Director, Legal Affairs

ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖅᑖᕋᓱᐊᖅᑐ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᐅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᑎᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖅᑖᕐᑎᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓄᑦ. ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᕐᐸᑦᓯ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖅᑖᕋᓱᐊᖃᑕᐅᔪᓯ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᖁᓪᓗᓯ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᓂᑦᓯᓐᓂᒃ.

Iqqanaijaaqtaarasuaqtut ilagijauqataullutik Inuit Nunanganni Nunalirinirnmut Angirutiusimajunut sivulliqpautauniaqtut iqqanaijaaqtaartitaujunnaqtunut. Ikajuqturpatsi iqqanaijaaqtaarasuaqataujusi nalunaiqsiqullusi ilagijauqataunitsinnik.

APPLICANTS WHO ARE ENROLLED UNDER AN INUIT NUNANGAT LAND CLAIMS AGREEMENT WILL BE GIVEN PRIORITY HIRING. WE ENCOURAGE APPLICANTS TO SELF-IDENTIFY.

Closing Date: February 26, 2026

Director, Legal Affairs - Existing position

SALARY BAND 8 - $122,687.34 - $153,359.18

**Compensation is aligned with internal equity and market benchmarks. In limited circumstances, offers above the posted range may be considered for candidates with exceptional qualifications or highly specialized expertise**  

This role, as with all positions at ITK is 100% in-office, requires being in the office full-time at 75 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON.

We do not use AI to assess or screen applications. Our hiring process is grounded in human review and values lived experience, cultural competency, and diverse career paths, in addition to formal education and work experience.

JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Executive Director, and working in close collaboration with the President and ITK’s Directors, the Director, Legal Affairs will work to develop, implement, monitor, and recommend strategic political initiatives to advise, address and advance National Inuit priorities.  The incumbent will co-ordinate designated activities to ensure goals and objectives are accomplished in accordance with prescribed priorities, time limitations, and funding conditions. He/she will formulate goals and objectives, and make recommendations to the ED.  In doing so, he/she will maintain an extensive network of contacts within government(s) and public and private sector organizations to keep ITK aware of upcoming issues on the broader political and government scene as well as identify linkages between Inuit priorities and existing or potential government programs. 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

REPRESENTATION AND RELATIONSHIPS

Represents ITK Executive at senior levels within government departments;

Cultivates and maintains relationships with Senior Government Officials and staff to promote ITK’s priorities;

Ensures that ITK operates according to lawful and ethical standards, and requirements, including provisions of the Lobbying Act;

Advises executive on legal decisions and reviews contracts and other legal documents on behalf of ITK;

COMMUNICATION

Advises and develops strategic and political options for the Executive;

Makes presentations to ITK Board of Directors, government officials and working groups;

Develops business cases, reports, studies and other decision-making documents;

Prepares speeches, op-eds, and contributes to press releases as required;

Prepares correspondence and position papers for Executive when necessary;

Liaises, on behalf of the Executive, with Regional Inuit Organizations and other national agencies;

Communicates to ITK Department Heads any information/leads which could be of interest to the achievement of ITK objectives;

Works with ITK’ s Communications department to develop key messaging in response to government initiatives, funding and policy changes, and to prepare presentations and speeches related to government relations;

Mentor and oversee team members and, and work collaboratively with officials from Inuit organizations, funding institutions, and other agencies both government and private; and,

POLICY

Monitors and evaluates pending legislative, program and policy changes and their potential impact on ITK’s strategic priorities and/or operations;

Works with Executive to develop ITK’s response to support coordinated future communications with government officials;

Provides advice and guidance on potential legal impacts of changes to legislation, funding, and policy;

Initiates and conducts research, internal consultation and external consultation with Inuit organizations as required;

Identify needs for board level policy;

Formulates policy options and recommendations;

Recommends corporate policies; and,

Designs and conducts regional consultations with Inuit political leaders, as required.

PLANNING

Identifies potential and recommends new areas of activity for ITK;

Identifies relevant areas requiring research and prepares strategies for advancing specific issues with government officials;

Prepares project plans;

Identifies imminent events/issues that will require ITK’s political/strategic efforts; and,

Assists Executive in the development of corporate and operational government relations plans.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Establishes and maintains policy and research records and systems as required;

Identifies and makes recommendations on program budgetary and operational requirements by collecting, analysing, projecting and drafting program information; and

Prepares reports, records, and charts and maintains files and related program documents as required.

KEY CONTACTS

Represents ITK in meetings, conferences and working groups. This could include task forces or working groups struck from time to time with Federal and/or Territorial Government Departments and Inuit organizations.

QUALIFICATIONS

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Knowledge and understanding of regional and community issues affecting Inuit, including working knowledge of Inuit land claims agreements and Inuit priorities;

Policy development, review and analysis;

Program development and evaluation;

Consultation protocol;

Understanding of Federal Government organizational structures;

Understanding of Inuit committees and organizational structures and how they function; and

Familiarity with the various land claim agreements.

Must have excellent cross-cultural skills and the ability to deal with a diversity of people;

Must have excellent oral and written communication skills (English required, Inuktitut and/or French a definite asset);

EXPERIENCE

7-10 years of work experience in similar positions or a combination of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, such as health sciences, public policy and political or social science and a minimum of 5 years work experience in a similar role;

Sound professional judgment;

Excellent critical thinking and evaluation skills;

Oral and written communication competency with attention to detail;

Outstanding leadership skills and

Experience in reviewing and analyzing government legislation and policy

EDUCATION

Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school

OTHER INFORMATION

At times, extensive travel and meetings;

Politically sensitive issues could contribute to stress;

Much of the work must be delivered in accordance with specific timelines; and

Frequent short notice deadlines.

BENEFITS

Conditional to ITK’s Human Resources Policies, you may be eligible for:

100% employer-paid group insurance upon hire

Employer RRSP contributions 

Annual training allowance 

Excellent health and wellness allowance 

Relocation allowance 

Vacation – starting at 3 weeks/year 

Paid Christmas break (usually between Xmas and New Year)

Candidates with exceptional skills or experience may be considered for compensation above the posted range.

*Applicants who are a Beneficiary under a Land Claims Agreement will be given priority hiring. We encourage applicants to self-identify.

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for their interest in ITK however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.