Manager, Indigenous Youth in STEM Program

About this opportunity

Actua is seeking a dedicated, detail-oriented manager to drive the operational success of our national Indigenous Youth in STEM (InSTEM) program. In this pivotal role, you’ll ensure that all initiatives are grounded in Actua’s relational approach to Indigenous community engagement, serving as the primary bridge between our program model and its practical application across the country.

Reporting to the Director of InSTEM, you’ll act as a strategic advisor for Network Members, with a primary focus on cultivating and sustaining meaningful STEM pathways for Indigenous youth. As a key member of the InSTEM team, you’ll provide the operational insight and coordination necessary to strengthen Actua’s commitment to reconciliation through education.

This is a full-time, 12-month contract position. We offer the choice of a remote work arrangement within Canada or a hybrid arrangement for Ottawa-based staff (four days in office/one day work from home), balancing individual flexibility with our commitment to high-impact collaboration.

About you

• You bring lived Indigenous experience and a deep-rooted understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and being. This perspective allows you to lead with a relational approach, prioritizing the long-term cultivation of trust and reciprocity with Indigenous communities and organizations. You recognize that building meaningful relationships is not just a precursor to program delivery—it is the work itself—and you have a demonstrated track record of navigating these spaces with cultural humility, respect, and insight.
• You are a highly organized project manager and relationship builder with a proven track record of connecting with Indigenous youth, educators, and community leads. You don't just understand land-based programming; you have the operational expertise to translate a high-level model into successful, on-the-ground delivery across a national network.
• You thrive as a strategic advisor, capable of guiding diverse partners through the nuances of the InSTEM model while ensuring every initiative is grounded in Actua’s relational approach to Indigenous community engagement. You are a process-oriented thinker who excels at synthesizing complex information and identifying exactly what is needed to move a project forward.
• A natural problem-solver and self-starter, you navigate ambiguity with ease and possess an extraordinary ability to organize information and streamline processes. You are driven by a commitment to breaking barriers for Indigenous youth in STEM and are ready to act as the essential bridge between Actua’s InSTEM model and local impact.

What you will do

Network Member Coaching & Engagement

• Lead the annual InSTEM check-in process to evaluate the strength and progress of network member programs; synthesize findings to identify where proactive support and coaching is required.
• Develop and implement tailored coaching plans for members, ensuring network members have the pedagogical and operational support needed to meet their InSTEM objectives.
• Serve as the primary line of support for the network, providing responsive guidance on community relationship management, Indigenous staff recruitment and retention challenges, and the delivery of culturally relevant content.
• Provide stewardship for InSTEM resources, ensuring that training modules, communications, and materials are impactful, accessible, and responsive to member needs.
• Review Network Member annual reports to identify and synthesize national trends, common challenges, and success stories to inform InSTEM team strategy.

Next Step Pathways

• Lead the full lifecycle of the InSTEM Youth Delegation, managing recruitment, program design, delivery, participant engagement, and managing the program budget.
• Leverage the InSTEM Youth Delegation and Network Internships as a cohesive pathway, ensuring that Indigenous high school and post-secondary youth stay connected to the Actua ecosystem.
• Monitor and track Network Member hiring of Indigenous interns, following the journey of these participants to ensure they are invited to participate in the InSTEM Youth Delegation and subsequent leadership opportunities.

Indigenous Instructor Strategy

• Lead the development of models and strategies designed to increase the representation and retention of Indigenous instructors across the national network.
• Support the Outreach & Education Team in their management of the instructor lifecycle for Indigenous candidates
• Share successful practices from Actua’s internal Indigenous instructor team with Network Members to help them improve their local hiring and support models.

Program Delivery Support

• Support internal content development by participating in the ideation and review phases for outreach programming to ensure cultural integrity and alignment with the InSTEM model.
• Provide subject matter expertise for the Educator Professional Learning program, including reviewing workshop modules, co-designing sessions, or facilitating sessions grounded in the InSTEM model.
• Represent Actua at external and internal conferences and events, facilitating sessions to share the InSTEM model, highlight program impact, and build national awareness.

Why work with us

In this role, you will have the opportunity to make a national impact by joining an organization that is unapologetically committed to breaking barriers to STEM. Each year, Actua and its growing network of over 40 college and university-based members engage over 500,000 youth in exciting, hands-on experiences that help build their skills and confidence in STEM.

This is your opportunity to join our vibrant team-driven environment while working in a youthful, fast-paced and fun culture. Our Ottawa office is centrally located in the Byward Market.

The annual base salary range for this position is $65,000 - $85,000. We also offer a competitive benefits package including paid time off, access to group health & dental benefits, and annual Holiday closure. For more information about us, please visit www.actua.ca.

Interested?

Please submit your cover letter and resume as a single PDF document on the Actua employment page. Actua is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to accessible employment practices. If you require accommodation for any part of the selection process, please notify us, and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Actua honours and recognizes the value of oral and traditional practices. If a written resume and cover letter do not offer the space to fully reflect your lived Indigenous experience, please indicate this in your application. For candidates moving forward in the process, Actua will work with you to organize an appropriate methodology to listen and ensure your experience is fully recognized.

This job posting represents an existing and active vacancy within our organization.

Actua will not be utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the candidate screening process. All applications will be reviewed and evaluated exclusively by human recruiters and hiring managers.