Drinking Water Project Manager & Instructor

Do work that matters. Grow with a positive, collaborative team. Water First is looking for creative, enthusiastic relationship-builders to support sustainable access to safe, clean water in partnership with Indigenous communities across Canada.

Water First is a registered charity grounded in trust-building, meaningful relationships, and lasting impact. Our engagement is guided by responsibility and accountability, with Indigenous voices, experiences, worldviews, and inherent rights centred across all our work.

To ensure Indigenous perspectives lead discussions about work with Indigenous communities, we integrate consultation with Indigenous staff, the Indigenous Advisory Council, community partners, and Indigenous members of our Board of Directors.

We respect and value Indigenous cultural traditions and practices in our workplaces, including the burning of medicines such as tobacco, sage, cedar, and sweetgrass. All employees are expected to maintain strong Indigenous historical and cultural awareness and commit to ongoing learning to support respectful, informed approaches throughout the organization.

Under the direction of the Senior Manager, Drinking Water, the Project Manager & Instructor is responsible for leading the project management, delivery, quality, and expansion of Water First’s Drinking Water Internship Program. Our Drinking Water Internship program focuses on addressing the gap in access to water science training in Indigenous communities by integrating technical training with hands-on, project-based learning in partner communities. Project development and delivery are led by Water First in collaboration with community and tribal council partners and aim to address specific community goals.

Start Date: November 2026

Work Location: Weekly hybrid role pending on proximity to Water First Creemore office; open to remote candidates in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Travel to client sites will be necessary and will be discussed and arranged with your managers as required.

Job Type: Full-time, 37.5 hours/work 

Salary range: $75,000 - $90,000

Water First supports progressive labour policies, including:

• Defined benefit pension plan

• Dental care

• Disability insurance

• Employee assistance program

• Extended health care

• Life insurance

• Generous paid vacation

Responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to:

Project management and design:

• Lead the drafting and management of work plans in collaboration with the Sr. Manager.

• Develop relationships with tribal council partners, community operators and key stakeholders that are needed to help make the project run smoothly.

• Lead recruitment and hiring for interns (as needed), onboard and direct the Local Coordinator.

• Track community partner information, set up specific project folders in Google Drive, direct modifications for the Handbooks and create the project timeline. 

• Navigate Interns’ experience, assisting in finding placements, providing Operator-relayed feedback (review of Operator reports).

• Provide formal supervision to Technical Trainers and Trainers, including work planning, performance management, coaching, and issue escalation

• Provide technical (SME) input into the development of water and wastewater technical trainings as applicable;

• Lead performance management, coaching processes and the impact review processes for technical trainers and trainers, assessing competencies, providing structured feedback, and supporting professional growth.. 

Indigenous community collaboration:

• Build relationships with community partners, including operators and foster existing relationships to collaboratively develop projects;

• Assist with building new relationships as needed.

Raise organizational awareness

• Contribute to initiatives that raise awareness about our work, and/or engage donors,  to build greater support for the organization, in coordination with Communications and Fundraising.

• Model commitment to the ongoing learning of Indigenous histories and ways of being to support informed and respectful work approaches. 

The ideal candidate for this position will possess the following:

Qualifications:

• Post-secondary education (bachelor’s degree or technical diploma) in a related environmental, water or wastewater discipline. 

• Minimum of 2-3 years of technical project management experience

• Certification and/or experience  in drinking water/wastewater treatment

• Previous experience in running training workshops and/or leading adult learning sessions

Please Note:

• Water First’s standard operating hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm Eastern Time, with reasonable accommodations for flex-time.

• All applicants must be legally authorized to work in Canada and possess a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN).

• Candidates will be required to undergo a Vulnerable Sector security check as a condition of employment.

Excited to learn more about this opportunity? We’d love to hear from you. Water First is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and strongly encourages Indigenous applicants. We are dedicated to a fair, equitable, and barrier-free hiring process in accordance with AODA and will provide accommodations upon request.

While we appreciate the interest of all candidates, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Interested candidates should please forward their cover letters and resumes to hr@waterfirst.ngo