Job Opportunity: Senior Manager, Indigenous Economic Prosperity (CLOSED)

About the Vancouver Economic Commission

VEC’s mandate is to support the building of a prosperous, inclusive, zero-carbon and resilient economy in Vancouver.

VEC fulfils this mandate by working on an economic transition towards a just and economically resilient future for Vancouver, in which there is prosperity for all. VEC’s work is anchored primarily on collating and undertaking research and intelligence; providing expert insights to relevant policymakers; engaging stakeholders and rights holders in the business, academic and investor communities; and leading, partnering and overseeing select strategic initiatives, programs and events in the local economy orientated to VEC’s four-pledges for issues-based economic development.

At VEC, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous applicants, people of colour, all genders, 2SLGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.  Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process.

Main Purpose and Function

A key pillar to our work is economic reconciliation: we strive to work alongside and in partnership with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Peoples to help achieve economic balance and equality for Indigenous Peoples as part of the bigger picture of redressing the fundamental social, political, educational and financial harm enacted through systematic disempowerment. Check out our Corporate Plan to learn more.

In 2022 VEC commissioned a report that outlines key strategies and actions we could take to advance economic reconciliation. We are seeking our first-ever Senior Manager, Indigenous Economic Prosperity (Senior Manager) to lead us as we work towards fulfilling our pledge towards economic prosperity and reconciliation in support of building a prosperous, inclusive, low-carbon and resilient economy in Vancouver.

Key Contacts and Reporting Relationships

Direct Reports include

• None at this time. However, oversight, management and support of other staff, partner resources, and contractors within select activities will be required.
• From time to time, occasional contractors and temporary employees

The Senior Manager is expected to work with and support other VEC team members as needed and liaise professionally and respectfully with leadership within VEC and with VEC’s partners and stakeholders.

Performance goals, work plans and work allocation will be reviewed on a regular basis with the CEO. These goals and work plans will be adapted from time to time as business and organizational needs evolve.

In addition to reporting to the CEO, on any given work item the Senior Manager, may also report to or provide subject matter expertise to leads on other projects and initiatives to which they are providing services. In these instances, the Senior Manager takes direction concerning initiative decisions from the project/initiative lead and may seek consultation and support from the CEO and others.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a senior member of VEC’s team, the Senior Manager, with support from the wider VEC team and leadership, will focus on the following over time:

Foster Strategic Relationships (30%)

• Be VEC’s primary relationship lead with xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ / sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, the local urban Indigenous business community, and other key partners who are actively supporting local Indigenous economic prosperity. Develop new and existing respectful, dynamic and longstanding relationships that support First Nations-led activities and goals for Indigenous prosperity.
• Seek to understand partner views and economic transformation needs over time
• Clearly articulate VEC’s role and priorities when working with others
• Develop key partnerships with industry and business leaders to accelerate Vancouver-centric Indigenous economic prosperity
• Listen for collaboration opportunities that are aligned with VEC’s Corporate Plan and City of Vancouver priorities, and escalate to VEC Leadership for scoping discussions
• Be one of two VEC representatives on the City of Vancouver’s UNDRIP Management Forum (in progress, meets monthly)

Corporate Strategy, Planning and Reporting (15%)

• Work with the CEO and VEC staff to develop and refine VEC’s economic prosperity priorities and work items for 2023 and beyond, towards economic reconciliation
• This includes being consulted alongside the wider VEC team to inform the VEC annual Corporate Plan, project status reporting, and the Vancouver Economy Strategy
• The Senior Manager is not a member of the VEC Management Team, however the Senior Manager, will be consulted periodically to provide strategic advice to the CEO and the VEC Management Team, as appropriate and when required.

Initiative Management and Team Leadership (40%)

• Identify, scope, support, resource and/or manage key projects, programs and advocacy pieces, as approved by the CEO. These initiatives and the Senior Manager’s role will vary over time subject to priorities and the availability of the team
• Initiatives will be focused on supporting, collaborating with, and championing local Indigenous businesses, Indigenous workers, key stakeholders and investors
• These projects, programs and advocacy pieces should support and champion the building of economic resilience in Vancouver’s Indigenous communities towards a more resilient, zero-carbon, circular, inclusive and prosperous Vancouver economy
• Key 2022 projects include supporting a Beyond GDP metric project (in progress) and aiding in the development of a research into and ultimately the development and delivery of a local Indigenous entrepreneur’s program to support Indigenous entrepreneurs and educate investors (in progress)
• Work with the CEO to reprioritize workload from time to time, subject to capacity
• Escalate issues and opportunities as appropriate
• Ensure proper project close-out and post-project evaluation
• Where resources are allocated to the Senior Manager led initiatives, the Senior Manager will oversee contractor or employee workplans and deliverables, manage resource deployment, coach on quality of deliverables and escalate issues to VEC leadership and key partners as appropriate
• Provide regular performance feedback, coach team members on their performance, conduct annual performance reviews and goal setting for any direct reports, and participate in the hire of new team members, with CEO approval, when such opportunities arise.

