Associate Director, Client Services

Location: Central Office, Edmonton, AB Closing Date: Until Suitable Candidate Found Position Status: One (1) Full Time (40 hours/week), Permanent

The Opportunity The Otipemisiwak Métis Government is seeking an Associate Director of Client Services who will lead the strategic and operational oversight for Rupertsland Institute’s education and training programs across Alberta. This role will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, culturally relevant services that support Métis citizens in achieving educational success, skills development, and employment outcomes.

The Associate Director is part of the Institute's leadership team and is responsible for leading the delivery of Employment and Training programs and services for client services. Working within the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Agreement, the Associate Director ensures programs achieve strong, measurable outcomes while supporting the priorities of the department and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. This role leads the development and delivery of Métis-distinct programming that reflects the needs of Métis people across Alberta. The successful candidate will be a strong leader who can build and support an engaged team, work collaboratively across the organization, and focus on achieving results that make a difference for Métis students, clients, and communities.

Key Responsibilities: Provide leadership and oversight for client services across education, training, and employment programs province wide. Oversee support services for Métis students: youth, post-secondary learners, adult learners, and job seekers. Champion skills development initiatives, including upskilling, pre-employment training, with the Associate Director of Projects and Initiatives to develop project-based learning, and work-readiness programming. Participate with the development and implementation of youth-focused initiatives that support early career exploration, mentorship, and transitions to post-secondary and employment. Advance collaborative service delivery models that include wraparound supports tailored to individual goals and community contexts. Support job search initiatives for Métis clients, including resume development, interview preparation, job matching, employment coaching, and labour market navigation. Develop and implement annual workplans for provincial and regional staff that align with departmental business plans and strategic objectives. Oversee the effective administration and governance of departmental service delivery systems, including KETO, FDM, and OAS, ensuring data integrity, user access, compliance, and consistent application of operational processes. Oversee the delivery of job search services through regional offices and online platforms. Participate when requested to support development of partnerships with employers, , Indigenous organizations, and industry associations to create employment pathways, work-integrated learning, and training-to-employment pipelines for Métis citizens. This will be done with the Associate Director of Provincial Projects and Initiatives. Support province-wide career exploration strategies for Métis youth, including job shadowing, career fairs, mentorship programs, and school-to-work transitions. Support community-based projects that build local capacity and lead to employment outcomes. Manage multi-million-dollar provincial budgets tied to education, training, and employment programming. Oversee budgets related to student support (e.g., tuition, living allowances, training supplies), regional service delivery, Ensure compliance with all government and third-party funding agreements, audit requirements, and financial policies. Supervise and mentor a team of regional and departmental managers, providing leadership on staff development, work planning, and service coordination. Promote internal collaboration, knowledge sharing, and cross-training to enhance service quality and operational efficiency. Lead workforce planning and succession strategies to ensure department continuity and leadership development. Lead data collection, reporting, and evaluation efforts to monitor program effectiveness, client outcomes, and compliance with funding agreements. Collaborate with IT, Data Governance, and Research teams to support evidence-informed service planning and real-time decision-making. Other duties as required or assigned.

Skills and Competencies: Excellent administrative and organizational skills. Strong leadership skills with a recognized strength in leading and engaging teams, financial management, project oversight skills while creating a culture that promotes the development of individual and organizational capacity. Strong sense of initiative with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects or tasks, delegate, set expectations, and monitor progress of direct reports. Proven strategic thinker with the ability to execute complex business plans and establish short-and long-term plans to meet key objectives. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with an ability to produce professional documents, reports, and presentations. Strong understanding of labour market trends, Indigenous education and training issues, and pathways to employment and post-secondary for Métis Citizens. Knowledge of program evaluation, performance measurement, and reporting requirements for government-funded programs. Superior interpersonal skills and a proven track record of building collaborative partnerships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. Ability to thrive in a dynamic and changing environment and be adaptable and flexible to changing needs. Knowledge of Métis history, culture, and issues affecting Métis people including an in-depth understanding of RLI or the Otipemisiwak Métis Government is a asset.

Qualifications: A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in education, workforce development, or human services, with at least 5 years in a senior management or leadership role. Post-secondary degree in Education, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field. Demonstrated experience managing government-funded programs, large budgets, and complex provincial operations. Proven track record of building employer and community partnerships that lead to sustainable employment opportunities. Experience designing and overseeing job readiness or employment support services is an asset. Supervisory experience with mid-level managers and cross-functional teams.

Other Requirements: Ability to work in office a regular schedule of 8:30am-4:30pm Monday to Friday, with flexibility for weekend and evening work, as required. Ability to travel throughout Alberta and other provinces, as required. Valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation. Submission of a clear Police Information Check.

What We Offer The opportunity to work for the Otipemisiwak Métis Government under its newly ratified Constitution and be an instrumental part of the largest Indigenous Government in Canada as it rapidly grows and develops. A competitive salary with comprehensive benefits plan including life insurance, critical illness, health spending & more! Employer matching pension plan. Generous vacation and time-off policies. An opportunity to learn about Métis culture, history, and art. Meaningful work in a fun and supportive work environment. Training and professional development opportunities.

Let’s Connect – Please Reach Out: We genuinely welcome a conversation to explore how this opportunity can work for you. If this opportunity connects with your passion and experience, we encourage you to apply online today with your application package, including a resume/CV and a cover letter at http://albertametis.com/careers/ Alternatively, if you have questions about how this opportunity will fit your professional journey, please email us at info@rupertsland.org and we will be pleased to coordinate a time for an exploratory conversation.

Métis applicants are encouraged to apply.

The Otipemisiwak Métis Government thanks all applicants for their interest. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.