Indigenous Liaison

Indigenous liaisons help build constructive relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and aim to improve the relationship between their employer and the community members. The people want to better understand company operations and to understand how these operations would affect their traditional lands. Indigenous Liaisons meet with members of the community to learn where sacred and traditional lands are, and later advise their company what land to leave untouched and where the community will allow development.

At a Glance

Imagine you are in Nunavut. The smell of tobacco, sage, and sweetgrass fills the air. Drums are playing in the background—a steady and constant rhythm. As an Indigenous liaison, it is important for you to participate in this Indigenous spiritual ceremony so that you can learn about the sacred rites of the people with which you will be negotiating.

After the Indigenous spiritual ceremony, you meet with the Elders to discuss their points of view and concerns regarding the new petroleum project that will be initiated close to their community. You are expected to facilitate communication and understanding between the Indigenous community and your corporation. After listening carefully to their concerns, you explain the interest your company has in contributing to their community. Through investment in training and Indigenous employment programs, your company plans to include the local Indigenous people in its newest project.

After much discussion, the Elders make it clear that they will not allow development on one specific plot of land. It is your job to communicate this message to your company and participate in developing an alternative proposal for the project.

As a part of the Indigenous relations team, you have interactions with various stakeholders, such as the government, Indigenous community leaders, not-for-profit organizations, and corporations. Therefore, it is important to consistently project a positive, professional image on and off the job.

Job Duties

Duties vary significantly from job to job, but the following list includes typical job duties one might encounter as an Indigenous liaison:

Conduct research, develop policies and implement programs.
Develop programs to employ and keep Indigenous employees.
Improve the working environment for Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees by promoting cross-cultural understanding.
Ensure Indigenous participation in impact assessments, proposals, and developments for long-term projects.
Visit communities and share information.
Promote the services and policies of the organization they work for to the Indigenous community at career fairs, town hall meetings, etc.
Establish scholarships and recognition awards for Indigenous students.

Work Environment

In the Office:

Conduct research on communities that are being affected
Write reports to companies based on primary and secondary research
Create promotional activities for the company

In the Field:

Meet with members of the community to learn where sacred and traditional lands are located
Hold meetings to find out what communities need
Advise the company where communities want development and where the land should remain untouched

Where to Work

Federal, provincial/ territorial, municipal, or community/ nations government departments
Environmental organizations
Interest groups
Private sector companies
Consulting firms

Education and Skills

High school courses that will prepare you to work in a multicultural setting as an Indigenous liaison include:

Business
English
Math
Indigenous studies
History
Languages

The minimum education usually required for this job is a bachelor’s degree or college diploma in social science (such as sociology) or business administration. A master’s degree may also be required and may make you more competitive in the job market. With this degree, you will find it easier to get a job and negotiate your salary.

Indigenous Liaison

At a Glance

Job Duties

Work Environment

Where to Work

Education and Skills

Role Models

Your Impact

Occupational Classification

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