Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $ $ /hour
Closing Date: Open until Filled (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

This position is a designated position. The successful candidate must be from the designated Mi'kmaw group in order to be considered. They must self-identify as Mi'kmaw and be able to verify that they are a recognized member of the Mi'kmaq nation. 

When applying, please ensure your candidate profile and personal information is up to date, which includes any self-identification.

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other's talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi'kma'ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi'kmaq people. Working in Mi'kma'ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The role is grounded respectful leadership and guidance that honors Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous ways of knowing and being. It is committed to nurturing health services that are culturally and linguistically safe, rooted in Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous values, and continuously growing through community relationships and shared knowledge.

Central to this journey is nurturing a workplace that honors diversity, embraces inclusion, and is rooted in cultural and Linguistic safety—where all voices are respected, relationships are strengthened, and Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous teachings guide the way.

The Consultant carries the responsibility of guiding the planning and sharing of activities that uphold cultural and linguistic safety, while growing respectful relationships and meaningful connections with Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous Health leaders across Nova Scotia, supporting their voices and leadership in wellness.
The Consultant honors Mi'kmaw ways of knowing and being throughout planning, implementation and reflection/evaluation of policies, programs, and activities—guided by the intention to strengthen access to services that are respectful, culturally and linguistically safe, and aligned with the needs and teachings of Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous peoples. They walk alongside various teams to nurture policies and strategies that uplift the presence and leadership of Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous Health Leads, while growing a workplace grounded in respect and safety.

The Consultant walks in relationship with Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous Health leaders, communities, and organizations serving Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous peoples to listen deeply and respond to the health priorities and aspirations of Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous Nations. They build upon the foundation of existing partnerships within the health sector and beyond—including community, government, education, research, and business—to weave together promising practices that honor Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous knowledge and support the creation of resources and structures that nurture diversity and inclusion within IWK Health.

Rooted in the core values of respect and reciprocity, the Consultant supports diversity, equity, and social inclusion efforts that are meaningful and specific to Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous communities. They also work collaboratively across teams that uplift underrepresented and diverse groups, together walking toward healing by addressing health inequities through Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous-led solutions.

Permanent Full-Time; 75 hours bi-weekly 

• Undergraduate degree in Allied Health field, Public Administration, Health Services Administration, Business Administration or relevant areas of study.
• Five years' of related experience or a Master's degree plus three years' experience.
• Significant knowledge of Indigenous peoples across Nova Scotia and the Maritimes.
• Experience as a health professional is an asset.
• Demonstrated commitment to promoting and advocating for systemic change that addresses and advocates for health transformation initiatives that improve access and experience to the health system for Indigenous people in NS and reduces health inequities and anti-indigenous racism.
• Strong understanding and connection to Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw communities and demonstrated experience working with and engaging Mi'kmaw communities.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, coordination, facilitation, community engagement and qualitative research.
• Strong writing skills with demonstrated competency writing synthesized literature reviews, policy analysis, briefing notes and reports.
• Demonstrated planning, organization and time management skills. Ability to deal with competing priorities.
• Demonstrated critical thinking with demonstrated ability to assess and anticipate future needs, potential problems, directions and development for all aspects of strategic, financial, and human resource management.
• Strong communications skills and ability to develop and sustain coalitions, alliances, and partnerships with the members of the health care sector and external agencies.
• Community development experiences an asset.
• Ability to communicate and build coalitions effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders using a variety of methods.
• Innovative systems thinking with an understanding of working with priority communities.
• Demonstrated high standards of ethics, integrity, respect, accountability and upholding the public interest, and ability to use them effectively in decision-making.
• Leadership skills consisting of building a vision, team building, conflict resolution, goal setting, coaching, mentoring, delegation, change-leadership.
• Responsibilities are provincial in scope resulting in regular travel throughout the province and occasionally elsewhere in Canada.
• A current Nova Scotia Driver's License and access to a reliable vehicle are required.
• Competencies in other languages considered an asset; Mi'kmaq preferred.

Walking alongside leaders across the organization to advise on organizational fulfillment of the TRC calls to action, the MMIWG calls to Justice and UNDRIP, advocating for safe services that are responsive to Mi'kmaw community needs.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Management/Non Union  bargaining  unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.