Location New Westminster/Coquitlam Campus
Salary Range
Pay Band 11 (Min: $94,443, Control Point: $125,924 Max: $138,516). Placement within a salary band is typically up to Control Point based on skills, experience and internal equity. May place over Control Point in limited circumstances.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Student Affairs, the Manager, Indigenous Community Development is responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing Indigenous community development initiatives that support Indigenous students, advance Indigenization within Student Affairs, and strengthen partnerships with local Nations, Indigenous organizations, and community partners. The Manager fosters respectful, reciprocal, and sustainable relationships that support Indigenous student engagement, belonging, success, and community connection across the full student lifecycle.
The role works closely with the Director, Indigenous Academic Initiatives, the Director Student Affairs and services and Indigenous student serving areas on internal community development. This role also works with the College’s Protocol Officer on external Indigenous community relationship building.
The Manager provides day-to-day leadership for assigned portfolios and staff, community engagement initiatives, Elders programming, and Indigenous land-based and cultural initiatives.
Major Responsibilities
Under the general direction of the Associate Vice President, Student Affairs, the Manager, Indigenous Community Development is accountable for the following:
Indigenous Community Development
- Collaborate with the Protocol Officer and the Vice President, External Relations and Advancement to cultivate and sustain respectful, reciprocal relationships with local Nations, Métis communities, and Indigenous organizations.
- Support College engagement with Indigenous communities in ways that align with institutional commitments, community priorities, and appropriate cultural protocols.
- Partner closely with the Director, Indigenous Academic Initiatives to identify, develop, and implement initiatives and partnerships that strengthen Indigenous student pathways, community connection, and engagement.
- Organize and advise on community-based events, gatherings, and initiatives that enhance mutual understanding and long-term relationship building.
- Collaborate with other departments on College-wide program and event planning, delivery, and evaluation related to Indigenization (e.g., annual Memorial March, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and National Indigenous Peoples’ Day).
- Coordinate and support the Indigenous Community Council ( ICC ) as a forum for meaningful engagement between Indigenous community members and the College, including planning and supporting ICC meetings.
- Position Indigenous student recruitment as an integral component of the College’s external Indigenous community engagement and relationship building efforts, providing strategic advice and guidance on culturally responsive recruitment practices that align with College priorities and community expectations.
- Monitor Indigenous student recruitment and engagement trends to inform continuous improvement in Indigenous student success and community development strategies, including recommending changes to administrative and educational policies to better support recruitment, retention and success of Indigenous students.
- Provide advice and guidance to Foundation and Alumni Relations on engaging with Indigenous alumni and identifying funding opportunities to support Indigenous students and programs.
- Provide advice and recommendations to Human Resources on engaging with Indigenous communities to promote employment opportunities at the College.
Elders, Land‑Based, And Cultural Initiatives
- Provide leadership and oversight for the College’s Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Holders Program, building and maintaining respectful relationships with Elders, Knowledge Holders, and Indigenous community members, exercising discretion, cultural humility, and sound judgment in navigating diverse protocols, perspectives, and emerging issues.
- Collaborate with the Director, Indigenous Academic Initiatives, to ensure Elder engagement with academic programming is appropriate and meaningful.
- Oversee the Indigenous Garden in Coquitlam as a site of community connection, land‑based learning, and cultural practice, working collaboratively with students, Elders, and community partners.
- Support culturally appropriate programming for students, prospective students and/or faculty and staff that is connected to land, ceremony, and Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
Indigenous Student Development
- Contribute an Indigenous and relational lens to Student Affairs initiatives, practices, and planning processes impacting Indigenous students.
- Collaborate with the Director, Indigenous Academic Initiatives, Indigenous Student Services, Student Affairs units, and academic and administrative partners to support culturally grounded and student-centred approaches to Indigenous student engagement at the College.
- Provide leadership to Indigenous student engagement initiatives that support continuity across the student lifecycle, from admission and transition to retention, completion, and graduation.
- Provide leadership in the development and coordination of Indigenous student communication channels, ensuring information resources, and engagement opportunities are communicated in ways that are culturally relevant, inclusive, and responsive to student needs.
Leadership And Operations
- Establish and advance strategic priorities, goals, and implementation plans that contribute to meaningful progress on the College’s indigenization and reconciliation commitments.
- Lead the recruitment, supervision, development, and evaluation of staff assigned to the Indigenous Community Development portfolio and student employees supporting Indigenous initiatives.
- Provide day‑to‑day leadership and direction to consultants, staff and student employees related to College priorities and Indigenous community development initiatives.
- Plan, develop, and monitor program and special project budgets; approve expenditures in accordance with College policies and established funding guidelines.
- Represent the College at provincial, regional, and sector‑based tables related to Indigenous student pathways, partnerships, and community development (e.g., Indigenous Pathways and Partnerships Communities of Practice).
- Provide oversight of the Indigenous Gathering Place, including vetting booking requests and collaborating with Facilities to ensure use of the space aligns with its intended purpose and cultural integrity.
- Chair or participate on committees and working groups, as required.
- Actively models the Douglas College Core Competencies.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Who We Are
Do what you love. Be good at it. That’s how Douglas College defines a great career. It’s a philosophy that resonates through our classrooms, our offices and our boardrooms. It inspires our students and drives us to make Douglas College one of BC’s Top Employers. We love what we do. And we’re looking for passionate, motivated people to join us in making one of Canada’s best degree-granting colleges even better.
Be a part of an institution where everyone is committed to empowering successful students, creating responsive learning environments, fostering social and environmental responsibility, and supporting healthy learning and work environments.
What It Takes
EDUCATION , EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS :
- Master’s degree in Education, Indigenous Studies, Leadership, or a related discipline.
- A minimum of three (3) years progressively responsible leadership and supervisory experience in a similar role, preferably in a post‑secondary or similar public‑sector environment.
- An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.
- Demonstrated ability to build and sustain respectful, reciprocal relationships grounded in trust, accountability, and cultural humility.
- Experience planning, implementing, and evaluating programs or initiatives related to community development and/or student engagement.
- Demonstrated ability to provide subject‑matter expertise and advice on Indigenous initiatives, community engagement, and relational approaches to Indigenization.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Excellent interpersonal, oral, written, and presentation skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and sensitivity in complex and confidential situations.
- Ability to adjust work schedules to meet operational needs, including occasional evenings or weekends.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigenization, and reconciliation.
- Demonstrated abilities that align with the Douglas College Core Competency Framework.
- Criminal Record Check is required as a condition of employment as per the Criminal Record Check Act.
- Indigenous ancestry preferred, with strong knowledge and understanding of Indigenous cultures and communities in both urban settings and on traditional territories, as well as students’ social and educational needs, including the importance of cultural identity and community resources. Equivalent experience, training and extensive knowledge of and work with Indigenous organizations may be considered if not of Indigenous ancestry.
Additional Information
Regular hours of work are 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, however occasional evenings and weekends may be required. This position will be based at the New Westminster Campus. Occasional travel between Douglas College’s locations as required.
Douglas College (DC) is committed to supporting a healthy work/life balance for Employees. As per the DC Administration Policy A70 Work from Home, College employees may be eligible to work from home on a part-time basis, subject to operational requirements and approval by their Responsible Administrator (RA).
