National Ctr. for Truth & Reconciliation

Vice-President (Indigenous)

Position number: 37853

Date posted: May 27, 2026

Job details

MCP Research Lead - Tech 5 (AESES)

New Project Full-Time (Grant Funded)

Full-time:

Yes

Permanent:

No

Work schedule:

35 Hours/week (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm)

Salary:

$28.46 to $40.88 per hour ($51,797.20 to $74,401.60 per annum)

Appointment Dates

June 22, 2026 to June 22, 2027

Trial/Probation period:

840 hours worked

For more information please contact: Angel Gomez - angel.gomez@umanitoba.ca

Qualifications

This position is designated for Indigenous candidates. Applicants must self-declare on their cover letter/resume as Indigenous (First Nation, Metis and/or Inuit).

MINIMUM FORMAL EDUCATION/TRAINING:

• Master’s level in a related discipline plus two years of directly related experience or professional degree in a related discipline plus five years of directly related experience is required.
• Knowledge of Indigenous history is required.
• Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification would be an asset.
• Combination of education and experience may be considered as equivalent.

EXPERIENCE:

• At least five years of relevant experience in university, community, government, Indigenous, private sector or professional administration including at least 3 years in a leadership or supervisor role is required.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience, including at least 3 years in a supervisory, team lead, or managerial capacity, with a demonstrated ability to oversee and support diverse and potentially high-stress or emotionally demanding teams is required.
• Previous experience working with Survivors, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, or Indigenous communities/organizations is required.
• Track record of success in developing, reviewing, and implementing proposals for potential projects and programs, including working with funders and other agencies is required.
• Research experience is required; research with Indigenous communities and Indigenous methodologies is preferred.
• Experience in using archival databases for the purpose of research is required.
• Experience in using large data sets to narrow down searches and make decisions on the accuracy of research is required.
• Proven experience managing team dynamics, resolving conflicts, and maintaining cohesion in high-pressure environments is required.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and hold staff accountable while fostering a healthy, respectful, and trauma-informed workplace culture is required.
• Experience supervising research staff, administrative personnel, or cross-functional teams in sensitive or emotionally complex work environments is required.
• Experience working with large data sets of highly sensitive personal information is required.
• Experience in dealing effectively and diplomatically with senior members of an organization and the public, and ability to foster harmonious working relationships with other staff, both academic and support, is required.
• Experience preparing, managing, administering, updating, and maintaining accurate project plans is required.
• Experience providing senior management audiences with analyses, recommendations, and reports on projects is required.
• Experience overseeing the performance of project team, unit, or department is required.
• Experience supervising, motivating, and evaluating the performance of direct reports within a project team, unit, or department is required.
• Experience developing proposals to secure external funding for projects is required.
• Experience forecasting and leveling resource capacity across projects is required.
• Experience hiring and selecting job candidates is required.
• Experience onboarding and training direct reports is required.
• Experience procuring goods and services (i.e. arranging purchase orders, developing requests for proposal, negotiating contracts with vendors) is required.
• Experience supervising vendors responsible for the delivery of goods and services for projects is required.
• Demonstrated ability to foster strong community connections is an asset.
• Project management experience is an asset.
• Knowledge of University policies and procedures is an asset.
• Experience developing project management frameworks (i.e. policies, processes, and procedures) is an asset.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Competencies with Indigenous cultural awareness, knowledge, and protocols are required.
• Ability to conduct research independently is required.
• Ability to plan, organize and administer projects is required.
• Ability to work within time and budget constraints is required.
• Ability to train and supervise the work of staff and students is required.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills are required.
• Superior organizational skills required.
• Strong critical thinking skills, with a demonstrated ability to make sound independent judgments, and take initiative are required.
• Excellent time management skills, with a demonstrated ability to co-ordinate workflow, prioritize work and handle multiple tasks at the same time are required.
• Superior writing and editing skills with a focus on producing high-quality, well-structured reports are required.
• Ability to receive feedback, take and give direction and seek clarification as necessary required.
• Excellent ability to anticipate and resolve problems required.
• Ability to interact with individuals and groups in social, political, professional, NGO and educational environments required.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a team environment required.
• Competency with word processing, spreadsheet, PowerPoint presentations and online meeting software required.
• Aptitude for learning new software required.
• Ability to perform all duties in a professional and diplomatic manner, and ability to maintain confidentiality required.
• Ability to identify procedures and processes requiring improvement and recommend, develop, and implement modifications to improve efficiency required.
• Excellent risk management skills with demonstrated ability to identify and analyze potential issues, identify mitigation steps, and contingency plans required.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with demonstrated ability to identify and analyze complex issues, identify root causes, and implement solutions successfully required.
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles is required.
• Proficiency in use of financial software (e.g. SAP R/3, Concur, FAST) to manage project expenses is required.
• Proficiency in use of Microsoft software (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Project, Teams) is required.
• Exceptional financial acuity skills with ability to make strategic financial decisions is asset.
• Knowledge of project management methods, standards and best practices (e.g. PMBOK®) is asset.
• Indigenous language and/or French is an asset.

