Office of Vocation Minister Indigenous Church
The Indigenous Ministries and Justice Unit is seeking an individual to fill the role of Office of Vocation Minister, Indigenous Church on a permanent full-time basis (35 hours/week).
This position represents a current, active vacancy within our organization. For all applications received through The United Church of Canada’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) for publicly advertised positions, AI might be used to support certain applicant evaluations however, all applications are manually reviewed by our hiring team to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all candidates. All decisions are made solely by the hiring team.
Indigenous Ministries and Justice (IMJ) work with the National Indigenous Council (NIC) and Indigenous communities of faith across The United Church of Canada. In line with the norm, principles, and standards set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s Calls to Action, Indigenous Ministries and Justice supports the whole United Church as it strives to animate the Calls to Action and Calls to the Church. This work is done by building on the capacity, already present, in areas of spiritual healing, leadership and youth development, stewardship, and justice and reconciliation.
Position Purpose
The Office of Vocation Minister for the Indigenous Church serves within all regional councils, working closely with the Community Capacity Development Coordinators (CCDCs) and the regional council pastoral relations ministers. They collaborate with other Vocation Ministers and the Co-Directors of the Office of Vocation and the staff at the Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre.
The Office of Vocation Minister for the Indigenous Church provides leadership in the implementation of the Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Call to Action #60. This will include but not be limited to, working with appropriate governance to establish standards, and the Indigenous Candidacy Board, researching what the theological schools are already offering, collaborating with the National Indigenous Organization, National Elders Council, ensuring the development of appropriate curriculum and providing training to current ministry personnel.
They will support ministry personnel serving Indigenous Communities of Faith by encouraging the building of a Community of Practice or equivalent and ensuring completion of mandatory requirements to remain on the Registry of Accredited Ministry Personnel. They support the development of skills in restorative justice within the Office of Vocation in ways culturally appropriate to the Indigenous context. The Office of Vocation Minister for the Indigenous Church will support building a member-centric team service model that can provide cross-functional services to The United Church of Canada.
Primary areas of responsibility:
1. Collaboration with Indigenous Ministries and Justice : Serve as an Office of Vocation resource to Indigenous Ministries and Justice, providing culturally informed guidance and cross-cultural interpretation.
2. Education for all indigenous ministry personnel : Lead implementation of TRC Call to Action #60 in collaboration with the National Indigenous Organization, National Indigenous Elders Council, and Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre.
3. Candidacy Pathway : Guide and support Indigenous leaders through the candidacy pathway by collaborating with Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre, developing resources, coordinating orientation and discernment activities, and helping candidates meet requirements.
4. Staff resource to the Indigenous Candidacy Board : Support the Indigenous Candidacy Board by working with its Chair and members, coordinating with the Office of Vocation, providing training, and ensuring effective administration.
5. Support Supervised Ministry Education: Support culturally appropriate Supervised Ministry Education by coordinating learning sites and community teams, helping designate educational supervisors, and liaising on accreditation and standing matters.
6. Support pastoral transition in Indigenous Communities of Faith : Collaborate with Regional Council staff to provide technical support during pastoral transitions, ensuring accurate documentation, fair employment practices, required compensation, and completion of applicable grant forms.
7. Ministry Personnel : Support ministry personnel in vocational accountability, continuing education, standards compliance, complaints processes, and remedial work, while coordinating with regional council staff as needed.
8. Creating Safe and Respectful Environments Policy and Procedures : Support the Creating Safe and Respectful Environments process by directing formal complaints to the Office of Vocation coordinator, participating in administrative leave discussions, and serving as a local resource.
*To request a copy of the full job description, send an e-mail to: careers@united-church.ca
Qualifications
- Post-secondary education (University Degree, Theological Degree or training, Human Resources training) and knowledge of Indigenous history, culture and issues, including the history of Indian residential schools, ministry or community development,
- 5+ years’ related experience, or the equivalent of work and life experience; and
- Knowledge of the life and work of The United Church of Canada with a demonstrated understanding of the various perspectives on ministry within the Church.
- Must possess skills to develop and deliver curriculum as outlined in TRC Call to Action #60;
- Must possess a secure self-identity and be able to exercise self-awareness, sensitivity and compassion while often working under circumstances of cultural conflict. Personal integrity, maturity, and respect for all others is essential;
- An understanding and appreciation of the diverse Indigenous communities, their values, faith, spirituality, knowledge, traditions, and the capacity to reflect theologically on issues affecting Indigenous peoples;
- Highly developed communication skills (both verbal and written) together with excellent human relations and interpersonal skills;
- A commitment to always maintain confidentiality and appropriate boundaries;
- Ability to relate policies and procedures to faith and to reflect theologically on policy;
- Proven ability in education /leadership, mediation/restorative justice training would be an asset;
- Good judgement, discernment and analysis skills;
- Solid computer skills with a demonstrated ability to use various forms of digital communications and social media;
- Willingness and ability to travel extensively within Canada;
- French, Indigenous or other language skills would be a definite asset in the context of some regional councils.
- Alignment with the vision and values of The United Church of Canada – respect, integrity, passion and diversity;
Working Conditions
The United Church of Canada has adopted a hybrid workplace model, providing flexibility for this position, working both offsite and in the General Council Office, currently located in Toronto, ON. The incumbent will be provided, for work purposes, use of secure devices and must be available by email, phone, teams or zoom during regular office hours Monday to Friday. Sitting and viewing a computer screen for long periods, keyboarding/using voice recognition software, intermittent physical activity including sitting, standing and being on the phone for long periods of time will be required. Occasional additional hours may be required.
As part of our ongoing commitment to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Human Rights Code, The United Church of Canada will provide reasonable accommodations to employees with human-rights related needs.
Compensation
The target hiring range for this position is $79,455 to $ 90,556 with the ability to progress to a maximum of $105, 941. This is based on category 8 on our salary range. Placement on the salary range will be based on factors such as market condition, internal equity, candidate experience skills and qualifications relevant to the role. Pension and group benefit plans coverage and annual vacation round out this compensation package.