People & Culture Specialist (Equity & Engagement)

Equity & Engagement Specialist

People, Culture, & Operations Department

 

Job term: Permanent FT   

Hours: 35 hours per week 

Location: Canada, remote
 

Who We Are
 

Founded in 2008, Indigenous Youth Roots, formerly known as Canadian Roots Exchange (CRE), is a national Indigenous youth-led organization. We envision a future where Indigenous youth are empowered and connected as dynamic leaders in vibrant and thriving communities. We collaborate with communities to provide programs, grants and opportunities that are grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being and designed to strengthen and amplify the voices of Indigenous youth. Centering Indigenous youth perspectives, we have 7 deeply held principles that guide us in our work and the way in which we relate to each other.     

• Reciprocity
• Innovation
• Accountability
• Reclamation
• Advocacy
• Resurgence
• Solidarity

IYR is a workplace that puts its employees and community first. We are a living wage employer and believe in prioritizing a healthy work-life balance. We provide opportunities for flexible working hours, time off for ceremony and other life responsibilities and we actively respond to the accessibility needs of those who work with us. We are a results-oriented working environment, choosing to focus on achieving objectives, rather than promoting the status quo.  

 

Purpose of Position  

Reporting to the Director of People, Culture, & Operational Effectiveness, the Equity & Engagement Specialist is responsible for leading our organizational practices for employee support and well being including: compensation, benefits management, engagement initiatives, staff requests, and more. This role will operationalize the day to day completion of tasks within these spaces and will also co-design new practices and pathways based on market assessments, industry standards, and changing landscapes in the Canadian & Indigenous Non-Profit workspaces. The Equity & Engagement Specialist will also act as a backup for all other People & Culture activities as required to support departmental initiatives, time off, and peak periods.

 

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities

Compensation Analysis:

• Update and maintain organizational records and systems relating to payroll and GRRSP contributions ensuring accuracy and timely intervention as required.
• Conduct annual market research to develop a compensation strategy for IYR related to our position in the non-profit industry, Indigenous workspaces, and overall Canadian framework.
• Make recommendations based on research and structured analysis to adjust organizational compensation practices and maintain our competitive position in the talent market.
• Regularly review, update, and control compensation systems to ensure a minimization of errors, making corrections as required with transparency and integrity.
• Produce annual reports for internal review to support executive and board level decision making.

Benefits Management:

• Update and maintain organizational records and systems relating to benefits packages and telehealth platforms ensuring accuracy and timely intervention as required.

• Conduct ongoing research internally and externally to validate our current plan or develop structured recommendations to improve organizational competitiveness and employee satisfaction while balancing budgetary constraints.
• Regularly review, update, and control benefits systems to ensure a minimization of errors, making corrections as required with transparency and integrity.
• Engage with employees to raise awareness of benefits inclusion, available options, and support them in accessing platforms as required.

• Produce annual reports for internal review to support executive and board level decision making.

Employee Engagement:

• Develop organizational methods of engaging employees in meaningful ways that increase departmental collaboration, workplace commitment, and individual employee satisfaction.
• Support People & Culture and RATH in developing Culture & Recognition programs organizationally to celebrate internal activities and successes.
• Review organizational policies and practices to ensure alignment with wider organizational strategy and make suggestions for modification and improvement.
• Assist in designing, administering, and analyzing internal surveys and data collection to better aid the organization in making meaningful change for growth.

Employee Inquiries:

• Act as the primary point of contact for employee inquiries related to People & Culture activities, ensuring timely responses based in organizational values and commitments.
• Support employees through navigating unique and personal challenges with a high degree of confidentiality and empathy.
• Act as a liaison for communication regarding any requests that require engagement or support from other individuals within the organization.

Department Back-up Support:

• Support the department in completing projects and strategic initiatives in a wide range of People & Culture focuses beyond those listed above as primary focus areas.
• Engage with the Operations team to support integration of procedures and best practices alongside policies and People & Culture perspectives.
• Work with the Talent Management Specialist to identify gaps in tools, SOPs, & workflows and co-lead structured improvements using participatory and iterative approaches.
• Maintain an internal knowledge base for SOPs, compensation & benefits packages, and ongoing practices that support organizational sustainability.
• Maintain accurate records, files, and documentation to support reporting and organizational accountability.

