Shape how emergency preparedness supports communities across Ontario
The Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response is seeking a people leader to join the
Indigenous Engagement Unit as the
Senior Manager, Indigenous Engagement within the Indigenous Engagement and Support Programs Branch.
In the role, you will lead a small, collaborative team, focused on advancing emergency preparedness through meaningful partnerships with First Nations communities. This work helps improve how communities prepare for emergencies by supporting the co-development of practical tools, training, and resources grounded in community identified needs.
Your leadership will shape how preparedness work is delivered and connected across government. You will work with Indigenous partners, federal colleagues, and teams across ministries to strengthen coordination and share learning between preparedness and response. You will also bring structure and clarity to team delivery, supporting consistent follow through from concept to completion.
If you are motivated by meaningful public impact and value collaboration, thoughtful leadership, and building strong relationships, this role offers an opportunity to make a real difference
The Ontario Public Service: Strengthening Ontario, together.
A career in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) is driven by purpose. We're building a stronger Ontario by delivering programs and services that make a real difference in people's lives. If you share this ambition, you'll find a workplace that reflects the diversity of the people we serve and empowers you to lead with confidence.
Why Your Leadership Belongs Here
- Purpose that drives you: Lead work that matters. Your leadership will shape policies, programs, and services that improve lives across the province—every day.
- A culture that supports you: Thrive in a flexible, inclusive, and respectful workplace that values your well-being and empowers you to bring your whole self to work.
- A career that grows with you: Explore leadership opportunities across ministries and sectors. With access to mentorship, learning, and mobility, your career can evolve here.
- Recognition that reflects your impact: We value the difference you make. You'll receive competitive pay, a defined-benefit pension, and benefits that support your well-being—plus meaningful recognition for your contributions.
We believe great leadership starts with high standards and strong support. In the OPS, that means showing up with authenticity, acting with integrity, and having the courage to do what's right, even when it's hard.
As a leader, you'll shape a team culture that sparks innovation, supports collaboration, and champions inclusion. You'll help build a workplace that is diverse, anti-racist, and accessible, where everyone feels safe, respected, and able to thrive.
You won't be doing it alone. We invest in our leaders through mentorship, learning opportunities, and cross-ministry networks that help you grow your impact and connect with peers across the organization.
Leadership is about impact, and in this role, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful one.
You will:
- Lead a small, dispersed team working at the intersection of emergency preparedness and Indigenous engagement
- Deliver emergency preparedness initiatives that help communities strengthen their readiness for emergencies
- Build practical, accessible tools and resources with First Nations partners that reflect community-identified needs
- Improve access to preparedness supports and contribute to building capacity within First Nations communities
- Bring structure and consistency to team delivery, guiding ideas through to completed, usable outputs
- Build relationships across Indigenous partners, federal colleagues, and ministries to strengthen coordination between preparedness and response
Open House:
Are you interested in learning more about the
Senior Manager, Indigenous Engagement position? The hiring team is hosting an open house for potential applicants, providing you with the opportunity to engage with the leadership and team regarding the role's vision and core mandates.
The information session is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 from 3pm - 4pm EDT. If you are interested in attending, you may click
here to access the MS Teams invitation on the day of.
Meet Your Team
The Indigenous Engagement Unit within the Indigenous Engagement and Support Programs Branch supports emergency preparedness planning with First Nations communities across Ontario. The unit ensures culturally appropriate approaches are reflected in emergency management programs, plans, and public education activities, and serves as a key point of coordination with Indigenous partners, the federal government, and teams across the ministry on program-focused work.
You will lead a small, dispersed team of three senior program advisors and one program coordinator located across the province. The team works collaboratively across projects, shares knowledge, and supports consistent delivery in a dynamic environment. As a newer unit, it continues to strengthen processes and ways of working to improve planning, coordination, and delivery.
In this role, you will report to
Karma Call, Director, Emergency Management Programs, who brings over 15 years of experience in the Ontario Public Service, including work supporting land claim settlements and leading teams across complex areas. She leads with a focus on collaboration, integrity, and practical delivery, and approaches leadership as a coach and mentor. Karma supports an inclusive and respectful workplace where diverse perspectives are valued and is seeking a leader who can work closely with subject matter experts to support consistent delivery, strengthen ways of working, and contribute to a collaborative team environment.
- Leadership Experience: You bring established experience leading people and teams, with clear accountability for results, team development, and performance. You lead by setting direction, coaching others, and building a culture of trust, inclusion, and high performance
- Creating an Inclusive Team Environment: You foster a respectful workplace where diverse perspectives are valued and people feel supported to contribute.
- Coaching and Developing Staff: You mentor team members to build their skills and support their growth through ongoing change.
- Providing Direction and Focus: You set priorities, maintain alignment, and support teams with diverse perspectives to move work from ideas through to completed results.
- Building Trust-Based Relationships: You establish and maintain respectful relationships with First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Urban Indigenous partners.
- Applying Indigenous Perspectives: You consider diverse Indigenous worldviews, values, and community contexts in your work.
- Understanding Context and Systems: You apply knowledge of historical and current realities, including the impacts of colonization and the context of government relationships.
- Supporting Meaningful Engagement: You gather input, build consensus, and apply appropriate engagement practices and protocols with partners.
- Working Across Boundaries: You coordinate work with Indigenous partners, the federal government, and teams across ministries to align priorities and efforts.
- Building and Navigating Relationships: You build and maintain relationships and use sound judgment in sensitive, evolving environments with competing priorities.
- Communicating and Advising: You prepare clear information, tailor messages for different audiences, and provide practical advice to support informed decision-making.
- Supporting Shared Outcomes: You bring together different perspectives to support coordinated and effective program delivery.
- Managing Work and Priorities: You organize work, set timelines, and adjust plans to support consistent delivery in a fast-paced environment.
- Driving Delivery and Follow Through: You bring structure and consistency to team delivery, ensuring work progresses from concept to completion.
- Building Team Capability: You strengthen team skills in planning, coordination, and written advice to support effective delivery.
- Applying Program Context: You apply knowledge of emergency preparedness or related work to guide planning, coordination, and delivery.
- Supporting Change and Urgent Work: You help teams adapt to new approaches and contribute to coordinated responses in time-sensitive situations by maintaining focus and clear direction.
If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!
Think this role could be right for you?
We're here to support you every step of the way. These short videos can help you feel confident and prepared:
- Navigating Our Hiring Process(2 min) – Get a clear overview of each stage in our structured hiring process so you know what to expect and how to prepare.
- Application Preparation Tips(4 min) – Learn how to showcase your leadership experience in ways that align with how we evaluate applications during the screening stage, increasing your chances of being shortlisted.
Take a few minutes to explore these resources. They're designed to set you up for success.
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's
Human Rights Code and the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.
Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:
- diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
- accessibility
- Anti-Racism Policy