Internal Champion (15%)

• Where appropriate and where there is capacity, work with VEC staff, and key partners to explore decolonizating internal policies, communications, economic assumptions, and internal processes
• Where appropriate and where there is capacity, support the CEO in identifying staff cultural awareness and decolonization workshop(s) and initiatives for the VEC team and new hires and suggest external Indigenous coaches and advisors where able

Other duties/responsibilities as assigned from time to time.
Note that percentages have been assigned to each area of responsibility, to give a sense of the average annual effort anticipated for the first year. These are an indicative best guess and will fluctuate over time.

Minimum Position Requirements

Indigenous Identity
We aspire to hire a person who identifies as Indigenous and holds strong ties to local urban Indigenous business community.

Education and experience

• Post-secondary education is ideal but not essential, preferably in fields like Indigenous studies, business administration, community economic development, economics, urban studies, sustainability, environment, public policy or equivalent
• Demonstrated experience working with diverse Indigenous business communities.
• Circa 10 years’ combined experience and demonstrated skills in advisory and / or advocacy for economic reconciliation, the green, just economy, and/or local business community and/or economic development and/or economy-related policy. This includes leadership roles within your community, education and volunteer roles.
• Circa 10 years’ combined experience leading people, initiatives, projects and/or teams. This includes leadership roles within your community, education and volunteer roles
• Diverse professional experience is welcomed, including any experience of working in community, non-profit, public and/or private sector organisations and with the entrepreneurial business community
• Experience in advocacy to all levels of government is welcomed

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Senior Manager, Economic Transformation should have the following knowledge, skills and abilities.

• Indigenous Prosperity. Understanding of diverse interpretations of and values related to Indigenous prosperity, such as multigenerational resilience, community healing, wellbeing and wealth and self-determination, along with a sound understanding of how it relates to the regional context. Working knowledge of First Nations and Indigenous business communities in Metro Vancouver or similar context. Awareness of regional context and landscape of First Nations and Urban Indigenous communities. Working relationships with peers in the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ / sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, Urban Indigenous business community, experts and scholars, governments and the wider local business community.
• Leadership. Demonstrated leadership skills, with the ability to bring together and sustain teams made up of diverse members, to lead, inspire and motivate, to bring out the best in others, and to manage and coach others, including direct reports, in adapting to change. Be able to convene and motivate others to ask interesting questions and generate creative solutions to complex problems, challenges and opportunities.
• Resource and project management. Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to concurrently manage multiple tasks and competing priorities. Ability to support the Management Team in managing the deployment of staff resources to various projects efficiently and effectively, balancing the need to ensure direct reports are fully deployed with the need to appropriately resource and deliver a set of projects at any given time. Ability to foresee challenges, troubleshoot and problem solve.
• Distil complex ideas and develop strategy. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills that can be applied to complex, multi-faceted issues, with the ability to think objectively and innovatively, and to present solutions in clear and compelling terms.
• Communication and facilitation. Strong communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to bring together people with a diverse set of interests, styles and areas of expertise, and align them toward a unified goal, and to reconcile differing perspectives, develop consensus and secure cooperation and support from both partners and team members. Comfortable acting as spokesperson representing the VEC in meetings, workshops and events.
• Business relationship management. Ability to understand and steward complex business relationships, based upon a solid understanding of both Host Nations and urban Indigenous business communities in Vancouver, public sector and private sector business strategy, structure and dynamics.
• Professionalism. Ability to appropriately represent the VEC to the local Host Nations and Urban Indigenous communities, all levels of government and industry contacts. Ability to respect appropriate protocols, confidentiality, inspire credibility, and to generally conduct oneself with tact and diplomacy.
• Digital Literacy. Strong computer competency in office productivity tools that can be leveraged to support business analytics and decision-making, including MS Office 365, webinar and virtual meeting platforms, and project management platforms.
• Curiosity/quick learner. An aptitude for and interest in learning about a wide variety of topics.
• Optimism. Commitment to optimism for the future and a demonstrated willingness to engage in relationships/activities with respect and a positive outlook.

The VEC has a COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy.  All external applicants applying to the VEC are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of hire and subject to this policy as a condition of ongoing employment.  Candidates may only be exempted from this requirement if they request and are approved for an accommodation based on a reason related to a Human Rights Code ground (such as disability). Such a request must be made during, not after, the recruitment process.

The Vancouver Economic Commission respectfully acknowledges that it is located on the unceded ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations.

Other Conditions of Employment

Compensation: $105,000 a Year. VEC offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes an annual allotment of vacation, wellness days and sick leave, membership in a group health and dental insurance plan, and participation in the Municipal Pension Plan.

General office hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm. Some evening and early morning hours may be necessary from time to time. VEC is currently operating in a hybrid remote-office mode; staff are expected to work at least two days a week in the office located on the 5th floor at 555 W 8th Avenue in Vancouver. The building is fully accessible and includes indoor locked bicycle storage and end of trip facilities. The remaining days of the week will be worked from a local remote location within Metro Vancouver. A laptop and accessories will be provided.

Application Process

Resume and brief cover letter sent to info@vancouvereconomic.com with the subject line “Application: Senior Manager, Indigenous Economic Prosperity [Given Name_Surname].”

Deadline to apply is 11:59M PST Friday, October 31, 2022. While we thank all applicants for taking the time to apply, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted directly.

Apply now