Technical Lead - Indigenous Led Assessment at Firelight — NeverHard

Job DescriptionJob Description Position Title: Technical Lead Team: Indigenous Led Assessment (ILA) Reports to: Business Lead Job Location: Western Canada Travel: Up to 4 days of travel per month required ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS Firelight is an Indigenous-owned consultancy that provides research and technical support to Indigenous Nations and organizations across Turtle Island. We specialize in six core areas: Livelihoods (Indigenous Knowledge Research, Socio-Economics), Indigenous-led Assessment, Indigenous Negotiations, Mapping & GIS, Stewardship (Ecology, Planning, Implementation), and Health. Majority-owned by First Nations individuals from Ebb & Flow First Nation (MB), Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (YK), and Garden River First Nation (ON), our work is grounded in community values and guided by the principles of relationships, accountability, quality, and responsibility. Since 2010, Firelight has supported over 250 clients and delivered more than 1,000 projects focused on Indigenous rights, knowledge, and self-determination. Our growing team of 100+ professionals works remotely across Canada, with offices in West Vancouver, Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Kahnawà:ke. RESPONSIBILITIES + DUTIES Technical Advising Provide expert knowledge and leadership to the development and execution of projects and client relations Lead robust and innovative, short and long-term projects, acting as Principal Investigator or Project Manager Act as a technical advisor or subject matter expert on projects Work with the Business Lead to support the development of organizational learning and application of best practices in research methodologies and community engagement that centre Indigenous Knowledge and sovereignty Ensure quality of all research products through completing or delegating peer review responsibilities Support the adherence of ethical and legal standards and centering of Indigenous methods Research and implement innovative practices that are aligned to emerging trends and best practices in their business area Project Management Leadership Oversee the planning, execution, and successful delivery of multiple concurrent, complex, multi-disciplinary projects, ensuring alignment with client objectives, project scope, budgets, schedules, and Firelight's quality standards. Develop, review, and monitor project scopes, work plans, budgets, timelines, and resource allocations to support successful project outcomes. Provide technical oversight and guidance to Project Managers, ensuring project activities are delivered efficiently and adjusted appropriately to address changing priorities, risks, and client needs. Identify project risks, issues, and opportunities, implementing mitigation strategies to support successful project delivery. Allocate and manage financial, human, and technical resources to optimize project performance, staff utilization, and business outcomes. Coordinate and oversee the work of multidisciplinary project teams, providing direction, mentorship, and support while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and professional growth. Collaborate with Indigenous Nations, clients, partners, Firelight staff, and external consultants to design, implement, and deliver high-quality project outcomes. Monitor project financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, profitability, and resource utilization, taking corrective action where required. Oversee the planning and logistical coordination of community engagement activities, workshops, meetings, and multi-day field initiatives in collaboration with project teams. Champion continuous improvement by evaluating project outcomes, identifying lessons learned, and implementing enhancements to research methodologies, project management practices, and technical delivery across the business area. Ensure project documentation, reporting, quality assurance, and contractual obligations are completed in accordance with Firelight standards and client expectations. Client Engagement Manage client relations according to Firelight’s values, tools and approaches, ensuring project deliverables meet client expectations Represent Firelight to clients, communities and in expert technical meetings with minimal supervision and review Nurture and cultivate partner and client relationships through service excellence, knowledge transfer, and skills development Support and coach others in effective community engagement aligned to Firelight’s values and in support of shared objectives Develop and maintain trusted relationships with Indigenous Nations, clients, government representatives, and project partners. Act as a senior representative of Firelight during community meetings, negotiations, technical workshops, and conferences. Provide strategic advice to clients throughout project delivery. Support respectful, culturally appropriate engagement processes. Ensure consistently high-quality client service and satisfaction. Identify opportunities to strengthen long-term client partnerships. People Leadership Provide intellectual leadership, technical expertise, strategic advice, mentorship and training to in-house staff and associates Provide feedback on staff performance to Program Managers to inform performance management and professional development Foster a positive and respectful workplace, aligned to Firelight’s values and objectives Ensure the workplace, including while traveling for in-community and on-territory work, meets all health and safety guidelines and regulations Approves overtime for staff working on their projects with oversight from Program Managers Works with Program Manager in the onboarding process for new staff Lead Firelight’s organizational learning and knowledge for team development Business Management + Development Support the Business Lead in achieving annual business objectives. Identify new business opportunities with existing and prospective clients. Lead or contribute to proposal development, technical approaches, budgets, and work plans. Support strategic planning within the Indigenous-Led Assessments business area. Represent Firelight through conference presentations, publications, networking, and professional associations. Contribute to organizational planning, innovation, and continuous improvement initiatives. Support achievement of financial performance, utilization, and business growth targets. QUALIFICATIONS + EXPERIENCE Experience Minimum 10 years of experience leading Indigenous-Led Assessments, impact assessments, environmental assessments, strategic planning, negotiations, or related consulting work. Extensive experience working directly with Indigenous Nations, communities, governments, and organizations across Canada. Demonstrated experience leading complex, multidisciplinary research and consulting projects. Experience acting as Principal Investigator, Project Manager, Technical Advisor, or equivalent leadership role. Strong understanding of Indigenous rights, Indigenous governance, treaty relationships, Crown consultation, impact assessment legislation, and Indigenous Knowledge systems. Experience leading proposal development, budgeting, and project planning. Experience mentoring technical staff and building organizational capacity. Experience with agreement implementation, monitoring, or adaptive management (asset). Knowledge Advanced knowledge of qualitative, quantitative, and Indigenous research methodologies. Strong understanding of Indigenous-led assessment frameworks and community-based research. Knowledge of project management principles, budgeting, scheduling, and resource planning. Understanding of ethical research practices, OCAP® principles, Indigenous Data Sovereignty, and culturally appropriate engagement approaches. Knowledge of provincial and federal regulatory processes affecting Indigenous communities. Skills & Competencies Exceptional leadership and strategic thinking skills. Excellent facilitation, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills. Superior written and verbal communication skills. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. Ability to lead multiple complex projects simultaneously. Demonstrated ability to mentor and coach multidisciplinary teams. Strong organizational and decision-making skills. Commitment to collaboration, relationship building, and continuous learning. Additional Requirements Fluency in English (required) French (asset) Indigenous language (asset) Valid driver's licence Ability to travel throughout Canada, including remote Indigenous communities. HOW TO APPLY? Please respond to our online ad with the following: Resume Cover letter outlining how you meet the requirements. All files should be in PDF format using your last name as the file name. As an Indigenous-owned organization, we are particularly committed to supporting the employment of Indigenous individuals because we recognize the unique challenges and barriers faced by Indigenous people and because we feel it is necessary to reflect Indigenous perspectives and values in the work that we do. We encourage all Indigenous applicants to self-identify in their cover letter so that we consider their application accordingly, as Firelight may give preference to these applicants. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals with a full package (resume, cover letter and writing sample) will be considered. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and remain open until the position is filled. At Firelight, we are committed to developing a diverse and inclusive team and we welcome all cultures, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities. We recognize and celebrate the diversity of all peoples and actively promote development of inter-cultural competence within our team. If any candidate requires accommodation or support to participate in the application process, please contact our HR Department via email at careers@firelight.ca. Working at Firelight means being passionate about what we do. Be part of our amazing team, with a very exciting future.