Purpose:
The Chief Political Advisor (CPA) is responsible for providing strategic guidance and counsel to the Ratitsénhaienhs on political and governance matters, fostering effective and informed decision-making, and advising on the representation of the community’s interests in external political arenas. The CPA aims to ensure the work of the Ratitsénhaienhs is carried out and optimized through governance systems and collaborates with the Executive Director and the Director of OCC to ensure alignment between the political/governance and administrative/operational sectors.
Roles & Responsibilities
Provide strategic advice to the Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs and Ratitsénhaienhs on political and community governance-related matters.
- Coordinate with the Director of the Office of the Council of Chiefs (OCC) to ensure strategic direction is provided to the OCC team.
- Collaborate with the OCC Strategists to provide ongoing political and governance-related information to the Ratitsénhaienhs.
- Ensure the Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs and Ratitsénhaienhs and each portfolio receive adequate strategic, technical, and analytical advisory services, political consistency and alignment, and attend as many Ratitsénhaienhs/portfolio meetings as possible to contribute to discussions.
- In collaboration with the Director of OCC, ensure high-quality and comprehensive data, reports, and information are provided to the Ratitsénhaienhs to support informed decision-making.
- Conduct complex research and scrutinize information to ensure that the Ratitsénhaienhs provides comprehensive and quality information to make informed decisions and identify gaps or inconsistencies.
- Facilitate the establishment of global political priorities by the Ratitsénhaienhs and facilitate their advancement through a strategic planning process.
- Facilitate the alignment of portfolio priorities with the global priorities and governance and political positions of the Ratitsénhaienhs.
- Liaise with the Executive Director and other internal/external stakeholders on political and portfolio matters, or on operational matters with political implications, as required.
- Support and advise the Ratitsénhaienhs in discussions and negotiations.
Develop governance frameworks and policies and provide governance strategies and direction.
- Develop governance policies, in collaboration with the Director of OCC, that apply exclusively to the Ratitsénhaienhs.
- Identify potential governance/political issues and initiate corrective action as required.
- Support the Ratitsénhaienhs in upholding the political principles for decision-making.
- Ensure risk and impact analyses are completed, including developing risk mitigation strategies.
- Strive to ensure the Ratitsénhaienhs political decisions, mandates, files, and projects are executed and receive the required implementation support, in collaboration with the Director of OCC and the Executive Director.
- Support the Executive Director in ensuring the goals and priorities of the Ratitsénhaienhs are incorporated into the organizational objectives.
- Contribute to the MCK strategic planning process to provide input from a political/governance perspective and ensure alignment with political priorities and strategies.
Provide political strategic direction and supervision to the OCC leadership team, maintain relationships with stakeholders, and ensure compliance with policies and regulations.
- In collaboration with the Director of OCC, provide strategic direction to the Strategists, Analysts, Portfolio Governance Manager and Portfolio Coordinators in alignment with the political priorities, community shared vision, and MCK strategic plan.
- In collaboration with the Director of OCC, ensure the OCC financial planning process is carried out in adherence to MCK policies, optimizing resource use and enhancing financial sustainability.
- Ensure reporting, communications, and community engagement are carried out in compliance with, and advise on the establishment of, best practices and public relations policies and standards.
- Provide political and governance-related updates, reports, and information to the Executive Director and OCC technical and project teams as required.
- Provide supervision, mentoring, and guidance to OCC Director through ensuring hiring, timesheets, performance appraisals, and training/development needs for the OCC Director are met per MCK standards.
- Foster a healthy, safe, collaborative, and supportive work environment in the OCC, providing leadership and support and modeling desired behaviors.
- Ensure that the required orientation activities are carried out for the Ratitsénhaienhs for each election cycle.
