Director, Negotiations

Department Information

The Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs works to provide overall management and direction to the Executive branch of the Government of the Northwest Territories. The Department is responsible for: coordinating and supporting the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of initiatives and actions in support of cross-government goals The Department is responsible for ensuring mutually respectful intergovernmental relations between the territorial government and Aboriginal, provincial, territorial and national and international governments are maintained; along with negotiating and implementing land, resources And self-government agreements that address Aboriginal rights in the Northwest Territories.

Job Information

The Director is responsible for all reports that summarize the issues, events and status of negotiations. The Director oversees, provides advice and develops negotiating strategies for GNWT negotiators.

The Director identifies gaps in existing mandates and mandates that require reconsideration and is responsible for engaging with other GNWT departments’ senior officials to ensure they are aware of relevant issues at negotiations and that departments are aware of the direction negotiations are taking, and ensuring GNWT interests and positions are reflected in Aboriginal rights agreements that apply in the NWT.

The Director represents the GNWT in meetings with municipal, territorial, federal, provincial and Indigenous governments and other interest groups on matters pertaining to Aboriginal rights negotiations in the NWT. This requires the Director to develop and maintain an extensive network of contacts with the federal, territorial and provincial governments, territorial Indigenous organizations, community and Indigenous governments and other interest groups.

While collaborative or interest-based negotiations is often cited as the approach all parties take at negotiations, in practice, negotiations do involve conflicting views among the parties and an adversarial atmosphere may be present. The pressure of negotiating agreements that will become constitutionally protected modern Treaties, adds tension and raises expectations to ‘get it right’ the first time because opportunities to amend the agreement in the future may be limited. The Director is required to conduct one’s self with a high level of tact, diplomacy, professionalism and the utmost discretion.

The Director must have financial and human resource management skills and possess a thorough understanding of Aboriginal rights agreements and relevant federal and territorial policies, both in the NWT and elsewhere in Canada. They must have a working understanding of the common law as it relates to consultation and Aboriginal and treaty rights and a working understanding of the Canadian Constitutional Framework.

The Director is required to have a thorough understanding of how Aboriginal and treaty rights relate to, and affect the social, economic and political environment of the NWT. That has a highly developed understanding of conflict resolution techniques.

Typically, the above qualifications would be attained through completing an undergraduate degree in political science, arts, geography, northern studies, law or a related field; and a related postgraduate degree with formal conflict resolution training coupled with 5 years of experience in a formal negotiating environment; and 3 years of supervisory /management experience, which can include leading a negotiating team.

GNWT Inquiries

Inquiries Only:
Department of Finance

Government of the Northwest Territories

YELLOWKNIFE CENTRE 5TH FLOOR

BOX 1320 YELLOWKNIFE NT X1A 2L9

Tel (867) 767-9154 Extension 14106

Fax (867) 873-0445

[email protected]

Note: If you do not receive electronic notification confirming receipt of your application, please follow up via telephone.