FortisBC Looking for Indigenous Relations Liaison at Surrey, BC Full Time

We’re looking for new talent to join us as we reinvent the future of energy. Across BC, we have a diverse team of more than 2,500 employees we can’t do without, yet we’re growing as fast as ever.

You may think we’re your standard utility that delivers natural gas and electricity, but we’re also into cool, innovative energy solutions. Think carbon capture, renewable energies and lower-carbon transportation for a start. We believe in creating a cleaner, healthier tomorrow.

If you like meaningful work, a dynamic environment and forward-thinking colleagues, build your career with us. You’ll get opportunities to grow, lead, solve, and create. So what are you waiting for? Let’s rethink energy together. In this role, you will:

Building relationships comes naturally to you because of your authentic, genuine and trusting demeanour. You have a passion for learning about and understanding Indigenous cultures, traditions and histories and understand the importance of inclusion and fairness. You see both sides of every situation and use your negotiation and problem-solving skills to find common solutions through transparent and honest conversations.

As part of our Indigenous Relations team you’ll lead strategic and tactical engagement with Indigenous communities and associated organizations to support building strong relationships and executing on FortisBC’s vision to partner for progress.

We’re committed to building a greener future with our 30BY30 target to reduce our customers’ emissions by 30 per cent by the year 2030. We need collaborators, innovators and leaders like yourself to help us achieve our goal. Join us in re-thinking our energy future.

In year 1, you will:
Develop an understanding of FortisBC’s business units and associated goals, including Major Projects, Operations & Maintenance, Community & Indigenous Initiatives, Renewable Natural Gas & Low Carbon Solutions, Conservation Education & Outreach, Policy etc. in order to build-out potential partnership opportunities and solutions with Indigenous communities.

Build relationships with Indigenous communities to advance FortisBC business activities in alignment with FortisBC’s Statement of Indigenous Principles, UNDRIP and the TRC’s Recommendations.

Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to deliver comprehensive Indigenous engagement plans and tactics to support the successful growth and operation of the FortisBC’s Major Projects.

Support the development of strategic and tactical engagement with Indigenous communities both within and outside of regulated processes.

Support inclusive contracting and workforce planning and execution, to ensure that benefits from FortisBC and our operations flows through to local communities.

In year 2, you will:
Solidify yourself as a trusted face of FortisBC, and a known, collaborative, creative, problem-solver between FortisBC and our Indigenous community partners.

Inspire and bring forth opportunities for improvement at FortisBC and on our Major Projects to ensure feedback received from communities is implemented.

Building partnerships with Indigenous communities and partner organizations that build towards FortisBC’s 30×30 goals and climate action plans to rethink our energy future

Identify and execute opportunities to move engagement beyond transactional partnerships to a long-term working relationship philosophy.

What it takes:
A bachelor’s degree in business administration, public policy, environmental/natural resource management, communications or other related disciplines from a recognized program, and a minimum of three years of recent and related experience in community or Indigenous relations

A detail-oriented and creative mindset with exceptional negotiating, communication and problem-solving skills.

A genuine and authentic personality that creates and builds trusting and lasting relationships.

A passion for learning, understanding and supporting Indigenous communities.

Strategic and able to understand the overall picture of any situation to achieve long term success. What you need to know:

Please see full job description here.

Our engaging workplace offers a wide range of challenging opportunities, while being safe, inclusive and diverse. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, while supporting life-long career development. We also encourage volunteerism and nourish the need to give back to your community.

Safety is our number one priority, and to maintain the health and safety of our employees and broader communities, we have a number of COVID-19 safety measures in place. This includes a requirement for all new employees to provide proof of full vaccination, prior to their first day of work or the start of their employment. And of course, we will consider an accommodation for anyone who’s unable to be vaccinated due to a protected ground as defined by the Human Rights Code.