Download Executive Director, Stakeholder Relations

JOB PROFILE No: 34066
TITLE: PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR ABORIGINAL LEARNING AND RELATIONS
CLASSIFICATION: BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
JOB OVERVIEW
To lead the development and management of strategic, high impact/risk stakeholder relationships, including the
management of multi-disciplinary projects and initiatives.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Required:

Develops relationship strategies, positions and action plans that build on government priorities related to
Aboriginal learning.

Provides expert advice and analysis through interpretation of policies and initiatives for school districts as
required to support ministry goals.

Represents the ministry or province at committees on a number of critical issues related to Aboriginal learning
to ensure the image, credibility and positions of the provincial government are maintained, while working to
resolve controversial issues with stakeholders and other jurisdictions with the authority to negotiate solutions.

Builds and fosters partnerships with a diverse range of senior leaders in school districts and Aboriginal
communities to ensure the goals of government are achieved.

Develop a solid understanding of the stakeholder group(s) viewpoint(s), ensuring their view(s) are understood
by business lines.

Provides advice to the Minister, Deputy Minister, Ministry Executive, senior government officials on Aboriginal
stakeholder relationship status.

Develops and directs the implementation and evaluation of performance standards, service levels, stakeholder
relations and operations within government and works with school districts to do the same.

Leads the development and implementation of branch-wide strategies, plans, standards and policies.

Supervises staff including assignment of work, development and evaluation of performance plans, approval of
leave, response to grievances and initiation of discipline processes.

Provides leadership to school districts in the application and interpretation of legislation, regulations and
policies related to the program area and on the resolution of areas of conflict.

Leads the development of partnerships, protocols and/or agreements between governments, Aboriginal
communities and school districts to resolve complex issues with a focus on improving Aboriginal student
achievement.

Develops issue papers, business cases, forecasts and reports regarding program operation and amendment for
Executive.
JOB REQUIREMENTS

Post-secondary degree in education, public administration, related field or equivalent.

Minimum 5 years experience in leadership roles in a professional service or stakeholder management
environment.

Experience establishing collaborative relationships with senior leaders within all levels of government especially
within Aboriginal communities and leading organizational change associated with implementation of new
learning strategies.

Experience leading and coaching multi-disciplinary senior management teams in the development and
implementation of a diverse range of projects related to Aboriginal learning.

Preference may be given to qualified applicants who self-identify as having Aboriginal Status.
NOTE: As the duties of this position meet the requirements of a Criminal Record check, the check must be completed
with a satisfactory outcome.
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
Core:

Promoting Empowerment involves knowledge and skills in using processes such as delegation and information
sharing to enhance subordinate ownership and empowerment over their task and performance.

Vision and Goal Setting involves knowledge and skills in establishing official and operative goals for the
organization/units and to establish a system of measuring effectiveness of goal attainment.

Creating and Managing Change involves knowledge and skills to manage in the organization through setting
direction and urgency, building a coalition of support, communicating widely, handling resistance to change and
facilitating implementation of successful change actions.

Solving Problems Creatively involves knowledge and skills in fostering creative problem solving in the
organization through critical reflection, problem analysis, risk assessment and rewarding innovation.

Building Strategic Alliances involves knowledge and skills to engage in internal and external stakeholder analysis
and to negotiate agreements and alliances based on a full understanding of power and politics.

Executive Presence involves knowledge and skills in influencing others and having an observable impact at the
executive level, through personal credibility, leadership, confidence, and an understanding of other people’s
perspectives and interests.
Role Specific:
Aboriginal-Centred Service Approach - is a desire to serve Aboriginal people, focusing one's efforts on understanding
their interests in order to increase the quality of the service and produce better outcomes. It implies a willingness to
support Aboriginal people in determining their own future. It involves demonstrating a welcoming demeanour, an
attitude of helpful curiosity, and a willingness to enter into the interaction or relationship without judgement or
stereotyping. It means being open-minded and flexible in one's attitudes toward people who are different from oneself
and showing respect for the differences. It includes experiencing Aboriginal people as strong, vital, and important to the
functioning of British Columbia. Implicit in this is the knowledge that one is responsible for the image and effectiveness
of the public service.
Building a Trust-Based Relationship - requires a fundamental understanding that "relationship" is the foundation from
which all activities happen, and that building a good relationship takes time and commitment. It is a willingness to build
a personal relationship in addition to a professional one, participating in open exchanges of experiences and culture. It
requires a genuine, non-controlling approach and relies upon demonstrated integrity and transparency. Building a trustbased relationship requires a high level of consciousness of the experience of Aboriginal people with Crown relations. It
assumes that strengths abound in Aboriginal people, cultures and communities.
Promoting Accord - involves exploring perspectives and underlying interests to reach outcomes that gain the acceptance
of all parties. It is allowing Aboriginal people the time, space and capacity to reach outcomes from their traditional
decision making practice. It is being willing to put the problem in the centre to work together on an outcome, rather
than "competing" to win. It means making the assumption that everyone involved wants to work together and get the
best result for all. It is thinking sideways into another perspective and valuing it as strongly as one's own, focusing on
strengths and possibilities. It includes behaving in an honest, open way, and expressing organizational limitations (e.g.,
funding, time, staffing) up front so that all information is available when working towards agreement. It requires
excellent communication skills.
Communicating Effectively involves good presentations skills (verbal and written), careful listening, problem framing
and use of presentation technologies.