(Full-time/Permanent - Hybrid))

Are you a creative, strategic thinker who enjoys working collaboratively with diverse clients to build sustainable solutions to complex challenges? Are you interested in advancing reconciliation by working directly with Indigenous nations to enhance their socio-economic wellbeing while building and sustaining long-term relationships?

Suslop Inc. is seeking a talented, experienced senior consultant to join our dynamic and growing team to contribute to various projects with a focus on provincial environmental and federal impact assessment and related regulatory processes including engagement and consultation.  As a consultant at Suslop Inc., you will play an instrumental role in supporting Indigenous nations, multiple levels of government, and a range of organizations in projects that aim to advance sustainable development goals. Specifically, you will:

• Assist with the management of components of environmental and impact assessments (EA/IA) including the review of EA/IA documents;
• Plan and execute consultation and engagement activities including writing post consultation/engagement summary reports
• Help plan, organize, and implement projects that may directly impact Indigenous nations and their socio-economic wellbeing; and
• Work closely with clients to develop comprehensive solutions to complex challenges.

Duties/Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to oversee the technical quality of various federal impact assessments and provincial environmental assessments on behalf our clients. In addition, they will also plan and execute consultation and engagement activities related to EA/IAs. The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to diverse, short-term research and engagement projects while supporting the planning, development, and implementation of policy in support of our ongoing long-term projects with clients and partners.

In this multi-faceted role, you will be responsible for, managing aspects of environmental and impact assessments, and contributing to EA/IAs and stakeholder engagement strategies. Responsibilities include:

• Managing and implementing aspects of EA/IA and other regulatory processes for proposed projects including creative strategies on how to meet the regulatory requirements and expectations of two levels of government simultaneously and in a timely manner.
• Reviewing technical draft documents related to environmental assessments, permit applications, and related federal and provincial regulatory processes.
• Undertaking in-depth desktop reviews of current and relative literature, data sources, tools, policies, plans, programs and legislative frameworks.
• Undertaking field work including engagement of stakeholders and/or rightsholders using a participatory approach.
• Participating in primary research including surveys, telephone and in-depth interviews, workshops, and focus groups to collect information related to EA/IA requirements.
• Conducting research (collect information on key baseline indicators, variables, parameters and modelling and analyzing the information) and writing reports that can be components of project assessment.
• Keeping records for engagement and consultation activities. (Familiarity with Praxis would be beneficial). and
• Providing solutions-based advice to team members and clients based on technical experience and political considerations.

Qualifications

As part of a growing and agile business, our team is looking for a seasoned consultant with a broad range of experience, which must include working with Indigenous Peoples and a minimum of 7 years of experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Regulatory processes (both federal and provincial)
• Environmental assessment in Ontario
• Impact Assessment (federal)
• Project management including project scheduling and budgets
• Baseline data collection, technical report writing and review
• Consultation and engagement
• Natural resources management
• Infrastructure planning and development
• Crown-Indigenous relations

A bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to one of the following areas is required: biology, environmental science, biochemistry, environmental engineering, water resource science or engineering, or similar studies in natural sciences, environmental studies, environmental assessment or similar studies in social science. Preference will be given to qualified candidates with a graduate degree and a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) designation.

Other beneficial areas or knowledge and/or experience include: Duty to Consult and Accommodate; Indigenous Knowledge collection; corporate social responsibility; and community benefit agreements.

Skills

Essential skills for this position include:

• Strong leadership skills;
• Strong strategic thinking and creative problem-solving skills;
• Advanced project management skills;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including presentation and correspondence skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact across a broad range of audiences and technical backgrounds, including internal and external clients, stakeholders, rightsholders, and regulatory agencies;
• Ability to work collaboratively with the team to manage project schedules to help ensure that deliverables are met in a timely manner;
• Ability to work independently without supervision;
• Familiarity with analytical methods used to support or conduct environmental and impact assessments;
• Familiarity with undertaking jurisdictional/environmental scans and SWOT analyses;
• Familiarity with Canadian history, legislation, and policies relating to Indigenous Peoples; and
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint) and Google Workspace.

Other Desired Attributes

• Alignment with Suslop values and a positive, team-oriented attitude;
• Willingness and ability to travel, up to 25% of the time; and
• A valid driver’s license and the ability to rent and drive a car and travel on public transport when available.

Suslop is an equal opportunity employer for all applicants and employees. We do not discriminate based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by local law. Candidates must be legally eligible to work in Canada. We strongly encourage those from Indigenous backgrounds and other minority communities to apply.

Location

The position is hybrid. The successful candidate should have the ability to report to the office in downtown Toronto as needed; however, there is sufficient flexibility so that candidates with the right experience who are not Greater Toronto Area based, will still be considered and would be able to work remotely.