Intergovernmental Affairs Advisor

Position: Intergovernmental Affairs Advisor

Location: Port Alberni and Anacla, BC, with travel as required

Option: Full-time, permanent

Reports to: Executive Director

Salary/Starting Wage: $75,000 - $90,000 (Based on HFN wage grid, qualifications, and experience)

Benefits: Extended health, dental, vision, group retirement savings plan, EFAP, paid vacation, and other benefits in accordance with Huu-ay-aht First Nations (HFN) policy.

Function and Job Summary

Huu-ay-aht First Nations Government is seeking an Intergovernmental Affairs Advisor to support the Nation's government-to-government relationships, treaty implementation, legislative engagement, consultation coordination, and strategic policy work.

The Intergovernmental Affairs Advisor will help advance Huu-ay-aht's rights, responsibilities, and interests under the Maa-nulth Treaty by supporting engagement with Canada, British Columbia, local governments, Maa-nulth Treaty partners, other First Nations, and external organizations. This position will help ensure Huu-ay-aht's laws, priorities, culture, history, governance, and strategic direction are properly considered in intergovernmental discussions, policy initiatives, consultation processes, and external decision-making tables.

This role requires strong policy, research, writing, relationship-building, and coordination skills. The successful candidate will work with senior leadership, elected officials, departments, external partners, and technical experts while maintaining professionalism, confidentiality, sound judgment, and respect for Huu-ay-aht governance processes.

The position will support work connected to treaty implementation, Declaration Act engagement, legislative and regulatory review, briefing notes, intergovernmental meetings, consultation tracking, funding opportunities, policy research, and special projects as assigned.

Key Accountabilities

Intergovernmental Relations and Treaty Implementation

• Support Huu-ay-aht's participation in government-to-government meetings, intergovernmental tables, treaty-related discussions, and external forums.
• Prepare and coordinate materials for meetings with Canada, British Columbia, Maa-nulth Treaty partners, local governments, other First Nations, and regional organizations.
• Monitor intergovernmental issues and identify risks, opportunities, timelines, and strategic considerations for leadership review.
• Help ensure that Huu-ay-aht's interests, treaty rights, jurisdiction, and governance priorities are represented respectfully and in a coordinated way.

Policy, Legislative, & Regulatory Analysis

• Review and analyze legislation, regulations, policy proposals, consultation materials, and government initiatives that may impact Huu-ay-aht.
• Prepare briefing notes, summaries, reports, letters, and recommendations for senior leadership, Executive Council, and departments.
• Support Huu-ay-aht's participation in policy and legislative engagement processes, including work connected to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Maa-nulth Treaty, and other relevant governance frameworks.
• Conduct research and jurisdictional scans to support Huu-ay-aht decision-making and reduce reliance on external support where appropriate.

Consultation, Referrals, and Engagement Coordination

• Coordinate Huu-ay-aht's review of engagement and consultation requests from external governments, organizations, and proponents.
• Track requests, identify deadlines, coordinate internal input, prepare draft responses, and ensure matters are brought forward to the correct staff, departments, or decision-makers.
• Work with internal departments, including Lands and Natural Resources, Child and Family Wellness, Finance, Law, Culture, Language and Heritage, Administration, and other teams where files require cross-departmental review or input.
• Maintain organized records of correspondence, decisions, reports, agreements, and follow-up items.

Briefing Notes, Reports, and Writing Materials

• Prepare high-quality written materials, including briefing notes, meeting summaries, policy memos, correspondence, reports, speaking notes, presentation materials, and recommendations.
• Translate complex policy, legal, legislative, and intergovernmental information into clear plain language for decision-makers and internal audiences.
• Support the development of templates, tracking tools, internal procedures, and reporting systems to improve consistency in Huu-ay-aht's intergovernmental work.
• Ensure written materials are accurate, professional, culturally respectful, and suitable for senior leadership, Executive Council, external governments, and community-facing use where appropriate.

Relationship Building & Representation

• Build and maintain respectful working relationships with government officials, elected representatives, First Nations, Maa-nulth Treaty partners, consultants, technical experts, and external organizations.
• Attend meetings, working groups, engagement sessions, and external forums on behalf of Huu-ay-aht or in support of Huu-ay-aht leadership, as assigned.
• Exercise tact, diplomacy, sound judgment, political awareness, and confidentiality when communicating with external governments and partners.
• Represent Huu-ay-aht positions professionally while ensuring final direction and decisions remain with the appropriate Huu-ay-aht decision-makers.

Special Projects and Strategic Support

• Support special projects assigned by the Executive Director or designate.
• Assist with strategic planning, funding proposals, governance initiatives, consultation process improvements, intergovernmental agreements, internal policy development, and other projects connected to Huu-ay-aht's self-government responsibilities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of intergovernmental workflows, file tracking, decision records, and internal communication processes.

Operational Requirements

• Work from the Port Alberni and/or Anacla offices as required.
• Travel for meetings, engagement sessions, conferences, external tables, and site-related matters as required.
• Attend occasional evening or weekend meetings when required.
• Maintain confidentiality on sensitive legal, political, governance, personnel, financial, and intergovernmental matters.
• Work independently while also collaborating with staff, leadership, departments, and external partners.
• Manage multiple priorities, timelines, and requests in a busy government environment.
• Complete a satisfactory criminal record check.
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver's License and access to reliable transportation are preferred. Candidates without a Class 5 license may be considered where they are willing and able to obtain one within a reasonable period.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Post-secondary education in public administration, political science, Indigenous governance, law, policy, communications, social sciences, community development, natural resource management, or a related field.
• Three to five years of related experience in government, First Nations governance, intergovernmental relations, consultation, policy, advocacy, treaty implementation, legislative engagement, or a related field.
• Experience working with a modern treaty Nation, First Nation government, Indigenous organization, provincial government, federal government, local government, or public sector organization is preferred.
• Experience preparing briefing notes, correspondence, reports, policy summaries, meeting materials, or decision documents.
• Experience reviewing legislation, policy proposals, consultation requests, agreements, regulatory materials, or government engagement materials is an asset.
• Understanding of the Maa-nulth Treaty, modern treaty governance, First Nations self-government, and government-to-government relationships is an asset.
• Knowledge of UNDRIP, DRIPA, consultation processes, Indigenous rights frameworks, and treaty implementation is an asset.
• Experience coordinating meetings, tracking files, managing deadlines, and following up across departments or organizations.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and file management systems.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong research, policy analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to summarize complex information in plain language.
• Ability to prepare professional briefing notes, reports, letters, and presentations.
• Strong organizational, time-management, follow-up, and file-tracking skills.
• Ability to work with discretion, confidentiality, professionalism, and sound judgment.
• Ability to build respectful working relationships with elected officials, staff, citizens, governments, consultants, and external partners.
• Tact, diplomacy, political awareness, and comfort working on sensitive files.
• Respect for Huu-ay-aht culture, governance, laws, values, and decision-making processes.
• Ability to work in a culturally safe and trauma-informed manner.
• Willingness to learn and use Nuu-chah-nulth language where appropriate.
• Commitment to Huu-ay-aht's Sacred Principles, including ʔiisaak, ʔuʔaałuk, and hišuk mac̕awak.

How To Apply

Human Resources, Huu-ay-aht First Nations Government

Email: ***email_hidden***

Please include Intergovernmental Affairs Advisor in the subject line.

Application deadline: Open until filled, unless otherwise directed.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Preference may be given to qualified Huu-ay-aht citizens, qualified Indigenous applicants, and applicants with experience working in First Nations, modern treaty, or self-governing Indigenous government environments.