Cultural Stewardship:

• Engage in organizational collaboration on behalf of the People, Culture & Operations team with humility, respect, reciprocity, and accountability.
• Apply cultural safety and trauma-informed practices to all policies, procedures, and organizational practices.
• Foster trust-based relationships that support staff wellbeing and organizational culture and belonging.
• Act as a cultural ambassador for the organization, ensuring practices and operations align with our guiding principles and cultural ways of knowing and being.
• Represent IYR with external stakeholders, partners, and community organizations as required.

Leadership & Collaboration:

• Build a culture of shared leadership by mentoring managers and team leads in relational accountability and adaptive change practices.
• Facilitate learning cycles within teams to foster reflection, feedback, and course-correction.
• Regularly assess and recommend adjustments to the organization’s procedures and policies to ensure the organization stays current and relevant in a rapidly changing environment.

Community Engagement:

• Promote a collaborative, transparent, and accountable organizational culture that reflects IYR’s values.
• Participate actively in staff meetings, working groups, and committees to advance organizational goals.

• Uphold and promote the organization’s cultural values and guiding principles in all workplace practices.
• Engage with the Indigenous community and support initiatives that strengthen relationships and collaboration.

Health, Safety, and Wellness:

• Carry out your duties in a manner that does not adversely affect your own health and safety or that of others by reporting all potential hazards, all incidents, and injuries.
• Co-operate, support, and engage with any measures introduced in the workplace to improve occupational health & safety.

Other:

• Maintain high ethical standards and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness in all endeavours and communications. 
• Support and participate in all IYR staff, department, and team meetings. 
• Participate in external and internal committees, working groups, or projects as required. 
• Undertake other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 3 or more years’ of experience in compensation & benefits management
• 3 or more years’ of experience in designing and leading engagement initiatives
• Previous experience in anti-racism or cultural inclusion work is an asset
• Previous experience in research, data analysis, or program design is an asset
• Certification or post-secondary education in related fields an asset
• Certification in Payroll, Research, or Strategic HR is an asset
• Experience working in values-based, Indigenous-led, or trauma-informed organizations.
• Experience working with Indigenous youth communities an asset
• Strong administrative experience, with the ability to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously
• Proven written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with a high attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects and create shared ownership for outcomes

Skills & Competencies: 

• Exceptional Communication: Skilled at conveying ideas with empathy, transparency, and adaptability across diverse audiences, including youth, staff, and community partners.
• Coaching and Mentorship: Proven ability to support staff development, build team confidence, and nurture future leaders.
• Emotional Intelligence and Integrity: Demonstrates humility, honesty, and self-awareness, fostering trust and accountability.
• Equity and Inclusion: Applies equity-driven approaches, centers Indigenous youth voices, and integrates cultural safety and anti-racism into all aspects of leadership.
• Collaboration and Partnership-Building: Works effectively across departments and with external stakeholders to achieve shared goals.
• Resilience and Crisis Management: Provides steady leadership during periods of change, risk, or conflict, while supporting staff and organizational stability.
• Organizational Skills: Balances multiple priorities, manages complex workflows, and delivers results on time.
• Research: Ability to perform deep levels of research related to industry standards, cultural engagements, legal obligations, and new practices related to role specific expectations.
• Legal Compliance: Aware of the intricate nature of provincial legislation related to the ESA, OHSA, AODA, and other compliance regulations.

Reporting Relationships:

• Reports to: Director of People, Culture, & Operational Effectiveness

 

Compensation  

• Salary: $64,169 - $75,069 

• Health benefits: will begin following a 3-month probationary period 

• Other: GRRSP employer contribution that is 5% of salary 

• Vacation: 3 weeks and statutory holidays, in addition to a 2-week winter closure 

• Personal Days: 15 days 

• Annual Professional Development Benefit: $1500 annually following a 3 month probationary period 

• Cultural Days: 5 days annually 

• Volunteer Hours: 5 hours monthly at any organization of your choice. 
• Flexible Work Week Options: 4 and 5 Day work week options. 

 

Consideration & Accommodations 

Qualified internal candidates will receive advance consideration, should no internal candidates be identified then external applicants will be contacted for interview. IYR engages internal candidates first as a means to support internal growth, development, and appropriate succession planning. 

 

Should you require accommodations to engage equitably with this process, please connect with our Talent Management Specialist Payton Shukaliak via e-mail at Payton@indigenousyouthroots.ca to discuss your unique needs and how we can support you through this process. 

 

This posting is for an existing vacancy with intent to hire for this position within the following 30 day period.