Indigenous Engagement Consultant

About the Role

The Indigenous Engagement Consultant will help KASPRE design and deliver engagement processes that are respectful, culturally safe, relationship-based, and responsive to the communities and people involved.

This role requires more than knowledge of engagement techniques. We are looking for someone who understands the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada and recognizes how colonial policies, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, displacement, discrimination, systemic barriers, and other experiences continue to shape relationships with governments, institutions, and service systems today.

The successful candidate will bring strong listening skills, diplomacy, cultural humility, and the ability to communicate in ways that are respectful, thoughtful, and appropriate to the context.

You will work alongside KASPRE’s consulting team to help ensure Indigenous perspectives, community knowledge, lived experience, and Indigenous ways of knowing are meaningfully reflected in how specific projects and project elements are designed, carried out, interpreted, and communicated.

What You’ll Be Doing

Depending on the project, responsibilities may include:

• Supporting the design and delivery of Indigenous and community engagement processes.
• Advising project teams on culturally safe, respectful, and appropriate approaches to engagement.
• Helping develop engagement plans that recognize the distinct histories, governance structures, protocols, priorities, and circumstances of different Indigenous communities and organizations.
• Supporting interviews, sharing circles, focus groups, community meetings, workshops, and other forms of engagement.
• Developing interview guides, discussion guides, workshop materials, surveys, and other engagement tools using clear, respectful, and culturally appropriate language.
• Reviewing reports, presentations, communications, and other project materials for tone, language, cultural safety, and alignment with KASPRE’s Walking Together Commitments.
• Helping project teams understand the historical and contemporary context that may influence community perspectives, participation, or trust.
• Supporting engagement with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community leaders, Indigenous governments, service providers, and community members where appropriate.
• Listen carefully to community feedback and help identify themes without losing the meaning, nuance, or context behind what participants have shared.
• Supporting the preparation of engagement summaries and reports that accurately and respectfully reflect participant perspectives.
• Advising KASPRE teams on relationship-building, engagement protocols, and culturally respectful practices.
• Supporting broader KASPRE consulting projects where the individual’s skills, experience, and interests are relevant.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who understands that meaningful Indigenous engagement is built through relationships, trust, respect, listening, and accountability.

You are diplomatic and thoughtful in how you communicate. You understand that language matters and can recognize when wording, assumptions, or approaches may unintentionally create harm, reinforce stereotypes, or make people feel unheard.

You are comfortable working with people who may have very different experiences or perspectives, and you can navigate sensitive conversations in a calm, supportive manner. 

You understand that Indigenous peoples, Nations, communities, and organizations are diverse and that there is no single Indigenous perspective or experience. You approach each relationship with curiosity and respect. You understand that what is appropriate in one community will necessarily be appropriate in another.

You are also comfortable helping non-Indigenous colleagues and clients strengthen their understanding and approaches in a way that is constructive, practical, diplomatic and respectful.

Knowledge and Experience

The successful candidate should demonstrate a strong understanding of:

• The history of Indigenous peoples in Canada and the historical relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canadian governments and institutions.
• The history and ongoing impacts of residential schools and other colonial policies and systems.
• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, including its findings and Calls to Action.
• The importance of reconciliation and the responsibilities organizations have in translating reconciliation commitments into practice.
• Indigenous governance, community structures, protocols, and relationship-building approaches.
• The diversity of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, communities, histories, and experiences.
• The importance of cultural safety, trauma-informed approaches, and respectful language.
• Indigenous ways of knowing and the value of community, cultural, experiential, and land-based knowledge alongside academic and professional forms of knowledge.
• The importance of respecting community ownership, interpretation, and use of knowledge shared through engagement processes.

Direct experience working with Indigenous communities, organizations, governments, or Indigenous-led initiatives is strongly preferred.

Lived experience and demonstrated relationships with Indigenous communities are also strongly valued.

Qualifications

We intentionally take a broader approach to qualifications for this position.

Formal education may be relevant, but it is not the only way the knowledge and abilities required for this role may have been developed.

