Director, Indigenous Partnerships & Commercial Development

Location: Calgary Trail South

Work. Wonders.
Get inspired - Face Your Wild in Alberta come and be a part of this amazing organization.

At Travel Alberta, we are redefining what it means to be a tourism and economic development leader in Canada. As the provincial destination management organization, we’ve embraced an ambitious goal: doubling Alberta’s tourism sector to $25 billion in annual visitor spending by 2035. This bold vision reflects our commitment to transforming Alberta into a premier destination for both visitors and investors, driving sustainable economic growth while creating unforgettable itineraries and experiences that showcase our breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cities, and rich cultural heritage.

Position Summary
Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, the Director, Indigenous Partnerships & Commercial Development plays a pivotal leadership role in shaping Alberta's tourism future by championing the commercial development of Indigenous tourism in Alberta. As a member of Travel Alberta's leadership team, they provide strategic and operational leadership for Indigenous tourism development, stakeholder engagement, the creation of opportunities for commercial investment, and the growth of Indigenous product and experience offerings across the province.

The role requires an adept leader who can effectively balance the demands of contributing to the broader vision related to Travel Alberta’s destination and commercial development strategy while at the same time being committed to rolling up their sleeves and taking direct ownership of executing programs, managing budgets, collaborating with stakeholders, and working with internal teams across various initiatives.

They also serve as the organization's senior lead for Indigenous engagement and economic reconciliation and manage the day-to-day relationship with partners, including Indigenous Tourism Association of Alberta (ITA) and Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corp (AIOC). Across the organization, the role ensures that Indigenous perspectives and opportunities are meaningfully considered in destination development, industry investment, strategic partnerships, marketing, and other business initiatives. In addition to their external focus, they will collaborate with fellow team members to lead and contribute to Indigenous cultural awareness, education, and knowledge-sharing initiatives across Travel Alberta.

This is a highly visible role for a leader who can represent Travel Alberta with confidence, credibility, and purpose. The Director, Indigenous Partnerships & Commercial Development will be called upon to listen, convene, influence, and build alignment among diverse stakeholders, often serving as the face and voice of the organization in important public and industry forums related to Indigenous tourism. Their ability to earn trust and inspire collective action will be central to converting Alberta’s tourism ambition into results and helping the province achieve $25 billion in annual visitor spending by 2035 as it strives to be known as "Tourism’s Next Destination".

This role will define and demonstrate the contribution of Indigenous tourism to Travel Alberta's 2035 visitor spending ambition, including clear sector targets, performance measures and reporting of results.

Furthermore, beyond their priority focus on the Indigenous tourism sector, they may be asked, on select occasions, to collaborate or even lead specific destination and commercial development opportunities in partnership with industry stakeholders, operators, entrepreneurs, investors, and communities across Travel Alberta’s identified regions and Tourism Development Zones.

Key Responsibilities
1. Indigenous Tourism Strategy, Sector Growth & Commercial Development:

Lead the design,…