Senior Indigenous Relations Advisor (Contract)

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Trans Mountain Corporation operates Canada’s only pipeline system transporting oil products to the West Coast. We deliver approximately 890,000 barrels of petroleum products each day through a dual pipeline system of more than 1,150 kilometres of pipeline in Alberta, British Columbia and Washington state.

Trans Mountain also operates a state-of-the-art loading facility, Westridge Marine Terminal, with three berths providing tidewater access to global markets. As a federal Crown corporation, Trans Mountain continues to build on more than 70 years of experience delivering operational and safety excellence through our crude oil pipeline system. With our expanded pipeline system now in place, Trans Mountain provides enhanced direct access for Canadian crude oil to world markets. The expansion realizes a world-class system for oil transport, developed to Canada’s high standards within one of the most stringent regulatory regimes in the world, creating long-term economic benefits, enhanced marine protection, enhanced safety and emergency management capabilities, and enhanced skilled-worker capacity building in communities and Indigenous groups.

Our Core Values

Trans Mountain’s core values – Safety, Integrity, Respect and Excellence – guide our every step. Each obstacle we’ve overcome or success we’ve experienced has been the result of a shared commitment to living these values every day. Together, we’re focused on doing the right thing for each other and our communities. If you are looking for an opportunity to apply your strengths in an environment that encourages Safety, Integrity, Respect, and Excellence, we invite you to explore this opportunity with us!

Number of Positions: 3

Trans Mountain is seeking a collaborative, motivated, and values driven individual to join our dynamic team as a Senior Indigenous Relations Advisor (Contract). In this position, you will play a key role in leading complex Indigenous consultation, engagement and relationship-management. The successful candidate will serve as a senior point of contact for Indigenous communities and provide strategic and practical advice to leadership and multidisciplinary teams on consultation requirements, community interests, commitments, emerging issues and delivery risks. This role offers the flexibility to work remotely and requires frequent travel to Indigenous communities, project locations and field sites.

The successful candidate will be assigned to support strategic project-related work, and other business priorities as organizational needs evolve.

Key Responsibilities

Indigenous Engagement and Relationship Stewardship

• Build and sustain trusted, respectful relationships with Indigenous communities whose rights and interests may be affected by planned activities.
• Serve as a senior point of contact for community leadership and representatives, coordinating meetings, round tables, site visits and other engagement activities.
• Develop engagement strategies, briefing materials, presentations, correspondence and executive updates in collaboration with Indigenous Relations leadership.
• Provide guidance to internal teams on respectful engagement practices and ensure community interests and concerns are directed to accountable decision-makers.

Consultation Strategy and Execution

• Lead the development and implementation of consultation approaches aligned with scope, regulatory requirements, permitting pathways and delivery timelines.
• Plan and oversee consultation activities related to regulatory applications, permits, authorizations, field programs and construction work.
• Coordinate integrated technical responses to Indigenous comments, information requests and concerns, ensuring actions are complete, accurate and timely.
• Identify consultation dependencies, information gaps and schedule or execution risks, and recommend mitigation or escalation strategies to leadership.

Regulatory and Permitting Integration

• Advise project teams on Indigenous consultation requirements associated with federal and provincial regulatory and permitting processes.
• Lead the preparation and quality review of consultation evidence, summaries, matrices and supporting information for applications, filings and permit submissions.
• Monitor consultation-related conditions, commitments and information requests and coordinate accountable, defensible responses across functions.
• Maintain awareness of legal, policy and regulatory developments affecting Indigenous consultation and communicate implications to leadership and project teams.

Issues, Commitments and Risk Management

• Provide senior-level insight on community interests, emerging issues and matters that may affect approvals, access, schedule, reputation or execution.
• Develop issue-resolution approaches and advise leadership and project teams on practical, respectful and risk-informed responses to complex concerns.
• Oversee commitment and action tracking, confirm accountable owners and drive timely completion of agreed follow-up.
• Prepare clear decision materials outlining context, options, implications and recommended actions for sensitive or material matters.