Relevant knowledge and skills may have been gained through:

• Employment or consulting experience.
• Community leadership or community-based work.
• Cultural learning and mentorship.
• Work with Indigenous governments, organizations, or service providers.
• Volunteer or advocacy experience.
• Lived experience.
• Relationships with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community leaders, or cultural teachers.
• Academic or professional education.
• A combination of these or other forms of learning and experience.

Applicants with education or experience in Indigenous Studies, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Work, Community Development, Communications, Sociology, Political Science, Education, Health, Business, or related fields may bring relevant skills, but a specific degree or credential is not necessarily required.

We are more interested in your ability to demonstrate the judgment, knowledge, relationships, communication skills, cultural humility, and experience necessary to do this work well.

Indigenous Applicants

Because this role focuses on Indigenous engagement, lived experience and Indigenous knowledge are particularly valuable.

Indigenous applicants are strongly encouraged to apply and will be preferred where candidates demonstrate the skills and experience required for the role.

At the same time, we recognize that effective reconciliation work also involves knowledgeable and committed non-Indigenous people. We welcome applications from non-Indigenous candidates who can demonstrate significant experience working respectfully with Indigenous communities, a strong understanding of Indigenous histories and contemporary realities, cultural humility, and clear alignment with KASPRE’s approach to reconciliation.

No individual will be expected to speak on behalf of all Indigenous peoples or communities.

Consulting Skills

In addition to the Indigenous engagement experience described above, we are looking for many of the same capabilities we expect from all KASPRE Consultants.

These may include:

• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Professional writing and editing.
• Research and analytical thinking.
• The ability to synthesize complex information.
• Strong listening and facilitation skills.
• Project coordination and organization.
• Time management and reliability.
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Professional judgment and discretion.
• Comfort interacting with clients, community members, senior leaders, and project partners.
• The ability to manage sensitive or confidential information appropriately.

Experience preparing reports, briefing notes, engagement summaries, presentations, proposals, or other professional materials is considered an asset.

KASPRE’s Walking Together Commitments

KASPRE believes reconciliation must be reflected in how we work, not only in what we say.

Our Walking Together Commitments guide how we build relationships, approach engagement, work with Indigenous clients and communities, and continue learning as a firm.

The Indigenous Engagement Consultant will play an important role in helping KASPRE continue putting these commitments into practice.

This includes helping us:

• Listen before assuming.
• Build relationships based on respect and reciprocity.
• Recognize Indigenous knowledge and lived experience as meaningful forms of expertise.
• Create engagement processes where people can participate safely and meaningfully.
• Reflect community perspectives accurately and respectfully.
• Recognize the diversity of Indigenous peoples and communities.
• Continue learning and improving our own practices.
• Approach reconciliation as an ongoing responsibility rather than a completed task.

We are looking for someone who is comfortable supporting this work internally as well as with our clients and partners.

What It’s Like to Work at KASPRE

KASPRE is a small, senior-led consulting firm where people are trusted to think, contribute, and take ownership of their work.

Our culture is collaborative, flexible, and highly accountable. We care about producing excellent work, meeting our commitments to clients and communities, and creating an environment where people can bring their knowledge and perspectives to the table.

We recognize that expertise comes in different forms. Academic credentials and professional experience are valuable, but so are lived experience, cultural knowledge, community relationships, mentorship, and other ways of learning.

We want team members to be able to contribute what they know while continuing to learn from colleagues, clients, communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and the people affected by the work.

We value curiosity, professionalism, humility, diplomacy, sound judgment, collaboration, and people who understand the importance of relationships.

Position Details

This is a part-time contract position with flexible hours and project-based assignments.

The position may be completed remotely or on a hybrid-remote basis, with potentisal access to KASPRE’s shared office space at Path CoWork in Regina, Saskatchewan depending on location and personal preference. 

The amount of work may fluctuate depending on project requirements. Some assignments will require participation in daytime meetings, workshops, interviews, or community engagement activities. We estimate the role will require between 10-20 hours per month on average. As our consulting practice expands, the opportunity for increased hours will be prioritized to this position for relevant project work. 

Travel within Saskatchewan and elsewhere in Canada may occasionally be required depending on the project and community. Travel is fully compensated through client contracts at specified rates within company policy.