Indigenous Projects Manager
ORGANIZATION: Finance Engage Sustain
POSITION: Full-time, Contract
LOCATION: Anywhere in Canada, this is a virtual, work-from-home position
PAY: $60,000 - $65,000 annually, for 37.5 hours per week
NUMBER OF POSITIONS: 1
START DATE: As soon as possible.
TERM LENGTH: This position does not have a definite end date
About Finance Engage Sustain (FES)
The Finance Engage Sustain (FES), is a youth-led and youth-serving sustainable development organization and Canadian registered charity. As the final generation that can solve climate change, FES empowers young Canadians to create a more inclusive, fair, prosperous, and sustainable future. FES’ intended impact is to see to it that by 2030, Canada is implementing adaptation and mitigation strategies compatible with a climate-resilient future, through the influence and action of young leaders. To do so, FES deploys two programs:
The Youth Harbour. A youth-for-youth climate support system that provides financial and technical support for youth-led organizations and youth organizers. Mainly, FES pools philanthropic funds, redistributes funds to youth, and provides fiscal sponsorship and administrative support. In addition, FES offers various other support services to youth leaders such as branding support, co-working spaces, and coaching.
NOW for Net-Zero. An educational program that provides youth and educators with the necessary tools, connections, and resources to implement net-zero-related activities in their local communities.
Position And Responsibilities
The successful candidate will play a critical role in the development, scaling, and stewardship of FES’s Indigenous Youth Fund, one of The Youth Harbour’s newer granting programs. The Indigenous Youth Fund (IYF) is a for-Indigenous youth, by-Indigenous youth fund launched in 2026 that provides tailored funding and wrap-around supports and programming to Indigenous youth across so-called Canada who are working on community climate action initiatives. The Indigenous Projects Manager will play a critical role in the IYF to ensure alignment of goals, priorities, and processes with FES, while centering Indigenous decision-making and accessibility.
The Indigenous Projects Manager will lead the Indigenous Youth Advisory Circle at FES, an external advisory group of youth who play a key role in advising decisions-making for the Indigenous Youth Fund at FES. This role will also be expected to collaborate with other external partners and community members. The Indigenous Projects Manager will be responsible for overseeing operations of the fund, including outreach to applicants, coaching of applicants, guiding the candidate selection process, and working with selected grantees to support the successful delivery of their projects, providing additional resources and support as needed.
This role works closely with FES’ Executive Director to assist with fundraising efforts specifically for the Indigenous Youth Fund. This will involve tasks such as writing narratives for grant applications, collecting data and impact information, helping develop collateral materials for fundraising efforts, and communicating directly with funders. The role also works very closely with The Youth Harbour Program Director, as well as the entire Youth Harbour team.
The candidate will be responsible for upholding high standards of privacy and confidentiality in all communications, documentation, and engagement processes, demonstrating thoughtfulness in protecting sensitive information and recognizing cultural protocols surrounding knowledge sharing.
Key Responsibilities:
Indigenous Youth Advisory Circle (IYAC)
Facilitate and Coordinate IYAC Meetings: Coordinate and facilitate IYAC meetings, ensuring that gatherings respect Indigenous protocols, uphold relational accountability, foster meaningful dialogue, and remain on task according to IYAC workplan.
Provide Ongoing Support to IYAC Members: Build and sustain trust-based relationships with IYAC members by supporting the development of collaborative workplans, addressing concerns with care, and nurturing feedback processes that strengthen collective outcomes.
IYF Program Development
Program Development: Work with the IYAC and The Youth Harbour granting and program staff to continue the development of the Indigenous Youth Fund, including establishing funding priorities for the program based on strategic priorities of the organization and identified community needs, and ensuring the program’s processes are accessible and aligned with community needs.
Outreach: Leading the public communication of the IYF program, including communicating key messaging, identity, values, and timelines of the program. This includes outreach to key partners and candidates for the fund, and communicating important information to ensure visibility of the IYF to target communities.
Indigenous Youth Fund Management
Fund Management: Ongoing oversight and management of the Indigenous Youth Fund, including managing the grant application system and the grant acceptance process, supervising timelines, and outreach and communication with applicants and grantees.
Grantee Support: Continuous support to grantees to provide extra resources, discuss challenges and successes of the projects, through direct communication and coaching.
Impact Analysis and Program Assessments: Ongoing work with The Youth Harbour staff to analyze and track the impact of the fund and its activities, through feedback and communications with grantee community partners. Implementation of feedback to adapt the program for effectiveness and ensure delivery of necessary support.
Partnerships and Engagement
Engage Elders and Knowledge Keepers as needed: Coordinate respectfully with Elders and Knowledge Keepers when their guidance is required, ensuring that cultural protocols, honoraria, and relational care are central in these engagements.
Fundraising Support
Developing resources: Supporting the Executive Director and fundraising partners of FES to assist in fundraising efforts specifically for the IYF, including compiling data and impact information from the fund, communicating stories from grantees, and occasionally communicating with funders alongside the Executive Director, on behalf of the IYF.
Other duties as they arise to assist FES in meeting its priorities.
Qualifications
Essential Qualifications*:
Between the ages of 18 to 35 at the start of the job placement.
Substantial experience (2-5 years) in a project management role. Experience can be expressed via school projects, volunteer involvement, work experience, and other lived experiences.
Skills in leadership, time management, and partnership relations.
Experience working with Indigenous young people, communities, and organizations. Deep understanding of cultural safety, Indigenous governance systems, and protocols, with a commitment to centering Indigenous voices and leadership.
Other Experience and Assets:
Experience working with Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour communities and stakeholders.
Understanding of the philanthropic sector, or experience with fundraising of any type, is an asset. Experience with budget management is also an asset.
Interest in the funding and granting sector of Canada, and/or the Youth Climate sector.
Demonstrated interest in relevant domains (ie. sustainability, education, youth engagement and action) is considered an asset.
Demonstrate a deep respect for the autonomy, voices, and leadership of Indigenous youth. Committed to fostering environments where Indigenous young people are empowered to make decisions, share knowledge, and influence outcomes in ways that honor their experiences, aspirations, and self-determination.
Bring emotional intelligence, compassion, and relational accountability to leadership. Capable of holding space for complex conversations, nurturing trust, and balancing relational care with task-oriented focus. Ability to navigate systemic power dynamics thoughtfully while fostering equitable, culturally grounded spaces for dialogue and decision-making.
Existing connections or networks among Indigenous youth, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers are considered an asset, supporting relationship-building and community engagement.
Priority will be given to applicants who are Indigenous to Turtle Island (what we refer to as Canada).
Skills and Competencies:
A self-starter able to take initiative on responsibilities with minimal supervision; proven ability to work independently.
Excellent interpersonal skills; demonstrating a positive attitude to work effectively and collaboratively with colleagues in a virtual environment.
Skilled in logistics management, meeting coordination, and maintaining organized documentation in virtual environments, ensuring these processes support collective work and uphold cultural and relational integrity.
Ability to speak, write, and communicate in French or another secondary language is a strong asset.
FES does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual’s status in any group or class protected by federal, provincial, or local law. FES encourages applications from equity-deserving groups, minorities, womxn, and all other qualified applicants.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, please send a copy of your resume and cover letter (together in 1 PDF) to admin@FESplanet.org. with your name and the job title as the subject. Applications close October 16, 2026 at 12:00pm EST.