Associate Director – Client and Student Services
Location: Central Office, Edmonton, AB
Closing Date: Until Suitable Candidate Found
Position Status: Full-time (40 hours/week) Permanent
The Organization
Rupertsland Institute (RLI) is an affiliate of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and has a triple mandate in education, training, and research. With a decentralized network of 9 METI-Service Centres, a Corporate Head Office in Edmonton, and two mobile service units; RLI designs and delivers training and education services to more than 140,000 Alberta Métis.
The RLI Vision is: “A Skilled and Knowledgeable, Self-Reliant Métis Nation.”
The RLI Mission is: “To enhance the self-sufficiency and well-being of Alberta Métis through quality education, training, and research.”
For more information about RLI and its services and programs, visit us at www.rupertsland.org
The Opportunity
Rupertsland Institute is seeking an Associate Director of Client and Student Services who will lead the strategic and operational oversight for Rupertsland Institute’s education and training programs across Alberta. This role will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, culturally relevant services that support Métis citizens in achieving educational success, skills development, and employment outcomes.
The Associate Director’s leadership and expertise will be instrumental in guiding a provincial team including regional managers and front-line staff. The voice of the Associate Director will ensure alignment with organizational goals, funding agreements, and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government (OMG) policy priorities, while leading the direction of services to make a tangible difference in the lives of Métis students and clients. The successful candidate for this position will have strong leadership skills with a passion for leading and creating engaging teams.
Key Responsibilities:
Provide leadership and oversight for client services across education, training, and employment programs province wide.
Oversee the design and implementation of culturally grounded support services for Métis students: youth, post-secondary learners, adult learners, and job seekers.
Champion skills development initiatives, including upskilling, pre-employment training, project-based learning, and work-readiness programming.
Guide the development and implementation of youth-focused initiatives that support early career exploration, mentorship, and transitions to post-secondary and employment.
Advance collaborative service delivery models that include wraparound supports tailored to individual goals and community contexts.
Support job search initiatives for Métis clients, including resume development, interview preparation, job matching, employment coaching, and labour market navigation.
Lead the development of innovative education and training initiatives that align with emerging labour market trends and Métis workforce needs.
Develop and implement annual workplans for provincial and regional staff that align with departmental business plans and strategic objectives.
Oversee the delivery of job search services and employment readiness programming through regional offices and online platforms.
Foster partnerships with employers, post-secondary institutions, Indigenous organizations, and industry associations to create employment pathways, work-integrated learning, and training-to-employment pipelines for Métis citizens.
Support province-wide career exploration strategies for Métis youth, including job shadowing, career fairs, mentorship programs, and school-to-work transitions.
Manage and support community-based projects that build local capacity and lead to employment outcomes.
Manage multi-million-dollar provincial budgets tied to education, training, and employment programming.
Oversee budgets related to student support (e.g., tuition, living allowances, training supplies), regional service delivery, and workforce development initiatives.
Ensure compliance with all government and third-party funding agreements, audit requirements, and financial policies.
Supervise and mentor a team of regional and departmental managers, providing leadership on staff development, work planning, and service coordination.
Promote internal collaboration, knowledge sharing, and cross-training to enhance service quality and operational efficiency.
Lead workforce planning and succession strategies to ensure department continuity and leadership development.
Lead data collection, reporting, and evaluation efforts to monitor program effectiveness, client outcomes, and compliance with funding agreements.
Collaborate with IT, Data Governance, and Research teams to support evidence-informed service planning and real-time decision-making.
Other duties as required or assigned.
Skills and Competencies:
Excellent administrative and organizational skills.
Strong leadership skills with a recognized strength in leading and engaging teams, financial management, project oversight skills while creating a culture that promotes the development of individual and organizational capacity.
Strong sense of initiative with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects or tasks, delegate, set expectations, and monitor progress of direct reports.
Proven strategic thinker with the ability to execute complex business plans and establish short-and long-term plans to meet key objectives.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with an ability to produce professional documents, reports, and presentations.
Strong understanding of labour market trends, Indigenous education and training issues, and pathways to employment and post-secondary for Métis Citizens.
Knowledge of program evaluation, performance measurement, and reporting requirements for government-funded programs.
Superior interpersonal skills and a proven track record of building collaborative partnerships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
Ability to thrive in a dynamic and changing environment and be adaptable and flexible to changing needs.
Knowledge of Métis history, culture, and issues affecting Métis people including an in-depth understanding of RLI or the Otipemisiwak Métis Government is a strong asset.
Qualifications:
A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in education, workforce development, or human services, with at least 5 years in a senior management or leadership role.
Post-secondary degree in Education, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience managing government-funded programs, large budgets, and complex provincial operations.
Proven track record of building employer and community partnerships that lead to sustainable employment opportunities.
Experience designing and overseeing job readiness or employment support services is an asset.
Supervisory experience with mid-level managers and cross-functional teams.
Other Requirements:
Ability to work in office a regular schedule of 8:30am-4:30pm Monday to Friday, with flexibility for weekend and evening work, as required.
Ability to travel throughout Alberta as well as various provinces, as required.
Valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.
Submission of a clear Vulnerable Sector Police Information Check.
Rupertsland Institute (RLI) Offers:
A competitive salary with comprehensive benefits plan including life insurance, critical illness, health spending & more!
Employer matching pension plan.
Generous vacation and time-off policies.
An opportunity to learn about Métis culture, history, and art.
Meaningful work in a fun and supportive work environment.
Continuous Learning and Professional development.
Let’s Connect – Please Reach Out
We genuinely welcome a conversation to explore how this opportunity can work for you. If this opportunity resonates with your passion and experience, we encourage you to email your application package, including a resume/CV and a cover letter to info@rupertsland.org.
Alternatively, if you have questions about how this opportunity will fit your professional journey, please email the same address and we will be pleased to coordinate a time for an exploratory conversation.
Métis applicants are encouraged to apply.
Rupertsland Institute thanks all applicants for their interest. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that candidates who have been selected to move forward to the next stage of the recruitment process will receive an email to complete a short online one-way video interview. Should you have any concerns with completing the video interview, please reach out to Human Resources by responding to the email invitation. No phone calls please.
