Chief Administrative Officer

Chief Administrative Officer - Cook's Ferry Indian Band

The Cook's Ferry Indian Band is a Nlaka'pamux government located in the Central Interior Region of British Columbia. It has 26 reserves of various sizes, primarily in the scenic Thompson River Valley between what are now known as Ashcroft and Lytton, British Columbia, and through the Nicola Valley, including Merritt.

The Nlaka'pamux are an Interior Salish Nation, and the people from Cook's Ferry Indian Band lived, traded, hunted, harvested, travelled, and gathered throughout their territory. The Community has a profound connection to their traditional territories. It is devoted to maintaining the traditions of the Nlaka'pamux people, encompassing their language, culture, and land, through community empowerment, well-being, and sustained economic prosperity for future generations.

We seek a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) with exceptional strategic planning and operations management expertise and a collaborative work style. As the CAO, you will play a pivotal role in guiding the Community in overseeing the strategic direction, governance policies and operational excellence of the band administration in alignment with their cultural values.

Other Key Responsibilities Include:

• Collaborate with the Chief and Council to formulate and execute strategic plans, policies, and initiatives that honour cultural traditions and advance community objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and bolster the administration team, promoting a culture of excellence, learning, service delivery, and commitment to the Community's core values and traditions.
• Manage human resources activities such as hiring, training, performance reviews, and staff development.
• Partner with the council to operationalize committees, including the Finance and Audit Committee.
• Partner with the Finance Officer and the Finance and Audit Committee to secure sound fiscal administration, including budgeting, financial monitoring, risk assessment, and investment oversight.
• Advocate for projects and initiatives that bolster community well-being, cultural heritage, sustainability, robust governance, and economic growth.
• Facilitate effective community engagement and communications, ensuring members are informed and involved in initiatives.
• Foster robust relationships with community members, external partners, and government entities, representing the Community's interests.
• Ensure adherence to all relevant legislation, regulations, and agreements, proactively addressing any changes that may impact the Community.

Ideal Candidate

• This is a unique opportunity for an experienced leader with core values of service, collaboration, and transparency and who brings a passion for making an impact. The ideal candidate will possess education and competencies, including the following:
• A bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Indigenous Studies, or a related field, combined with 5 to 10 years of progressive leadership experience in administration or management within a First Nations community, is required. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.
• A strong understanding of First Nations governance, culture, and community needs, ideally within BC.
• Exceptional strategic planning, financial skills, and collaborative work style with various partners, including the Chief and Council, Community, and external entities.
• A servant-leader mindset combined with humility, strong coaching, mentoring, and capacity-building skills.
• High financial acumen with experience in budgeting, risk management, and reporting.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, capable of respectfully interacting with community members, staff, and external parties.
• High adaptability and commitment to learning, understanding, and actively engaging with community traditions and aspirations.
• A class 5 driver's licence is required, as is successfully passing background checks, including criminal background and credit checks.

The Location

The position is located at the Cook's Ferry Indian Band office in the scenic desert area of Spences Bridge, close to Ashcroft and Merritt. It is only a one-and-a-half-hour drive to Kamloops and approximately 3.5 hours to Vancouver. Although based in Spences Bridge, you will be expected to visit the office in Merritt frequently.

Connect with Us

Cook's Ferry Indian Band is partnering with WMC for this critical hire.

If you are ready to foster a robust, healthy, and vibrant Community founded on preserving Nlaka'pamux cultural values and language, we invite you to apply.

Cook's Ferry Indian Band offers a competitive base salary and a comprehensive benefits plan. The final agreed-upon salary may vary based on individual skillset, job-related knowledge, and experience level.