Project Manager / Instructor

Drinking Water Project Manager & InstructorDo work that matters. Grow with a positive, collaborative team. Water First is looking for creative, enthusiastic relationship-builders to support sustainable access to safe, clean water in partnership with Indigenous communities across Canada.
Water First is a registered charity grounded in trust-building, meaningful relationships, and lasting impact. Our engagement is guided by responsibility and accountability, with Indigenous voices, experiences, worldviews, and inherent rights centred across all our work.
To ensure Indigenous perspectives lead discussions about work with Indigenous communities, we integrate consultation with Indigenous staff, the Indigenous Advisory Council, community partners, and Indigenous members of our Board of Directors.
We respect and value Indigenous cultural traditions and practices in our workplaces, including the burning of medicines such as tobacco, sage, cedar, and sweetgrass. All employees are expected to maintain strong Indigenous historical and cultural awareness and commit to ongoing learning to support respectful, informed approaches throughout the organization.
Under the direction of the Senior Manager, Drinking Water, the Project Manager & Instructor is responsible for leading the project management, delivery, quality, and expansion of Water First’s Drinking Water Internship Program. Our Drinking Water Internship program focuses on addressing the gap in access to water science training in Indigenous communities by integrating technical training with hand-on, project-based learning in partner communities. Project development and delivery are led by Water First in collaboration with community and tribal council partners and aim to address specific community goals.
Start Date: November 2026
Work Location: Weekly hybrid role pending on proximity to Water First Creemore office;
open to remote candidates in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Travel to client sites will be necessary and will be discussed and arranged with your managers as required.
Job Type: Full-time, 37.5 hours/work
Salary range: $75,000 - $90,000
Water First supports progressive labour policies, including:
Defined benefit pension plan
Dental care
Disability insurance
Employee assistance program
Extended health care
Life insurance
Generous paid vacation
ResponsibilitiesProject management and design:
Lead the drafting and management of work plans in collaboration with the Sr. Manager.
Develop relationships with tribal council partners, community operators and key stakeholders that are needed to help make the project run smoothly.
Lead recruitment and hiring for interns (as needed), onboard and direct the Local Coordinator.
Track community partner information, set up specific project folders in Google Drive, direct modifications for the Handbooks and create the project timeline.
Navigate Interns’ experience, assisting in finding placements, providing Operator-relayed feedback (review of Operator reports).
Provide formal supervision to Technical Trainers and Trainers, including work planning, performance management, coaching, and issue escalation.
Provide technical (SME) input into the development of water and wastewater technical trainings as applicable.
Lead performance management, coaching processes and the impact review processes for technical trainers and trainers, assessing competencies, providing structured feedback, and supporting professional growth.
Indigenous community collaboration:
Build relationships with community partners, including operators and foster existing relationships to collaboratively develop projects.
Assist with building new relationships as needed.
Raise organizational awareness
Contribute to initiatives that raise awareness about our work, and/or engage donors, to build greater support for the organization, in coordination with Communications and Fundraising.
Model commitment to the ongoing learning of Indigenous histories and ways of being to support informed and respectful work approaches.
Qualifications
Post-secondary education (bachelor’s degree or technical diploma) in a related environmental, water or wastewater discipline.
Minimum of 2-3 years of technical project management experience.
Certification and/or experience in drinking water/wastewater treatment.
Previous experience in running training workshops and/or leading adult learning sessions.
Water First’s standard operating hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm Eastern Time, with reasonable accommodations for flex-time.
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in Canada and possess a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN).
Candidates will be required to undergo a Vulnerable Sector security check as a condition of employment.
Water First is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and strongly encourages Indigenous applicants. We are dedicated to a fair, equitable, and barrier-free hiring process in accordance with AODA and will provide accommodations upon request.
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