Manager, Indigenous Initiatives

Permanent, Full-time At United Way of Calgary and Area, we believe that united, we make the biggest difference. We’re strongest when we come together to improve local lives and communities—and when we come together as a team, we passionately propel our mission forward. We’re currently looking for a Manager, Indigenous Initiatives to join our team. Reporting to the Director, Children & Youth Strategies, the Manager, Indigenous Initiatives will lead the Indigenous Parallel within Planet Youth Calgary and serves as a relationship steward and trusted advisor across the Children and Youth portfolio, supporting reconciliation in action across All In for Youth and Early Childhood initiatives. Grounded in the Indigenous principle of making relatives, which is about building relationships of respect, reciprocity, and shared responsibility, the Manager works within an ethical space where Indigenous and Western knowledge systems meet in mutual learning. The role strengthens Indigenous leadership and perspectives in community-based prevention, youth wellbeing, and systems change while aligning with United Way of Calgary and Area’s Reconciliation Journey and commitment to equitable, prevention-based approaches. The Manager partners closely with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous organizations, researchers, and community coalitions to guide culturally grounded approaches to engagement, data, and design. Internally, the role collaborates with the Manager, Community & Family Systems and the Manager, Youth Programs & Education to ensure Indigenous perspectives are reflected across community, school, and early learning systems—applying the Learn Forward design cycle to guide reflection, adaptation, and learning within both community and internal practices. What you will do Planet Youth Indigenous Parallel Lead the co-design, coordination, and implementation of the Indigenous Parallel within Planet Youth Calgary, ensuring alignment with community priorities, traditional knowledge, and ethical research practices. Build and sustain trusted relationships with Indigenous communities, Elders, and Youth Elders to guide and strengthen culturally grounded prevention strategies. Collaborate with the Mathison Centre, researchers, and community coalitions to uphold Indigenous data sovereignty and embed Two-Eyed Seeing (Etuaptmumk) principles in evaluation and storytelling. Facilitate learning and dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners to advance reconciliation and shared accountability. Collaborate closely with internal colleagues, including the Manager, Community & Family Systems and the Manager, Youth Programs & Education, to align Indigenous perspectives with broader Planet Youth and Children & Youth strategies. Work closely with community delivery partners, agencies, and coalitions involved in Planet Youth to align Indigenous approaches with broader implementation efforts. Support Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Youth Elders in the planning and facilitation of gatherings, ceremonies, and knowledge-sharing sessions, ensuring protocols are respected and logistics are coordinated with care. Support budgeting, stewardship, and resource allocation for Indigenous-led initiatives in collaboration with the Director. Partner with the MarCom team to ensure respectful, accurate, and strengths-based storytelling in community-facing materials. Advisory Serve as a trusted advisor to All In for Youth and Early Childhood initiatives, ensuring reconciliation and cultural safety are embedded across design, engagement, and implementation. Provide guidance on engaging Indigenous students, families, and partners in culturally respectful and strengths-based ways. Partner with other portfolio managers to integrate Indigenous approaches across program design, coalition engagement, and school-based initiatives, as appropriate. Act as a connector between Indigenous partners and United Way teams to promote trust, transparency, and long-term collaboration. Capacity Building and Co-Learning Lead opportunities for co-learning, reflection, and storytelling that deepen understanding of Indigenous worldviews, community priorities, and reconciliation in practice. Mentor Indigenous youth leaders and, as appropriate, support or guide staff and contractors involved in Indigenous engagement. Co-develop and facilitate training sessions that strengthen staff and partner capacity for reconciliation, Indigenous engagement, and culturally safe practice. Foster a culture of making relatives, where relationships are built and nurtured through respect, listening, and shared responsibility. Plan and coordinate community events, workshops, and learning sessions that bring together Elders, youth, community members, and partners to share stories, knowledge, and collective learning. Ensure that ceremonial and cultural practices are meaningfully integrated into engagement activities, in alignment with community guidance and protocol. Reflection, Learning, and Evaluation Apply the Learn Forward framework to guide reflection, adaptation, and learning across the Planet Youth Indigenous Parallel and within internal portfolio practices, ensuring insights from youth, community, and staff inform the next cycle of planning and action. Co-develop Indigenous-led evaluation methods that reflect community priorities, oral traditions, and relational accountability. Collaborate with researchers, evaluators, and coalitions to gather and interpret data through an Indigenous lens. Contribute to leadership and funder reports highlighting Indigenous leadership, impact, and reconciliation progress within the Children & Youth portfolio. Working Conditions Participate in regular community engagement, including evenings or weekends, to attend ceremonies, gatherings, and community events as guided by Elders, coalitions, and community partners. Hybrid work environment with in-person engagement required in office Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and at community locations and partner sites across Calgary and surrounding regions. What you will bring Experience: Post-secondary education in a relevant discipline (such as Indigenous Studies, Community Development, Education, Social Innovation, or Public Service), combined with 7 to 10 years of progressive experience in Indigenous relations, community development, youth engagement, or systems-change work, demonstrating increasing responsibility in program leadership, co-design, or cross-sector collaboration. Minimum three years of experience supervising or mentoring staff, contractors, or cross-functional teams in collaborative or complex environments. Experience working collaboratively with researchers, evaluators, and community coalitions to co-design, test, and adapt prevention-based initiatives. Experience applying human-centered or participatory design methods, including co-design, systems thinking, and iteration. Proven ability to build and sustain meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers, grounded in respect, reciprocity, and relational accountability. Demonstrated understanding of Indigenous governance and data sovereignty principles. Strong facilitation skills, with the ability to lead inclusive discussions and co-learning sessions across cultures and sectors. Excellent writing and communication skills for credible and respectful storytelling, reporting, and presentations. Commitment to equity, inclusion, and reconciliation, with experience embedding youth voice and lived experience into planning and decision-making. Comfortable working with both qualitative and quantitative data to inform decisions, measure impact, and communicate learning. Familiarity with the Alberta context, including Treaty 7 Nations, Métis Region 3, and the many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples who live and work in the Calgary area, is considered an asset. Lived experience as an Indigenous person is considered a strong asset. Attributes: A strategic thinker with the ability to take a systems approach and identify long-term opportunities to strengthen Indigenous partnership and improve youth outcomes across education and community systems. Able to create and implement work plans aligned with departmental goals, balancing strategic priorities with relational, community-based work. Skilled at building and sustaining collaborative relationships with Indigenous communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, educators, youth-serving agencies, and internal teams. Demonstrated ability to lead co-design processes and facilitate inclusive engagement with diverse Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth, families, and stakeholders. Excellent interpersonal skills, including tact, cultural humility, and the ability to navigate complex cultural, educational, and organizational contexts. Proven skills in financial stewardship, project management, and adaptive learning or evaluation within Indigenous and cross-sector collaborations. Able to lead and thrive within a dynamic, learning-driven organization committed to equity, reconciliation, and innovation. Grounded, resilient, and resourceful, with a growth mindset and a strong orientation toward reflection, learning, and continuous improvement. To Apply Send cover letter, resume and salary expectations by 4:00pm November 12, 2025 to Subject Line : Manager, Indigenous Initiatives – Your Name.