OTHER JOB RELATED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have high energy level and a positive attitude, enjoy challenges, and adapt well to change.
• Must be personable and helpful.
• High level of commitment to the University of Manitoba community and the mission of Indigenous Engagement is required.
• Understanding of trauma-informed processes (trauma, triggers and effects on behaviour) is required.
• Class 5 Drivers license is an asset.
• Preference will be given to Indigenous candidates.
• Satisfactory work record, including attendance and punctuality is required.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinates in-depth research using archival collections, historical records, and databases to verify student names compiled by the MCP project; arranges the research staff to logically and accurately research the 3.2 million records and 17,650 indications of death to determine evidence of the death of a child at residential school.
• Analyzes and verifies the authenticity, accuracy, and context of archival sources and offers advice to management for future acquisitions.
• Assists in conducting additional research to verify existing names on the National Student Memorial Register; offers advice on the metadata, sorting and organizing of the National Student Death Register database.
• Coordinates research to verify new names/research within NCTR digital collections provided to the NCTR by external sources (eg. Communities, media, other researchers, etc.)
• Develops a research plan for any new records to be acquired by the NCTR in the future, including a gap analysis prepared in the Missing Children Phase 2 of the project. This will be conducted in coordination with the research staff working on the MCP project, and may involve input from communities and published and unpublished research work external to the NCTR.
• Contributes trustworthy research to build the Death Register and Memorial Register concerning the loss of children at residential schools.
• Provides research to develop a burial site register based on archival research into the NCTR holdings.
• Takes the lead and collaborates with the GIS Technical Coordinator and Community Engagement Coordinator to share information to be added to the new National Student Burial Register.
• Maintains a current knowledge of the research domain concerning residential school history and legacies.
• Oversees a process to share knowledge developed in the MCP project with other research projects.
• Prepares, manages, administers, updates, and maintains the research project plan that clearly and concisely describes the research scope, objectives, timelines, and budget.
• Prepares and submits project change requests as needed to document and control significant changes to the scope, objectives, timelines, and budget of the research project plan.
• Prepares and submits a final project closure report to document lessons learned, and final project results.
• Coordinates with the MCP Project Coordinator and NCTR Research Manager to ensure that the research project plan is integrated into the overall project plan.
• Provides MCP Project Coordinator and NCTR Research Manager with analyses, recommendations, and status reports on research progress to ensure effective oversight, decision-making, and resolution of complex issues.
• Arranges and facilitates regular research project status meetings to provide research progress updates on a periodic or ad hoc basis as required.
• Maintains up to date files and tracking documents to clearly demonstrate activities underway and in development.
• Coordinates research results related to student deaths with MCP Project Coordinator and NCTR Research Manager so that NCTR research is respectfully transferred to Communities.
• Completes stated deliverables and assists with reporting requirements as per the Terms and Conditions of the NCTR-CIRNAC Contribution Agreement, and NCTR internal reporting requirements.
• Coordinates with MCP Project Coordinator and NCTR Research Manager to identify or procure goods and services required to implement the research project plan.
• Manages relationships with external vendors providing goods and services required to implement the research project plan.
• Ensures there is a clear and well-managed recordkeeping process to document the research work.
• Supervises and oversees an archival research team of up to 6 full-time staff positions.
• Ensures the research team will create and maintain meticulous records, complete lists of children who attended an individual residential school and children who were lost at a school.
• Oversees the research team to maintain up to date files and tracking documents to clearly demonstrate activities underway and in development.
• Motivates staff to meet research goals and performance expectations.
• Develops work schedules and assigns tasks to staff.
• Onboards, trains, and offboards staff.
• Conducts performance reviews with direct reporting staff.
• Recommends professional development activities for staff. Ensures staff compliance with organizational policies, governmental legislation, and regulations.
• Cultivates and maintains a collaborative and inclusive work environment to encourage innovation and accountability.
• Provides day-to-day guidance, coaching and mentoring for staff to ensure they have the capability to succeed.
• Participates in the hiring processes for new staff and makes recommendations for hiring. This may include developing job descriptions, reviewing resumes, and interviewing new Archival Researcher candidates.
• Ensures researchers maintain up-to-date logs on the progress of the research.
• Takes a lead role to collaborate with the Community Engagement Coordinator to ensure that research information is respectfully shared with relevant stakeholders.
• Coordinates the research team’s response to individual inquiries about missing children.
• Other duties pertaining to CTA 72, as agreed upon by the Department and the Centre.

Additional information

REQUIRED TO WORK ON-SITE FULL TIME

The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities).

If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact UM.Accommodation@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.

Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provisions of "The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act" (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitae will be provided to participating members of the search process.