Lead Policy Specialist - Indigenous

Title: Lead Policy Specialist - Indigenous

Employee Working Location: Partially Virtual / Hybrid (Canada)

Employment Status: Permanent Full-time

The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) – an inspirational not for profit organization, helps people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and supports them in strengthening their resilience. As a Canada’s Best Employers 2026, we are committed to having an accessible, diverse, inclusive, and barrier-free work environment.

We are seeking a strategic, collaborative, forward-thinking leader who thrives in complex environments. Reporting into the Director of Research & Policy within the Office of Indigenous Relations, the Lead, Policy Specialist plays a vital role in advancing Indigenous policy integration across the organization and aligning services with the Indigenous Peoples Framework. This role drives high-impact policy analysis, strengthens culturally safe practices, and fosters meaningful partnerships that embed Indigenous worldviews and rights frameworks into decision-making and organizational excellence.

In this role, you will:

• Act as a technical advisor to senior leadership on Indigenous policies and guidelines in alignment with the Indigenous Peoples Framework.

• Lead the integration of Indigenous policymaking and Indigenous worldviews into organizational services and initiatives.

• Lead the development of new and current policy-informed content and culturally appropriate resources in alignment with the Indigenous Peoples Framework.

• Develop high-level policy briefings, policy documents, literature reviews, and reports for leadership.

• Develop a policy plan and procedural requirements on the CRC services in Indigenous in communities.

• Integrate recommendations from evaluations and reviews to inform policy revisions and align with organizational goals.

• Develop and lead internal knowledge sharing and education strategies to increase understanding of Indigenous policies and practices.

• Build and maintain strategic policy relationships with Indigenous leadership and organizations in ways that promote Indigenous representation, local leadership action, and capacity.

• Contributes towards ensuring Indigenous considerations (such as protection frameworks, cultural relevance, and balancing of Indigenous worldviews) are included in the decision and policymaking process.

• Participate in relevant policy-related coordination structures (internal and external).

• Collaborate with internal policy counterparts and provide advice on Indigenous policymaking that impacts Indigenous communities.

What we are looking for:

• Qualifications include a minimum of 6 years' experience and a university degree in humanities, social sciences, public health or related field and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• The ideal candidate has lived and/or has professional experience with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis Nations or communities.

• Active in broader Indigenous networks and has an enduring commitment to sharing and advancing knowledge derived through Indigenous knowledge systems including balancing Western and Indigenous world views.

• The official languages recognized within the Canadian Red Cross are English and French however demonstrated skills and ability to communicate in an or multiple Indigenous language(s) or ability to communicate and adapt within Indigenous protocol is highly desirable.

• Expertise in policy analysis, program development, or research, preferably within Indigenous contexts.
  Advanced knowledge of cultural safety, decolonization, and indigenization processes within colonial/Western policy, research, and education structures.

• Advanced knowledge and understanding of Indigenous rights frameworks within Canada and globally, including OCAP principles, data sovereignty, and ability to apply global policy frameworks within local community protocols.

• Advanced knowledge and understanding of the contemporary diversity and history of Indigenous Peoples across Canada including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

• Ability to identify complex, unclear problems, conduct extensive analysis in unfamiliar areas, and develop innovative, collaborative solutions by balancing technical inputs with strategic objectives, using advanced skills and independent judgment to predict outcomes, with escalation for alignment with business unit goals.

• Ability to influence groups with conflicting interests by synthesizing diverse perspectives, clearly expressing ideas, finding mutually beneficial solutions, and obtaining commitment, often in sensitive or complex situations

• Ability to explore and analyze complex issues and to prepare written briefings and recommendations for senior leadership.

• Proficiency in standard computer applications (Microsoft Office Suite).
  

Working Conditions:

• Work will be primarily conducted in an office environment.

• Travel will be required with advanced notice.

• All teams contributing to emergency response efforts directly or indirectly.

• All CRC roles are required to adapt work and priorities to support emergency response efforts, be present in person as required to support service delivery and deploy to emergency responses when appropriate and/or required (personnel availability and request for exceptions will be discussed with line management).

• For CRC roles that are assigned a function in the Emergency Relief operational structure (in field and virtual), personnel may be required to be part of an on-call roster and be available for scheduled on-call work.

• As we work with and support people (managers, colleagues, clients/customers, volunteers, donors and external partners) and communities in Canada and around the world, applicants whose first language is not English may be required to perform the responsibilities of the role in English.

• Eligibility to work in Canada. At this time, we welcome applications from candidates eligible to work in Canada. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, we encourage you to carefully review your visa to find out whether you are eligible to work in the job you are considering applying for. Refer to our FAQ for more information.

• If you are selected for this role, you will be required to complete a successful pre-employment screening process which includes a satisfactory Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC).