Northern Program Specialist

Northern Program Specialist – Full Time, Permanent

Located in Yellowknife, NT

Salary: $86-89k (dependent on experience) + Northern Living Allowance

Are you an organized person who enjoys building relationships and establishing connections? Do you value and want to contribute to Indigenous and community work that supports land stewardship, sustainable livelihoods, leadership, and culture? Are you an independent thinker with a drive to make positive change?

We are looking for a new team member who is eager to learn and grow within the role. The Northern Program Specialist will help facilitate social, economic, and environmental solutions led by northern people and communities. This position will provide direct support and advice to a northern portfolio of environmental stewardship, social justice, and cultural revitalization projects.

MakeWay builds partnerships and solutions that help nature and communities thrive together. Our people, projects, and partners are located across the country. The Northern Program Specialist is part of a team of Indigenous and northern staff that lead MakeWay’s Northern Program, which operates in the three territories and four Inuit regions. The Northern Program is focused on supporting Indigenous-led land and water stewardship, language and culture revitalization, sustainable community livelihoods, and emerging northern leaders. This position is located in our shared office space in Yellowknife, NT.

If our values align with yours and you want to learn, grow, and develop within a supportive team that shares knowledge and cares, then we want to hear from you!  Join us and make a difference.

What You’ll Do:

Project Support

• Provide a portfolio of northern projects with day-to-day support including grants management, preparation of contracts, financial review, and timely and informative responses to support requests.

• Assist projects with achieving commitments to funders, including ensuring timely and satisfactory submission of funding proposals and reports.
• Review and administer contractual arrangements.
• Collaborate with the Finance team to ensure effective financial management of projects.
• Actively manage risk to MakeWay and its projects through day-to-day issue identification and problem solving.
• Work with projects to monitor and track political activity, fundraising activity, and other charitable reporting requirements.
• Facilitate intake and orientation of new projects.
• Support projects during the recruitment process, when needed.

Community Relationships

• Support existing and explore new streams of charitable work in partnership with communities, with a focus on the NWT.
• Liaise with community partners to understand how best to support their environmental, cultural, and economic aspirations and programming.
• Work with community partners to ensure that grants and other supports are effectively delivered.
• Organize knowledge sharing events and exchanges.
• Support timely and accurate grant docket management, including proposals and reporting.
• Record management using MakeWay’s database software.
• Participate in all aspects of team workflow, including shared accountability for revenue and expense management, and delivering of outcomes.
• Help manage large multi-year programmatic budgets with support from the Finance team.

Other Responsibilities

• Communicate the regional and issue-based context of the MakeWay Northern Program’s initiatives and projects.
• Provide logistical oversight for meetings and events.
• Work to develop and implement improvements to MakeWay systems and processes.
• Provide assistance in managing MakeWay’s Yellowknife shared office space.

Who You Are:

• A Northerner: You have lived in or have a strong connection with the North.
• People person: You’re a natural relationship builder who can establish connections with a broad range of individuals across the North and South.
• Community-minded: You love being in community and trust that local people have the best solutions to their own challenges.
• Organized: You can juggle priorities and deliver on multiple assignments while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency.
• Problem solver: You enjoy thinking of new solutions to unique challenges in diverse contexts.
• A great communicator: You can translate complex information into clear and simple language.
• Analytical: You have an attention to detail paired with analytical and problem-solving abilities. You are practiced at digesting information, assessing importance and risks, and making clear and timely decisions.
• Tech-savvy: You have strong computer skills including a familiarity with Microsoft programs and software.
  
  

Experience You Bring:

• A deep appreciation for the North and its people.
• Understanding of northern Indigenous history and aspirations.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.
• Some general financial oversight skills.
• Knowledge of charity regulatory environment and reporting requirements, fundraising, grant development and reporting.
• Comfort working with a diversity of small organizations and community initiatives.
• Strong computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• A drive to develop solutions that fit outside of the box.
• A deep appreciation for traditional foods!

It Would be a Bonus if You Have:

• Familiarity with Indigenous-led stewardship approaches.
• Experience in the charitable/non-profit sector.

If you are interested in this role but are unsure if you qualify, send us your application anyway and tell us about why you can be a good fit for this position. We’d love to hear from you! 

What We Offer:

• The opportunity to enable community-led impact in the North.
• Annual salary of $86,000-$89,000 (dependent on experience).
• In addition to the annual salary above, a Northern Living Allowance of $11,691 per year (for employees without dependents) or $19,486 per year (for employees with dependents). The Northern Living Allowance is calculated using the National Joint Council.
• Comprehensive employer-paid extended health, vision, and dental benefits package, including an annual $300 Health Spending Account starting Day 1.
• Year-end RRSP contribution.
• Three weeks’ vacation plus statutory holidays. MakeWay has implemented a Substitution Statutory Holiday policy which allows employees the flexibility to substitute another day for a statutory holiday. In addition, the MakeWay office is closed annually for a winter holiday break, Indigenous Peoples Day, and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
• Flexible, diverse, and engaging work environment.
• An active Indigenous Employees Network.
• Committed colleagues and a culture of collaboration, caring, and learning.
• High level of responsibility and autonomy.
• Opportunities and support for professional growth and individual wellness, including an annual professional development and wellness fund.

How to Apply:

Please submit a cover letter and resume to careers@makeway.org or through Dayforce by clicking "Apply Now" by May 17^th, 2024. In your cover letter please share what makes you an ideal fit for this position and why you want to join the MakeWay Team. If you have any questions prior to submitting your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

The Northern Program Specialist position will be based in Yellowknife, NWT.

Preference will be given to Indigenous and northern candidates.  

MakeWay is strongly committed to equity and creating a diverse workplace community. We recognize that our recruiting and hiring processes are key to this commitment. We strive to reflect the diversity of our society on our teams and to provide a respectful workplace and equal working opportunities for all employees and applicants. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. If you require accommodations at any point during the application or hiring process, please contact us at careers@makeway.org. Thank you!