Program Lead – Land-Based Healing (Mental Wellness)

Program Lead – Land-Based Healing (Mental Wellness)

Location: Sault Ste. Marie

Industry: Healthcare, Social Services

Posted: 2 days ago

Employer: Batchewana First Nation

Job ID: 8037

Closing Date: August 14, 2026

Salary: $71,606.25- $79,937.50

Duration: Contract , Full Time

Contract ending: March 2027

Job Description

Contract ending March 2027

Program Lead – Land-Based Healing reporting the Mental Wellness Clinician Manager, the incumbent is responsible for creating programs centered on land-based practices, protocols, and the relationship to Anishnaabe ways of life that will promote identity and culture as a method of healing for those experiencing mental wellness and addiction challenges.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Leads program planning and delivery in alignment with the department framework by performing duties that include, drawing upon knowledge of seasonal Land-Based activities and locations, collaborating with department staff and staff in related departments, developing a calendar/curriculum and ensuring availability of resources in order to build connection and healing for program participants.
• Ensures that programming is conducted in a culturally safe and positive environment which includes ensuring appropriate resources, creating a sense of openness, inclusion and respect, integration of teachings and adjustment of approach, trauma/gender/age informed sensitivity and awareness of individual vulnerabilities and knowledge level to ensure positive experiences and outcomes.
• Ensures the physical safety of staff and program participants through efforts such as assessing any location or activity risks/hazards, incorporating risk mitigation into program plans, assessing individual abilities and limitations and providing oversight and communication regarding safe conduct during the activities.
• Improves programming through methods that include ensuring adoption of a “plan, do, review, improve” cycle, ensuring evaluation feedback is gathered and incorporated into program delivery, seeking guidance from other knowledge keepers/elders and brainstorming options or alternate approaches while upholding traditional elements.
• Oversees and develops methods to build awareness and participation in programming through duties such as setting standards for timing and layout of promotional materials including calendars and flyers, reviewing and approving materials and communicating with other departments to leverage opportunities and events.
• Builds collaborative relationships internally, within the Community and externally, in order to create positive, supportive and seamless services and care for clients. Achieves this through actions such as providing and receiving referrals, maintaining awareness of related services, regular communication and participating in cross functional meetings.
• Develops work plans for the team in alignment with BFN, strategic plans and funding requirements, under guidance of the Mental Wellness Clinician Manager. Accomplishes this through duties that include assessing options, aligning resources, needs and activities, collaborating with staff, creating written plans and leveraging opportunities with other areas.
• Upholds and ensures that administrative policies and procedures are followed within the department through duties that include vetting and reviewing requests/submissions such as time sheets, purchase orders, leave/vacation requests to ensure alignment with policy before approving, seeking clarification, and maintaining awareness of updates in order to promote efficiency and fairness.
• Provides information for various reports through duties that include collecting and recording statistics, participant feedback and qualitative data to meet funding requirements and ensure continued program financial support.
• Guides staff performance in order to ensure that services are aligned with Anishnaabe values, department and BFN vision and delivered in a good way. Accomplishes this through duties such as guiding planning cycles, seeking and providing feedback, participating in programming, addressing any corrective measures and conducting performance reviews.
• Contributes to financial and funding cycles through efforts such as providing information for budget planning, management and reporting cycles, ensuring records maintenance and responding to deadlines and requests.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Conditions of Employment

• Favorable CPIC and Vulnerable Sector Check
• Travel required
• Valid G License and a reliable vehicle

What We Offer

• 4 Day Work Week and support for work/life balance
• Group benefits and generous pension plan
• Extensive leave provisions
• Unique opportunity to contribute to advancing the rights of our Nation

Required Skills

• Minimum College Diploma in a discipline such as Social Work, Forestry, Human Services, Administration, Child & Youth, Native Studies or related discipline
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in program development and delivery
• Minimum 2 years’ additional experience in a leadership or supervisory capacity
• Demonstrated and lived land-based skill and experience rooted in Anishnaabe culture
• Certification in OR significant experience and willingness to obtain certification in:
• Water Safety
• Wilderness First Aid
• CPR
• Gun Safety – Possession & Acquisition License (PAL)

Requirements

• Knowledge, demonstrated skill and lived experience with fishing, hunting, seasonal land-based activities, stewardship and Anishnaabe teachings related to the land and creation
• Knowledge of multiple cultural teachings and demonstrated openness to diverse perspectives
• Collaborative approach and supportive team player
• Strong critical thinking, problem solving and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to plan, implement, monitor, evaluate and improve approaches to programming
• Highly developed communication skills verbal, written and ability to adapt approach to create rapport with various stakeholders, clients and colleagues
• Ability to facilitate group sessions with sensitivity for vulnerable people
• Demonstrated trauma-informed knowledge and approach
• Demonstrated skill with Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Outlook, Excel, Powerpoint

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