Consultation Records, Reporting and Assurance

• Ensure consultation records are complete, accurate and defensible, including correspondence, meeting records, commitments, actions and external communications.
• Maintain traceable and current information suitable for regulatory filings, permit processes, assurance activities and future reference.
• Apply confidentiality, privacy, document-control, information-management and retention requirements to Indigenous Relations information.
• Prepare regular leadership reporting on engagement progress, outstanding actions, upcoming activities, key decisions and material risks.

Cross-Functional Leadership and Economic Participation

• Lead cross-functional coordination to ensure engagement materials and responses accurately reflect technical scope, impacts, mitigation measures and execution plans.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Environment and other cross-functional delivery teams to identify and communicate appropriate contracting, employment and participation opportunities for Indigenous communities.
• Provide coaching, guidance and subject-matter support to Indigenous Relations advisors, contractors and project team members.
• Promote consistent consultation practices, lessons learned and continuous improvement across workstreams.

Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Indigenous Studies, Anthropology, Political Science, Regulatory Affairs, Business, Communications or a related discipline; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• 8 to 12 years of progressively responsible experience in Indigenous Relations, consultation, community relations, stakeholder engagement or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex Indigenous consultation and engagement in the energy, pipeline, infrastructure or natural-resource sector.
• Significant experience working directly with Indigenous communities and advising multidisciplinary project teams and senior leaders.
• Strong knowledge of government, legal and regulatory requirements related to Indigenous consultation and engagement activities.
• Experience developing consultation strategies and preparing regulatory evidence, consultation plans, correspondence, engagement records and commitment trackers.
• Ability to interpret technical, regulatory and project information and translate it into clear, respectful and accessible communications.
• Advanced relationship-building, facilitation, negotiation, conflict-resolution and issue-management skills.
• Demonstrated judgment in managing sensitive matters, assessing risk and escalating material issues with clear recommendations.
• Experience working with Indigenous communities in British Columbia is considered an asset.
• Training in alternative dispute resolution, mediation, negotiation, facilitation, project management or legal developments related to Indigenous rights and the duty to consult is considered an asset.
• Strong planning, organizational and records-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, commitments and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work credibly with Indigenous communities, regulators, senior leaders, contractors and internal stakeholders.

Working Conditions

• Willingness and ability to travel on a regular basis.
• Must have a valid Class 5 driver’s license.
• May need to provide support outside of regular business hours and/or on the weekend.

We Build Careers and Pipelines That Last

Our story is about determination, resourcefulness and resilience. It’s about charting our own course, finding innovative solutions to challenging problems and doing the right thing. It was true when Trans Mountain became a company in 1951 and it’s just as true today. We welcome new members to our team that embrace the qualities in our story, that thrive on the new path and directions we take. Our culture is one of care and taking our responsibilities seriously. If you would like to contribute to our culture, then join our journey.

We offer:

• Valuable experience providing opportunity for professional development and career advancement;
• An opportunity to engage with and learn from some of the most talented and experienced people in the business;
• Competitive compensation;
• A place to share a sense of purpose and build relationships;
• Meaningful work that makes a difference;
• An opportunity within the Canadian energy industry.

We value:

• The health, safety and wellness of everyone working in our company;
• Meaningful participation from Indigenous and local communities;
• The commitment and resilience of our people;
• Collaboration and achieving success together.

In keeping with Trans Mountain’s commitment to maximize benefits for communities, priority will be given to qualified candidates from Indigenous, local and regional communities along the Trans Mountain pipeline corridor.

In Alberta, the pipeline system spans the traditional territories of Treaty 6, 7 and 8, and the Métis Nation of Alberta (Zone 4).

In British Columbia, the system crosses the traditional territories of numerous First Nations that are affiliated with the Secwepemc, Dakelh (Carrier), Nlaka'pamux, Syilx/Okanagan, Interior and Coast Salish, Stó:lo, as well as the Métis.

Trans Mountain also operates through 15 First Nation Reserves located within the region spanning the BC interior through Fraser Valley.

Our Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA)

Trans Mountain is committed to fostering inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. The diverse viewpoints and cultural knowledge that our employees bring to work enrich our organization’s collective cultural understanding, which is reflected in the work we do every day. We strive to create an environment that is free of barriers to promote full participation in the workplace. Trans Mountain welcomes new team members from traditionally underrepresented groups, including but not limited to women, Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities and members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community.