Job DescriptionBE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND ONE OF CANADA'S MOST IMPACTFUL INDIGENOUS YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMSIn this national leadership role, you will guide strategy, develop exceptional leaders, foster trusted community partnerships, and ensure OYEP delivers measurable results for youth, communities, and partners nationwide
POSITION SUMMARYThe OYEP National Operations Manager is a senior national leadership role within RHS and a member of the RHS management team. Reporting to a Regional Operations Director, this position is accountable for translating OYEP strategy into safe, consistent, high-quality operations across Canada. The role leads the Regional Operations Managers, represents OYEP with employees, clients, Indigenous communities and partners, and ensures that program commitments, partner goals, safety requirements, service standards, and approved budgets are achieved.
ROLE MANDATEThis is the stakeholder-facing and employee-facing leadership role. It owns operational execution and people leadership, while partnering closely with the Program Enablement, Finance and Compliance Manager, who owns the financial control, funding, reporting, governance, and compliance framework.
SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIESNational Strategy and Operational Leadership- Support the DCI Executive Director in developing the OYEP strategic plan and translate the strategy into a clear, measurable national operating plan.
- Lead the Regional Operations Managers in planning and delivering OYEP programs across Canada, establishing priorities, milestones, operating standards, and clear accountability for results.
- Monitor national program performance, identify trends and operational risks, remove barriers, and implement practical continuous-improvement actions.
- Ensure program design and delivery remain responsive to youth needs, community and partner goals, labour-market opportunities, contractual commitments, and OYEP outcomes.
- Coordinate national resource planning, program scheduling, mobilization, curriculum implementation, subcontracting, and operational readiness.
People Leadership- Provide direct leadership, coaching, mentorship, and performance management to Regional Operations Managers and national operations support roles.
- Establish clear expectations and operating rhythms, including regular performance reviews, planning meetings, field follow-up, and completion tracking.
- Guide workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, training, succession planning, and development for OYEP operational teams.
- Build a respectful, inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing culture grounded in Dexterra values and OYEP purpose.
- Hold leaders accountable for employee engagement, communication, safe work, service quality, budget performance, and timely completion of commitments.
Partner, Client and Community Relationships- Serve as a primary operational representative of OYEP, Outland, Dexterra, and DCI with Indigenous communities, clients, program partners, educational institutions, industry, and public-sector stakeholders.
- Build and sustain trusted relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis communities and organizations using respectful, culturally informed engagement practices.
- Lead external stakeholder planning, issue resolution, program updates, presentations, and reporting conversations related to operations and outcomes.
- Represent OYEP at community meetings, conferences, career fairs, speaking engagements, panels, and stakeholder forums.
- Work with the Program Enablement, Finance and Compliance Manager to ensure partner commitments are documented, feasible, funded, and delivered.
Budget Execution and Operational Performance- Participate in the development of annual operating budgets, forecasts, and reforecasts by providing program plans, staffing assumptions, schedules, logistics, and operational requirements.
- Guide Regional Operations Managers in executing programs within approved budgets and ensure timely corrective action when operational or financial performance varies from plan.
- Review regular financial and operational performance information with the Regional Operations Director and Program Enablement, Finance and Compliance Manager.
- Approve or recommend operational decisions within delegated authority and ensure spending decisions align with the approved plan, partner obligations, and procurement expectations.
- Provide accurate operational inputs for funder reports, claims, forecasts, invoices, audits, and Board or company updates.
Safety, Quality and Operational Risk- Act as a visible Safety Leader and ensure health, safety, environmental, quality, employment, and client requirements are embedded in every program plan and operating decision.
- Partner with the Regional HSE Field representative to ensure alignment with Dexterra HSE policies and procedures.
- Ensure OYEP employees receive required orientation, onboarding, training, supervision, and competency development before work begins.
- Ensure field teams use approved corporate safety systems and programs, including Sphera and Don't Walk By, as applicable.
- Lead or support incident reviews, corrective actions, hazard controls, field assurance, and continuous improvement, and verify actions are completed.
- Escalate material safety, service, people, partner, financial, or reputational risks promptly.
Growth, Communications and Program Impact- Identify opportunities to responsibly expand OYEP reach, partnerships, client support, and program impact.
- Contribute operational expertise to funding concepts, major project bids, new business pursuits, cross-selling opportunities, and Indigenous workforce-development initiatives.
- Provide compelling public presentations and clear program narratives that are aligned with Dexterra values and advance OYEP objectives while following approved communication and brand protocols.
- Ensure program outcome and impact information is collected by the operations team accurately and on schedule.
- Support company initiatives related to Indigenous recruitment, retention, development, workforce diversity, and community capacity building.
QualificationsQUALIFICATIONSEducation and Experience- Post-secondary education in Business Administration, Indigenous Studies, Education, Community Development, Operations, Project Management, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 5+ years of progressive experience in multi-site operations, workforce development, youth programming, Indigenous relations, education, community programming, or a related field, including significant people-leadership responsibility.
- Experience leading geographically dispersed managers and field teams through complex, deadline-driven program delivery.
- Demonstrated experience managing programs against budgets, forecasts, partner commitments, performance measures, and service standards.
- Experience building relationships and working collaboratively with Indigenous communities and organizations is strongly preferred.
- Experience representing an organization with clients, partners, community leaders, funders, or public audiences.
Skills and Abilities- Charismatic and credible leader who can inspire confidence, establish direction, and hold others accountable.
- Confident, polished public speaker with excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills.
- Highly organized and detail oriented, with disciplined planning, prioritization, documentation, and follow-through.
- Strong operational, financial, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capability.
- Effective coach who can build leadership capacity across a geographically dispersed team.
- Ability to build respectful, durable relationships across corporate, community, client, and partner environments.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and comfort learning corporate systems.
- High integrity, discretion, cultural awareness, resilience, and commitment to inclusive leadership
SUCCESS MEASURES- Programs are delivered safely, consistently, on schedule, and within approved budgets.
- Commitments to youth, employees, communities, clients, partners, funders, Dexterra, and DCI are completed accurately and on time.
- Risks, variances, and emerging issues are identified early, escalated appropriately, and followed through to resolution.
- The role demonstrates high attention to detail, personal accountability, sound judgment, and consistent follow-through.
WORKING CONDITIONS- Office-based or hybrid work environment with flexible scheduling requirements.
- Regular travel across Canada to Indigenous communities, program locations, partner and client meetings, conferences, and events.
- Occasional evening and weekend work may be required to meet program and stakeholder needs.
- Safety is a condition of employment; all required training, travel, and compliance requirements must be maintained.
Additional Information 
