Executive Director

The Recovery Centre, IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS is looking for an experienced and values driven Executive Director Executive to join their facility – IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS a 74-bed, long-term treatment facility located within Siksika Nation, Alberta. This role offers the opportunity to shape a transformative and culturally grounded healing environment rooted in the Siksika Model, Recovery Capital, and the Recovery Community Approach.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission and vision through strategic leadership, program oversight, and operational excellence. This includes stewarding long-range planning, ensuring consistent progress on organizational goals, and managing resources—financial, human, and physical—to deliver high-quality, culturally safe recovery services. The Executive Director also acts as the public and administrative face of the organization, fostering trust and transparency with the Board, Nation leadership, staff, partners, and the broader community.

About IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS

IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS is a 74-bed, government-funded, and independently operated inpatient treatment centre located on Siksika Nation. The facility offers long-term care ranging from 6 to 12 months, rooted in a holistic, strength-based approach to recovery.

Our model integrates the Siksika Model of Healing, the Recovery Community Approach, and the Recovery Capital Framework, other treatment best practices blending traditional cultural teachings with proven clinical practices. Clients are supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes Clinical Counsellors, Medical Professionals, Indigenous Liaisons, Recovery Coaches, and Case Managers—all working together to address addiction and co-occurring mental health challenges with compassion, cultural safety, and clinical excellence.

Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

· Vision & Strategy: Implementation of the IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS Board vision, mission, and long-term goals in alignment with Siksika values and the Recovery Community’s purpose.

· Program Development: Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous evaluation of culturally relevant and evidence-based recovery programs and services.

· Collaborative Planning: Guide the creation of programmatic, operational, and financial plans with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), ensuring alignment with board-authorized policies.

· Policy & Governance: Establish and maintain policies and procedures that promote ethical, effective, and culturally grounded operations.

Operational Management

· Daily Operations: Oversee day-to-day functions of the organization and ensure operational plans align with strategic priorities.

· Workplace Culture: Foster a trauma-informed, culturally respectful, and safe workplace in accordance with applicable legislation and Nation values.

· Public Representation: Represent the organization’s mission and voice with government partners, agencies, funders, and the public.

· Compliance & Records: Maintain organizational records and ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, and reporting obligations.

· Resource Allocation: Oversee organizational resource management to ensure long-term sustainability and efficient service delivery.

· Legal & Regulatory Compliance: Ensure adherence to all applicable federal, provincial, and Siksika Nation governance standards, and timely reporting back to IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS board and all partners.

Financial Oversight

· Budget Management: Leads the annual budgeting process with the Nation’s Chief Financial Officer and ensure adherence to board-approved budgets.

· Financial Monitoring: Oversee financial systems, manage expenditures within delegated authority, and monitor monthly cash flow.

· Fund Development: Design and implement fundraising and grant strategies to diversify revenues (including donor engagement and proposal writing).

· Financial Reporting: Provide accurate, timely financial updates to the Board and funders, ensuring fiscal transparency and accountability, and preparing timely funding reports for established funding partners.

Staff Leadership

· Human Resources Planning: Determine staffing needs for both service delivery and administrative functions.

· Team Leadership: Hire, onboard, mentor, and supervise staff across departments, fostering a values-based, high-performance culture.

· Professional Development: Support training and continuous learning opportunities for staff and leadership.

· Performance Management: Conduct annual evaluations and ensure prompt resolution of HR or personnel concerns.

Community Engagement

· Stakeholder Relations: Build and maintain strong relationships with Nation leadership, elders, cultural partner organizations, healthcare systems, and government agencies.

· Advocacy: Represent IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS’s interests in external forums and advocate for systems change that benefits individuals and families affected by addiction and mental health issues.

· Outreach & Education: Promote the IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS through community events, public speaking, and strategic partnerships to increase visibility and trust.

Board Relations

· Reporting & Governance Support: Provide regular updates to the Board of Directors on strategy, operations, financials. Support board development and functioning as required.

· Strategic Alignment: Collaborate with the Board on high-level planning, standard policy development (SOPs), implementation and creation of operation procedures and alignment of organizational goals.

Governance & Partnership Alignment

· Siksika Nation: Maintain a working relationship with Siksika Nation Ohkinniinaa ki Ninaaks and Nation entities, ensuring that programs and operations are aligned with Nation objectives, protocols, internal and external laws and regulations, policies, and procedures.

· Subcontracted Operator Collaboration: Provide oversight and strategic coordination with the contracted service operator, ensuring operational fidelity, cultural safety, and accountability to the Board and the Nation.

· Three-Party Governance Support: Support the Board in maintaining effective governance practices and coordinating across all operational partners.

Program Evaluation

· Monitoring & Accountability: Track program performance, regulatory updates, and legislative shifts that impact operations.

· Policy Review: Lead regular review and revision of internal policies, recommending adjustments to the Board to reflect organizational growth or compliance needs.

· Outcome Evaluation: Measure and report on program effectiveness, client outcomes, and overall organizational impact.

· Quality Improvement: Use data, feedback, and sector best practices to drive continual improvements across all areas of the organization.

Communication

· Public Relations: Working with the chair and act as the spokesperson for IITAISOKINAPYOYIS, representing the organization in media, community forums, and government relations.

· Internal Communication: As the sole employee of the board, ensure open, consistent, and transparent communication across all teams and departments. Maintain active engagement with the Executive Leadership Team on key internal and external developments.

Education, Experience and Key Competencies

· A combination of education and/or equivalent experience in leadership, health care, addictions, mental health, social work, public administration, or a related field with a bachelor’s degree in related studies.

· A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a leadership role within a healthcare, social services, Indigenous organization, or community-based setting.

· Has a passion and a strong understanding of addictions, mental health, and trauma-informed care.

· Personal or lived experience with recovery or healing journeys is welcomed and considered an asset.

· Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and mentor staff within culturally grounded and high-accountability environments.

· Experience collaborating with Indigenous communities, organizations, or governments is an asset.

· A demonstrated openness to learning from Indigenous perspectives and working in culturally grounded environments.

· Proven success managing relationships with boards, funders, governments, and/or community stakeholders.

· Strong fiscal literacy and experience managing organizational budgets and financial reporting requirements and aligning financial resources to operational needs.

· Working knowledge of relevant provincial and federal legislation (e.g., Health Information Act, nonprofit governance, Indigenous health policy).

· Effective strategic planning and organizational development skills, including the ability to identify key issues and navigate complex systems.

· Commitment to ethical leadership, accountability, transparency, and cultural awareness.

· High degree of integrity, sound judgment, and discretion in handling confidential information.

· Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate across audiences (Board, Elders, funders, staff, community).

· Conflict resolution, negotiation, and diplomacy skills with a collaborative, solution-oriented approach.

· Experience with outcome measurement, quality improvement, and data-informed decision-making is considered an asset.

Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, the Siksika Model, Recovery Capital, and the IITAISOKINAAPYOYIS approach.

Remuneration: From $127,511.55 to $160,949.42 based on education and experience (plus extended health benefits, matching pension contribution, plus management days)