First Nations Community Health Advisor

This opportunity is for independent advisors only. The successful advisor will sign a vendor agreement with the Partnership. Advisors are not considered Partnership employees.

12 Month Contract, renewable annually for up to 3 years

Open to First Nations individuals.

This position sits within the Strategic Partnerships Division of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (the Partnership), which leads engagement with partners across the health system and the broader cancer community who are working to develop and implement practice and policy changes that deliver on the priorities of the 2019-2029 Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control (the Strategy). We work across the organization and alongside system partners to develop work plans, monitor progress, and regularly assess new and evolving work to ensure it aligns with the eight priorities of the Strategy. We also work alongside First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments and organizations to drive forward the Strategy’s three Peoples-specific priorities and actions of the Strategy.

Overview of the role

To achieve the work of the refreshed Strategy and our Commitment to Reconciliation, the Partnership engages with experts and knowledge holders from across the country as part of our advisory structure. This approach fosters collaboration, reciprocity, and credibility, as well as deepens the involvement of a wide variety of perspectives from across Canada. The First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Advisory includes individuals contributing their own knowledge and teachings towards advancing the Peoples-Specific priorities of the Strategy as well as across other areas of work within the Partnership. The First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Advisory helps to ensure that The Partnership is connected to emerging priorities and best practices across the country as well as internationally.

The Partnership is currently expanding the approach to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis advisory, and we are seeking a First Nations health professional with experience in providing health services in community to join us in this important work. Specifically, the advisors will work closely with the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cancer strategy team to provide knowledge and strategic guidance to support the enhancement of initiatives within the team and across the organization.

Importantly, the Partnership recognizes and values the diversity of ways of knowing across and within nations. Advisors are encouraged to bring their own community-grounded worldviews to the role within an open and welcoming environment.

Core responsibilities and activities

The First Nations Community Health Advisor will be responsible for:

• Advancing the Partnership’s Commitment to Reconciliation by bringing their own unique cultural lenses and knowledge into the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Advisory Circle.
• Providing guidance to the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Cancer Strategy team through regular monthly advisory table meetings with team leadership (Director, Managers), sharing insight on pre-circulated materials and responding to questions from the team in their efforts to advance the Peoples-specific priorities of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control (approx. 8 –10 hours a month)
• Providing guidance to additional teams and leadership across the Partnership who may request audience during advisory table meetings. Advisors can choose the degree of involvement in follow-up to specific initiatives.
• Participating in Partnership working groups and committees as appropriate.
• Identifying areas of intersection and/or synergies between the Partnership and key external First Nations partners and sharing insight into the strategic action needed to integrate these into the Partnership’s work.
• Maintaining regular communication with the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leadership team, ensuring the sharing of relevant information and emerging issues across Canada.
• Attending events (both virtually and in-person) hosted by the Partnership as well as our partners, representing the organization and our work.
• Collaborating with the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis team coordinator to ensure timely delivery of quarterly invoicing.

Experience and qualifications

• Experience in providing or administering health services in a First Nations setting is a requirement. Appropriate and maintained qualifications (e.g. Nursing, MD) are also expected. Membership in a relevant professional organization (e.g. FNHMA, CINA) will be considered an asset. Candidates could be asked to provide a letter of recommendation from a community or organization at a later stage of the application process.
• Knowledge and experience in providing care directly related to one or more of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control’s Strategic Priorities are considered a strong asset. This includes HPV Immunization, Smoking Cessation, Cancer Screening (colorectal, lung, breast, cervical), Patient Navigation, Cancer Treatment, Palliative Care, research/ data governance and Strategy Development/Implementation.
• Knowledge of and experience navigating federal/provincial/territorial health systems is an asset.
• Bilingual in both English and French or First Nations language is an asset.
• Demonstrated engagement with cultural awareness/safety learning is considered an asset.
• Proficient in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive)