Title: Referrals Manager
Department: kwezúsmin Title & Rights
Status: Full Time Regular
Pay Grid: Salary Range 7 ($76,560.00 to $105,270.00 per year)
Reporting to: Director of Title and Rights
Summary of Duties:
Reporting to the Director of Title & Rights, the Referrals Manager leads and coordinates Lil’wat Nation’s referrals system so land, resource, development, regulatory, and consultation-related referrals are reviewed in a timely, organized, and rights-protective manner. This role protects Lil’wat Nation’s Aboriginal rights, title, interests, and land-use priorities by managing referral workflows, supporting the Referrals Committee, coordinating technical review, and ensuring due diligence in responses to governments, agencies, and proponents.
Key Deliverables and Expectations:
- Oversee intake, screening, prioritization, tracking, review, and timely processing of incoming referrals and consultation-related files.
- Maintain reliable referral tracking and records systems, including deadlines, status updates, risks, follow-up actions, outcomes, and documentation.
- Identify urgent, high-risk, or complex files and coordinate referral responses, extension requests, information requests, correspondence, and appropriate escalation.
- Support the Referrals Committee by preparing agendas, briefing materials, summaries, action items, and decision-ready file packages; record and follow up on decisions and recommendations.
- Coordinate internal review with the Referrals Committee, departments, staff, leadership, legal counsel, technical advisors, consultants, and knowledge holders as required.
- Ensure technical, legal, cultural, land-use, and governance considerations are reflected in recommendations, briefing notes, and response materials.
- Implement and strengthen referral/consultation policies, procedures, internal systems, committee processes, workflow, and clarity of responsibilities; identify recurring issues, policy gaps, and process weaknesses.
- Monitor external regulatory, permitting, and land-use developments; support work plans, reporting, budgets, and funding proposals related to referrals and land governance.
- Help ensure Lil’wat Nation’s rights, title, interests, and land-based priorities are meaningfully considered in external decision-making, and flag consultation that appears inadequate, rushed, or procedurally weak.
- Maintain a defensible due-diligence record and ensure referrals are treated as part of a broader rights, governance, and land-use protection function, not only as an administrative process.
- Provide day-to-day leadership, direction, and support to assigned referrals staff, including workflow coordination, accountability, staff development, respectful team practices, budget responsibility, and long-term capacity building.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Experience and Attributes:
- Degree in natural resource management, environmental studies, planning, public administration, law, geography, or a related field; equivalent education and directly relevant experience may be considered.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in referrals, consultation, Indigenous relations, land/resource governance, environmental/regulatory review, or a related field.
- Experience in coordination, supervisory, or leadership roles; experience with a First Nation government/Indigenous organization, governance or steering committees, and internal systems/policy implementation preferred.
- Strong understanding of Indigenous rights, title, and consultation processes in British Columbia; First Nation governance and community-based decision-making; land use, natural resources, and regulatory referral processes.
- Excellent organizational, workflow management, judgment, problem-solving, attention to detail, and ability to coordinate multiple files and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to review complex materials and clearly summarize issues for leadership and committee.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, and digital records/tracking systems.
- Familiarity with Lil’wat Nation territory, governance context, and community priorities, and experience coordinating legal, technical, environmental, or archaeological reviews are assets.
- Must provide a clear Criminal Record Check/Vulnerable Sector Check.
- Hold a valid Class 5 Driver’s Licence, clean Driver’s Abstract, and access to a vehicle.
