Manager, US Indigenous Relations

Determined, imaginative, curious—if these are some of the ways you describe yourself, we want to learn more about you!

At TC Energy, we are proud to connect the world to the energy it needs. Guided by our values of safety in every step, personal accountability, one team and active learning, we deliver the critical energy that North America and the world rely on while balancing reliability, affordability and sustainability.

The Opportunity

Our US Indigenous Relations team is evolving to meet the needs of our growing business.  We are looking for the right candidate to support implementation of the TC Energy Indigenous Relations Program, Indigenous Relations Policy, and Indigenous Relations Strategy which guide effective engagement with tribals groups to support access to land and project development.  

We are seeking a highly collaborative Manager for our US Indigenous Relations team who has experience leading efforts to establish and maintain relationships with tribal groups and knowledge of pipeline infrastructure and associated regulations. We are looking for candidates with a strong understanding of tribal operations, culture, and economic goals.

Reporting to the US External Relations Team, you will work with various internal stakeholder groups, such as Regulatory, Environment, Land, Legal, Business Development, Facilities Management, and Operations and Maintenance to ensure TC Energy meets regulatory and permitting requirements related to engagement for proposed and existing assets, and to enhance our relationships and reputation. The successful candidate will be required travel to visit tribals groups or organizations and/or to facilitate their participation in TC Energy events or visits to TC Energy assets.

Please note this role could be located in Chicago, Michigan, Minnesota, West Virginia or Wisconsin.

 What you’ll do

• Provide strategic guidance and oversight to Indigenous Relations team members, management, project management teams, and operations and maintenance teams about tribal relations relating to risk mitigation and relationship enhancement measures
• Serve as financial and administrative lead for the US Indigenous Relations team including management of advisor(s) and team budget
• Develop and implement project engagement plans in alignment with TC Energy’s Indigenous Relations Policy and Indigenous Relations Strategy
• Identify local tribal community/business capacity and inform tribal communities about TC Energy’s approach to contracting and employment (e.g., vendor registration, RFP requirements, etc.)
• Negotiate and implement agreements with tribal communities (i.e., Relationship Agreements, consultation capacity funding agreements, traditional knowledge protocol agreements)
• Prepare and deliver notifications, presentations, and briefings to tribal groups related to TC Energy capital projects, operations and maintenance activities, and other initiatives
• Organize and attend site visits (such as facility tours), and participate in community events (e.g., open houses, cultural events, career fairs, etc.)
• Support internal stakeholders, such as regulatory and environment, working with tribal communities to develop mitigation measures to support project development
• Promote damage prevention by sharing relevant materials with tribal communities
• Facilitate tribal participation in emergency preparedness and response planning sessions
• Support development of TC Energy’s federal and state permitting applications and participate in regulatory hearings
• Facilitate compliance with federal and state regulatory requirements and approval conditions

• Support community investment and education and training opportunities which are aligned with TC Energy’s Corporate Community Investment program guidelines and participate in program funding decision-making
• Document interactions with tribal groups and external stakeholders to ensure accurate evidentiary records of engagement are maintained to support regulatory filings and ongoing relationship building
• Prepare and deliver internal presentations, briefings, and updates
• Participate in industry and Indigenous forums, as required, to enhance the sharing of best practices
• Monitor, analyze and communicate emerging issues, risks, and opportunities, including legislative, regulatory, and legal case developments that could have a material impact on TC Energy’s lines of business
• Support continuous improvement of the US Indigenous Relations Team
• Other duties as required

Minimum Qualifications

• Post-secondary education, a degree or a diploma from a recognized institution is required
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in Indigenous Relations, Env